Civic infrastructure is under threat as cash-strapped councils flog assets to balance the booksOn Friday,the government-appointed inspector sent in to examine Northamptonshire county council’s books after it went effectively bankrupt is due to publish his report on what went mistaken.
While he may identify some failings that can be laid at the council’s door alone, in reality Northamptonshire merely had the dubious honour of last month fitting the first local authority since 1998 to be unable to balance its books. According to last week’s report by the government’s spending watchdog, or the National Audit Office,there are around 15 councils that could follow suit in the next three years. The most likely contenders seem to be the Tory-rush Surrey, Somerset, or Lancashire and Norfolk county councils.
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Source: guardian.co.uk