London CNN —Local governments across England, Scotland and Wales face a £4.3 billion ($5.6 billion) hole in their finances in the coming year, according to a new report. Many of Britain’s local governments have faced chronic funding shortfalls over the past decade, partly as a result of deep cuts to funds from the central government in the 2010s. “Councils are teetering on the brink of financial disaster,” Unison general secretary Christina McAnea said in a statement. The number of public toilets dropped by 1,629 over the same period, and the number of council-run libraries fell by 1,376, according to Unison. Giving examples of further cuts to come, Unison said Shropshire Council in the West Midlands region of England plans to slashup to 540 jobs.

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Persons: Keir Starmer, “ We’re, ”, —, Christina McAnea, David Phillips Organizations: London CNN — Local, Wales, United, Labour, Unison, Institute for Fiscal Studies, Britain …, Shropshire Council, Derbyshire County Council, Council Locations: England, Scotland, Birmingham, London, Britain, Shropshire, West Midlands, slashup, Derbyshire, East Midlands, Hampshire