Filmed over five months inside a council on the verge of bankruptcy, Panorama explores why many town halls across the UK are in financial crisis. Reporter Alison Holt follows councillors and officials as they make decisions on which services to cut and which to charge more for in Havering, a London borough facing a £50 million deficit.

As the clock ticks down to decision day, she discovers how spiralling care costs for children, the elderly and homeless people are threatening to push the council – and others across the UK – into the red. Show less