The ‘majority of councils’ are not showing signs of major financial stress, the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy has claimed.

But around 10% of authorities have ‘some signs of potential risk to their financial stability’, the accountancy body has claimed, after it revealed its latest data tool for assessing councils’ fiscal position.

While councils that have hit the headlines over their finances seem to be getting better, according to the tool, a pocket of risk has emerged around councils in Merseyside.

According to the data, the upper tier councils which have the lowest score when it comes to CIPFA’s reserves sustainability measure are Hartlepool BC, Calderdale MBC, Stoke-on-Trent City, Barnet LBC and Knowsley MBC.

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