Cash-strapped local councils across the UK plan to spend more than £3.8m of their own money on events to mark the coronation of King Charles III this weekend, openDemocracy can reveal.
Some councils are spending tens of thousands on celebrations from their already stretched budgets despite having been forced to cut services and raise taxes to avoid bankruptcy.
The findings come months after warnings that councils need to find an extra £2.4bn this year to cover energy price rises and inflationary cost pressures.
