The pie charts illustrate local government’s patterns of expenditure in 2010 and 2015.
Overall, education, healthcare, welfare, and interest on borrowing experienced an upward trend, while expenditures in other categories declined. Notably, pensions leveled off. In 2010, the majority of the government’s budget was on education, and education still accounted for the highest proportion over the next five years.
In 2010, nearly a quarter was taken up by education; however, by 2015, this figure decreased, stabilizing at approximately a fifth. Meanwhile, healthcare witnessed a slight decline, remaining virtually the same as that of education. The expenditure on defence consisted of around 17% in 2010 and went down to 14% in 2015. Transport and both culture and leisure had an insignificant amount of investment, at 3% and 1% respectively in 2010 and they held an equal share of a mere 1% in 2015.
Conversely, 2025 saw an increase in expenditures of interest on borrowing, which doubled its number from 5% to 10%. As for welfare, the figure only contributed 8%, three times less than the number of education in 2010. Nevertheless, in 2015, this item went up to 13 percent, only two times less than education’s proportion.
What stands out from the graph is the stability of pensions. The government’s investment on this category made up 19 percent in both years, followed by the minimal number of expenditures on other items.