Councils in Crisis

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Many councils across England are in deep financial trouble. More than half of the authorities which responded to a survey by the Local Government Information Unit said they were likely to be unable to balance their books in the next five years, despite receiving extra cash from the government. Two-thirds are cutting services, with parks, leisure, arts and culture at the top of the list. At the same time, many are putting council tax up, and increasing charges for things from parking to pest control - creating a situation where residents are paying more and getting less. As a result, there are strong calls for the sector to be reformed by whoever forms the next government. For this episode of 5 Minutes On, the BBC's political correspondent, Alex Forsyth, has been finding out about the particularly precarious situation in the Kent authority of Medway. Alex hears from those affected by cuts to services, and the leader of Medway Council, Vince Maple. Image credit: BBC