A South London council has slapped restrictions on recruiting workers after hitting out at government funding cuts. Teachers, bin collectors and officers in departments like housing and licensing could be impacted by the changes announced by Kingston Council.

The authority said all but the most essential roles such as social workers will be affected by the changes, but did not comment further on exactly which roles will be affected or the nature of the restrictions. It simply said the move would 'protect services' for residents.

The council blamed rising demand for support and spiralling costs on the decision to restrict recruitment, adding that government funding isn't enough to keep up with the 'national financial crisis' facing local authorities. The council said it needs to help residents with the soaring cost of living crisis while 'spiralling energy bills' squeeze its own budget.

The council's financial strategy for the next three years reveals a budget gap of £31.65 million by 2025/26. The draft accounts for 2021/22 say the gap will need to be closed by cutting the budget or increasing taxes, while soaring inflation could see the gap increase further.

The borough already has the highest council tax in London. Council tax rates increased by 1.99 per cent this year, with the total charge for an average band D home for most areas in Kingston set at £2,122 a year.

The council said it is aiming to generate around £40 million over the next four years with a new asset strategy but that challenges remain. Council leader Andreas Kirsch said: "We are in a stronger position than many to face the financial challenges ahead because we have put the borough's finances in order, taken the decisive action needed and started the work to build effective community resilience.

"This means we can continue to focus on the key services our residents rely upon and continue the important work to transform our borough environmentally, culturally and economically.

"The frustrating thing is that the challenges we are facing are not of Kingston's making. Central government has failed to ensure that councils such as ours are properly funded in recent years."