Finance
Oflog should be handed audit oversight, MPs told
The Office for Local Government (Oflog) should be handed oversight of England’s broken audit regime – a role earmarked for the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) - accounting experts have told MPs.
Government ignores sugar levy calls
The Government has ignored Local Government Association (LGA) calls for the sugar levy to be spent by councils to tackle physical inactivity.
Ministers to make more changes to debt rules
Ministers are poised to impose immediate further changes to local government debt rules – including stricter in-year reporting of unpaid loan repayments due to town halls.
Reform author pushes back on devo criticisms
The author of a report that proposed devolving NHS England’s £168bn budget and most services to local government has hit back at criticisms.
Councils hold back cash plans on fixing potholes
One in seven eligible English highway authorities have failed to detail their plans for the Government’s £300m of redirected HS2 road resurfacing cash.
Bridging the budget gap
We haven’t even closed down the 2023-24 accounts yet and we are already starting to plan our 2025-26 medium-term financial strategy, says Tracie Langley.
How to build a healthy economy
Social care, often seen as a millstone for councils facing financial challenges, has been turned into an opportunity by Stockton-on-Tees BC to create inclusive growth and tackle health inequalities all at once, writes Heather Jameson.
Transparency calls over monitoring officer departure
Salford City Council’s opposition leader has called for transparency over a settlement agreement The MJ understands was paid to its departing monitoring officer.
Grant Thornton fined over pension audit
Grant Thornton has been fined by the Financial Reporting Council for ‘failures’ in its audit of an unnamed local authority’s pension fund.
Association in tax havens crackdown
Council directors have praised the Children’s Homes Association (CHA) for tightening its membership criteria to crack down on firms based in tax havens.
Government shelves rollout of council powers
The Department for Transport (DfT) has shelved the further rollout of powers for English councils to enforce moving traffic violations like dangerous driving outside schools.
'Simply not enough money in sector,' says outgoing leader
The outgoing leader of Nottingham City Council has said there ‘simply isn’t enough money’ in local government to ‘run the services our citizens depend on’.
False hopes
Internet-based news curation can be a cruel beast.
Craig hails tourist tax 'success'
The leader of Manchester City Council, Bev Craig, has hailed the UK’s first city tourist tax a ‘success’ a year on from its introduction.
Net zero: Something more radical is needed
We need to harness national, regional and local public sector leadership that engages with citizens in neighbourhoods on what moving to net zero will mean for communities, says Jon Rowney.
Public inquiry into Thurrock’s financial failure rejected
The Government has rejected a request for a public inquiry into Thurrock Council’s financial failure and levels of debt.
Local government: One sector ready for the challenge
While there’s still so much uncertainty around local government, it is positive to be thinking ahead to meaningful and lasting change, says Tracy Bingham.
Think-tank's call for landfill tax devolution
A think-tank has called for a portion of the proceeds from landfill tax to be devolved to councils.
Auditors concerned by slow transformation
Scotland’s Accounts Commission is ‘extremely concerned’ by slow transformation at Moray Council, which faces a £31m deficit despite years of warnings to improve.
Crises to continue as we lurch towards a General Election
The MJ's 24-hour Future Forum summit cantered through a collection of catastrophes, says Heather Jameson. 'Perhaps we ought to conclude that watching local government is more like the Anatomy of a Fall. But at least it’s not quite Oppenheimer. Yet.'