Almost one in five council leaders in England fear their local authorities are facing bankruptcy, a new survey has warned. Echoing the serious issues faced by Kent County Council (KCC) in balancing the books, 17% of political chiefs and top executives in England say key services are now at risk. KCC must find tens of millions of pounds worth of savings in the coming years as a result of rising costs and falling funding allocated by the government. Most councils are awaiting how much Whitehall will hand back to town halls in the annual local government finance settlement in early 2024. A study …
