The Improvement Service has published the annual National Benchmarking Overview
report. The report covers children’s services, adult social care, culture and leisure, environmental services, corporate services housing and economic development and planning. This is the most up to date information of local government spending and services and so will be useful for local campaigning as bargaining.
The report gives details on both spending and a range of output measures.
Key points
Early Years spending has grown by 38.8% since 2010/11 and by 12.3% in the last
year
Spending on Looked After children has grown by 22%. With an 18% growth in
residential settings. The report indicates that the rising cost of externally provided
care is a likely factor.
Satisfaction with schools has fallen from 83.1% to 72.5% since 2010/11. There was a
slight increase between this year and last year.
Social care spending on adults has grown by 13.2% since 2010/11. Spending on hoe
care by older people has risen by 17% since 2010/11. Hourly rates have risen by 2%
in the past 12 months.
Spending in leisure and culture has reduced by 23.5% since 2010/11 but visitor
numbers have risen sharply: 20% in sports 38% libraries and 30% in museums.
Public satisfaction rates have fallen for a culture and leisure services except parks
and opens spaces
Environmental services spending has reduced by 10.3% since 2010/11. Street
cleaning was the worst with a 32% reduction but trading standards and
environmental health (-22%) and waste management (-2.3%) have also seen
reductions
Roads budgets were reduced by 7.8% in the last year alone.
There are also details on sickness and absence levels.