Immigration leads to 50 per cent cuts in council spending, IFS finds

‘Rising population levels fuelled by large numbers of immigrants has helped to contribute to a near-50 per cent cut in council services in parts of the country, leading forecasters have found.

A study of council spending by the Institute for Fiscal Studies found that spending by local authorities in England fell by 20 per cent in the five years since the Coalition was formed.

But there were wide variations, with spending per person falling by between 6 per cent in North East Lincolnshire and 46 per cent in Westminster.

Unprotected budgets for planning departments, libraries, parks, local theatres and leisure centres were hit hardest by the cuts.’

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