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Members of Parliament have issued a strong caution regarding the consequences of reducing funding for local governments, as the number of fatalities caused by drug use reaches nearly 3,000 per year in England.
The Public Accounts Committee is requesting guaranteed funding for councils to have the necessary resources to address the increasing problem of illegal drug-related deaths, which have seen an 80% rise from 2011 to 2021.
The prevalence of drug use among individuals aged 16-24 remains significant, as 19% reported using drugs in 2022. However, there has been a significant decline in the number of young individuals seeking treatment, with a 50% decrease observed between 2010-11 and 2021-22.
The panel, comprised of MPs from different political parties and led by Meg Hillier, states that the yearly budget for drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs has decreased by 40 percent in comparison to inflation from 2014-15 to 2021-22.
The government’s funding for addressing drug use, allocated in 2021, will only be available until 2024-25. This has caused uncertainty and hindered local authorities’ ability to hire employees and strengthen the workforce.
The chair of the public accounts committee, Meg Hillier, urges the government to demonstrate their commitment to implementing lasting reform.
The concerning report was released shortly after ministers were cautioned by another parliamentary committee that English councils require £4 billion to avoid widespread insolvency. In the past two years, eight English councils have declared bankruptcy, with four of those occurring in the last 12 months alone.
Local councils have a broad range of responsibilities within the community, such as providing social care, managing schools and housing, overseeing planning processes, and offering children’s services, community safety measures, and support for drug and alcohol issues.
Unfortunately, numerous city councils are currently facing severe difficulties. This is due to the fact that 90 percent of local governing bodies have decreased their financial reserves, and 26 councils are in danger of going bankrupt within the next two years.
The PAC has cautioned that the diminishing reserve is affecting prevention services for drugs and alcohol, as the harm caused by illegal drugs continues to increase.
Ms Hillier stated that the committee is reminding the government that local authorities require long-term certainty in order to address some of the most difficult treatment needs.
“Significant advancements have been achieved, notably with the addition of 1,200 fresh personnel dedicated to addressing alcohol and substance abuse, as well as efforts to crack down on the distribution of drugs through county lines.”
“Despite efforts to address the issue, fatality rates are still increasing and there has been no decrease in drug consumption over the past decade. Furthermore, the negative impact of illegal drugs is on the rise.”
In response to an independent review of drugs led by Dame Carol Black, the government initiated its 10-year drug strategy in 2021.
In 2020, Dame Carol’s evaluation revealed that there was a record high number of drug-related deaths in 2018. She also noted that the reduction in funding for local government has greatly hindered the success of treatment programs.
She highlighted that the UK economy loses £20bn annually due to drug use, but only £600m is allocated for drug prevention efforts.
According to Dame Carol’s findings, there is a growing amount of unmet need in the treatment field, with services disappearing and the treatment workforce decreasing in both quantity and quality.
She stated that we must change our method of treatment to not only invest in it, but also to innovate it. This will allow treatment services to adapt to the current drug market and any future changes.
The government has approved the results and announced a 10-year strategy to allocate £780m towards reconstructing drug treatment and recovery programs.
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The number of deaths caused by drugs has increased by 80% in the span of a decade.
David Fothergill, the chair of the community wellbeing board at the Local Government Association, responded to the PAC report by stating that councils are dedicated to providing appropriate assistance to individuals struggling with substance abuse. He also noted that councils have a strong history of positively impacting the lives of those affected by addiction.
He stated, “Nevertheless, this report acknowledges that these services require increased and sustained funding security from the government in order to provide the transformative advantages we are aware they can.”
Ms Hillier stated that the government must demonstrate its commitment to implementing long-term change, urging them to “dig deep” and take action.
Robin Pollard, a representative of the addiction support group We Are With You, expressed support for the proposal to allocate long-term funding and prioritize the unique needs of marginalized individuals who use drugs, particularly women and young people.
He stated that there are no easy solutions for the lack of investment over many years. Investment cannot be limited to only three years, but it must be maintained throughout the 10-year drugs strategy.
If we do not secure continuous funding beyond 2025, we risk losing the progress we have made in implementing sustainable improvements.
The Home Office has been requested to provide a statement.
Source: independent.co.uk
