Council finances are so broken, the forthcoming Budget cannot fix it all. Reversing growing dedicated schools grant (DSG) deficits and reliance on the capitalisation of revenue deficits under exceptional financial support (EFS) would at least stop things getting worse.
But in themselves these are not long-term solutions. Indeed, the problems are so stark they crowd out a clear route to sustainable services and finance. Perhaps we needed to be clearer about what the sector is asking for other than plead that something is done?
