BBC News
Published
image copyrightAlamy
UK councils face a £3bn black hole in their budgets as they emerge from the pandemic, a BBC investigation into their finances can reveal.
Some local authorities were struggling to carry out statutory duties and were at risk of bankruptcy, a local government expert said.
And 10 councils have asked to borrow £300m of emergency money from the government to plug financial holes.
The government says it has handed councils £12bn during the pandemic.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said: "In the coming months, we will take stock of the demands faced by councils and the resources available to meet them and will decide on the timetable for future funding reform."