Michael Gove
Best Value inspections to examine debt concerns
Spelthorne and Warrington BCs are facing Best Value inspections amid concerns over debt levels at both authorities.
Commissioners to depart Liverpool
Commissioners at Liverpool City Council are to hand all remaining powers back to the authority and be replaced with an assurance and improvement board.
The time for answers
Last week, The Times used Oflog data to produce league tables, realising local government’s fears over the new watchdog. Local Government Association chair Cllr Shaun Davies sets out his concerns.
EXCLUSIVE: Killian lobbied to halt work with watchdog
Sector figures have been lobbied to withdraw engagement and co-operation with the local government watchdog after a national newspaper used its data to rank councils, The MJ understands.
Angry LGA leaders write to Gove over Oflog league table story
The Office for Local Government’s (Oflog) ‘lack of action to correct misleading information’ in rankings compiled by The Times ‘calls into question its ability to inform,’ senior sector politicians have told communities secretary Michael Gove.
Gove could launch police inquiry for Birmingham
Reports the levelling up secretary could send a police chief in to investigate financial mismanagement in Birmingham City Council have resurfaced on the eve of local elections.
Gove open to giving mayors Whitehall voice
Local government secretary Michael Gove has not ruled out a ‘formal structure’ for mayors to work more closely with central government.
Five million could be disenfranchised by voter ID, polling finds
Five million voters could be disenfranchised by the Government’s new voter ID rules at the General Election, first-of-its-kind polling has suggested.
The quest for community harmony
A Government-commissioned review has spelt out the difficulties councils face when trying to protect social cohesion. Martin Ford reports.
Oflog co-design promises have been broken, say councils
Ministerial promises to ‘co-design’ the Office for Local Government (Oflog) with the sector have been broken, councils have claimed.
Local government loses 'strongest advocate' Rowsell
Tributes have been paid across the local government sector following the sudden death of Paul Rowsell.
Online sales tax not priority for London
London Councils has decided it will not prioritise an online sales tax (OST) as part of its lobbying effort.
Budget: Trailblazer devo deal for North East
The North East has secured a trailblazer devolution deal that could provide a package of new funding potentially worth more than £100m, chancellor Jeremy Hunt has announced in his Budget.
Easing finances creates perverse incentives for failure
Capitalisation directions reward councils that are financially failing with the ability to raise taxes and borrow more - lumping future generations with a legacy of both inherited debt and decades of underfunded services, says Heather Jameson.
Craig's call for asylum change
Manchester City Council’s leader has urged Whitehall to implement ‘simple changes’ to asylum policy to ease huge pressures on major urban centres.
Union backs strike at Brum
GMB trade union members at Birmingham City Council have voted overwhelmingly to support strike action over perceived delays in settling equal pay claims.
Council funding crisis ‘existential’
Local government’s funding crisis threatens to derail ambitions to level up the north of England, it has been claimed.
More areas get level four devolution powers
West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and the Liverpool city region will all receive level four devolved powers, local government secretary Michael Gove has announced.
Home Office 'chaos' leaves thousands of illegal arrivals in 'perma-backlog'
The Government’s struggling asylum policy has heaped significant demand on cities’ housing services, experts have warned.
Birmingham 'worse' than commissioners feared
The situation in Birmingham City Council is worse than commissioners expected, a report to the secretary of state has claimed.