People Trust Local Councillors Five Times More Than MP

People trust local councillors five times more than their local MP, while councils are also trusted more than the government.

Survation found that 63pc of people also wanted to see tax collected locally was also spent locally.

Local councils also fared much better when compared to the private sector. When it came to delivering services six times more people saying they trust their local authority to deliver.

Paul Smith from Survation revealed the figures while speaking to The Association for Public Service Excellence, he said;

“The public has a high degree of satisfaction with local neighbourhood services provided by their local councils.”

“Council delivery of those services is always in a net positive. The reason for this is that the public trust local councils far more than the government or private companies.”

“When it comes to making decisions in local areas, councillors and councils are trusted five times more than MPs or central government.”

“When you talk about decisions delivering those services the government come out five times less popular compared to local authorities.”

“The real issue here is that the public trust the local council to be more responsive and more accountable when delivering services in the local neighbourhood.”

“What the public wants is to see more the tax money spent in the local neighbourhood. When you ask the question 63pc want more of their tax collected spent locally.”

“When you ask who you want to spend that money, 79pc of people want to see their local authority spend the money as they are trusted to deliver those services in the community.”

Councillors Face Tough Choices Due To Funding Crisis

The Local Government Association issued a warning. They say that local councils are being pushed towards a ‘financial cliff edge’.

They say that unprecedented funding cuts were supposed to tie in with local councils keeping all of the business rates collected.

However, they say these plans will no longer be in place by the end of the decade. This will leave councils having to make tough decisions on delivering vital services like care.

Cllr Nick Forbes, LGA Senior Vice Chair, said;

“It was hoped that local government as a whole keeping all of its business rates income by 2020 would ease financial pressure.”

“With those plans now in doubt, councils are faced with the double jeopardy. Not only is the money they have to pay for local services running out fast. They also huge uncertainty about future funding after 2020.”

Northamptonshire council, a model of Tory ideology is facing up to the cost of effective bankruptcy. Northamptonshire council become the first authority to file a section 114 notice in two decades.

Now their £53m head office which was once of a symbol of progress is now likely to become a symbol of one of the biggest municipal failings of recent times.