Audit Scotland has warned some council services will not restart and that local authorities are in dire need of longer-term financial certainty as they face ‘multiple challenges’.

People who use council services have also been hit in ‘severe and unequal’ ways, according to the authors of a new overview of local government, who highlight how some people with learning disabilities have been left without critical services during the pandemic.

In the report it prepared for the Accounts Commission, Audit Scotland says that while the Scottish government did provide significant financial support for councils to help them deal with the costs of covid, a considerable amount of that took the form of only one-off payments meaning further funding commitments will be ‘vital’.

Elma Murray, Interim Chair of the Commission said: “Councils, communities and their partners have worked incredibly hard to continue to deliver vital services to local people.

“The stark reality is that some council services won’t restart, and some services will have to be delivered differently.

“Underpinning this is the increasingly urgent need to address inequalities throughout Scotland’s communities. And for councils this is made more challenging because they continue to operate in a climate of significant financial uncertainty, which must now be addressed.”

The new report from the public service watchdog states that despite councils reacting quickly, providing innovative and sustained support to vulnerable people and working well with communities during the pandemic, the impacts of covid-19 have been unequal.

Many who were shielding or self-isolating during the pandemic were well supported when services switched to digital ways of working, while local businesses were helped by councils that distributed relief funds from the government.

But auditors report that as many services – in particular, social care, education and culture and leisure services – were disrupted, stopped or reduced, some people experienced ‘severe and unequal’ consequences.

Carers were left without access to respite services, care at home services were disrupted, and people with learning disabilities were unable to access critical services and support.

Councillor Gail Macgregor, the Coalition of Scotland’s Local Authorities (CoSLA) Resources spokesperson said she is delighted with the recognition for councils in the report, and of the need for them to have long term financial certainty:

“There is not a lot to add to the comments from the Accounts Commission today apart from to say that I am absolutely delighted with what is a true and accurate description of the extraordinary effort of Scottish local government – as recognised in the report. 

“Significantly, the report also highlights that funding certainty beyond one year would allow for longer term financial planning for the benefit of communities and we welcome this.

“As the report states, Scotland’s councils reacted quickly, working alongside communities and partners, to address the unprecedented challenges created by covid-19.  Our staff always do their best for communities – delivering for them is what we do.”

A review of adult social care carried out earlier this year recommended local authorities be stripped of the responsibility of commissioning, procuring, and delivering social care.

Following this, the head of the body that represents independent care providers in Scotland said last month he felt the local authority led model of social care delivery had ‘clearly failed for thirty plus years’.

CoSLA however has railed against such suggestions, voicing grave concerns over any plans to remove care responsibilities from councils.

Councillor Macgregor added: “The report is also right to point out, as COSLA has often said, that many challenges remain significant, and these are made more urgent by the multiple impacts of covid-19 on communities and services.

“However, no one is better placed to deal with these challenges than Scotland’s councils and as always we will rise to the challenge. 

“…today’s report is also very clear that local authorities require long term financial certainty – this is to also be welcomed and would enable us to do an even better job than the one we are rightly being praised for today.”

The Accounts Commission highlights ‘there is rarely financial certainty for councils beyond the current financial year.’

Without the certainty of a multi-year settlement, auditors warn, ‘Scotland is faced with a clear risk to the financial sustainability of our councils. During the last few years, we have seen increasing amounts of funding provided by the Scottish government being ring-fenced for specific purposes and this limit on local flexibility has also emerged through the funding arrangements for covid-19.’

The report also adds that funding announcements have been ‘frequent but not regular’ from government: 

‘This has created an additional administrative burden for…councils arising from awarding and accepting grants and completing the related reporting requirements’.

 

Read more: Councils call on parties to acknowledge what they do; Local authorities have ‘clearly failed’ on social care; Councils voice “grace concern” with care review

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