[ianch99]

Yet austerity is more than just the numbers. The cuts in Central Government funding to all aspects of society is still ongoing and, varying on the sector, is now show cronic levels of service degradation.

Look at the Police, Prisons, Social Care areas for example. Not only is the ability to deliver core services now at risk but the ability to recover from these changes, going forward, is also debatable.

When you cut funding, you cut jobs. This loses skills and experience which at best takes years to replace and at worse will never be replaced.