PEOPLE in Blackburn with Darwen are among those to have borne the brunt of austerity the hardest, a new study has shown.

A report produced by thinktank Centre for Cities shows Blackburn with Darwen is in the top five areas in the UK for reduced spend in local authorities between 2009/10 and 2017/18.

According to figures in the report, Blackburn with Darwen Council has reduced its spending by 26.7 per cent - that equates to a £542 cut per resident over that time.

The national average over the same period is 14.3 per cent.

The top five areas affected by reduced council spending - Barnsley, Liverpool, Wakefield, Doncaster and Blackburn with Darwen - are all in the north of the country.

According to the study, services that local authorities do not have to deliver by law have mostly been hit by the cuts.

Services such as planning, libraries and culture activities have seen the deepest cuts in cities and non-urban areas alike, with spending on planning and development falling by 41 per cent in urban areas.

Meanwhile, children’s and adult social care, both being statutory services, have been relatively protected.

This is especially the case outside of cities, which have seen an increase in spending in this area.

Blackburn with Darwen Council finance chief, Cllr Andy Kay, said the council has lost more than £140 million in funding since 2010.

He added: "It is deliberate policy by central government to take cash away from urban areas like Blackburn with Darwen.

"One of the concerns is it seems unlikely to be addressed during the government's fair funding review. They seem to be taking more money off northern authorities.

"It is no surprise but we have got to cope with it.

"Unfortunately a lot of the things that are close to our residents' hearts are where we have problems.

"There is increased demand on children's services and environmental costs are going up.

"It is not easy, that's for sure, but we try and keep our residents informed of what's happening and we think they understand why."

Andrew Carter, Centre for Cities Chief Executive, said: “Councils have managed as best they can but the continued singling-out of local government for cuts cannot continue.

"There is a very real risk that many of our largest councils will in the near future become little more than social care providers.

“If, as the Prime Minister has said, austerity is coming to an end then the spending review must address the financial challenges facing cities.

"But this does not just mean more money. Giving local authorities more power to decide how they raise and spend funds, providing more flexible multi-year budgets and reforming the way social care is paid for also need to be urgently introduced.”