London councils have a ‘sustained reliance’ on private firms as report shows £500m spend

<p>Exclusive: Research prompts warning that authorities rely on companies to carry out basic functions</p><p>The scale of the reliance of London councils on private consultancy and outsourcing firms is laid bare in a report that shows the local authorities paid them more than half a billion pounds last year.</p><p>The <a href="https://autonomy.work/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/LONDON-BIG-CON_.pdf">report</a> by the Autonomy Institute and the CADA Network has prompted warnings that councils have a “sustained reliance” on such companies to carry out basic functions.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/dec/06/london-councils-warning-structurally-dependent-on-private-firms-as-report-shows-500m-spend">Continue reading...</a>