Sir - A recent report by the Council of Europe stated that, due to deep austerity cuts, local councils do "not have adequate financial resources" and this is likely to "get worse in years to come", meaning the UK is not compliant with the European charter of local self-government.

The chairman of the Local Government Association, Sir Merrick Cockell (a Conservative), commented that the report is a "fair reflection on the current pressures facing local government". He has consistently argued that councils need more money not less.

Councils face real-term cuts of 15.9 per cent over 2014/15 and 2015/16, with an overall reduction in core funding of 40 per cent over the current Parliament. The alternative is to have more decisions at the local level and to give councils the freedom to raise money and keep more of what they raise to spend on the services that are important to local residents.

Neil Laurenson

Green Party Councillor – St. Stephen ward