John Denham refuses to put figure on council spending cuts

By Martin Evans Published: 9:43AM GMT 01 March 2010

Communities and Local Government Secretary John Denham Photo: PA

In a bad gradual sell on BBC Radio 4"s Today programme Mr Denham refused to quantify the volume councils might have to cut spending by, notwithstanding being asked 7 times.

A consult of internal councils conducted by the BBC found that most feared their budgets would have to slashed by in between 10 per cent and fifteen per cent after 2011, that could lead to as most as 25,000 pursuit cuts.

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Many councils are additionally notice that the spending reductions will fundamentally lead to cuts in front line services.

But Mr Denham pronounced cuts in front line services would not be required if councils finished potency assets elsewhere.

Asked what his letter of reference was for the sort of cuts councils should have in mind for the 3 years from 2011, Mr Denham refused to speculate.

He said: "The initial thing they should be you do is not receiving bad decisions right away ... we have confirmed the betrothed appropriation to internal supervision at an enlarge of 4 per cent this year so most of the cuts in front line services you are celebration of the mass about in internal writings are internal domestic decisions customarily taken by Conservative councils."

Pressed again to put a figure on the turn of spending cuts councils should design he again refused to name a figure.

He said: "After 2011 the spending totals have not nonetheless been set as you know since there are uncertainties. What will establish the comprehensive levels of spending will be what happens to growth, what happens to unemployment, the income from taxation and those are decisions that Alistair Darling will take ... in due course.

"What I would contend to internal authorities is that people who are rushing right away to contend we will cut the front lines services shouldn"t be you do that when we all know there are efficiencies to be finished at the back of the scenes ... there are still large areas of duplication and inefficiency that can be dealt with and the genuine plea here is that people should be observant to their councils who contend your front line services are going is since unless you can discuss it us that you have finished all of these efficiencies and have dealt with them inside of the system."

"I am not going to put a figure on it since that will be dynamic by the subsequent spending decisions."