PAC
Ministers stand firm on tax bands
Ministers have reiterated to MPs there are ‘no plans’ to revalue council tax bands due to the cost and disproportionate impact on lower-income households and pensioners.
PAC: Government has ‘no roadmap’ for fixing social care
The Government has ‘no roadmap’ for fixing the failing social care system and ‘nothing meaningful’ in place that might demonstrate progress, MPs have warned.
Hopes for regen scheme revived after Home Office scales back asylum plan
A £300m council-led regeneration scheme threatened when Whitehall commandeered the site for asylum accommodation could now go ahead after the plan was scaled down.
Levelling up project delays ‘astonishing’
Parliament’s spending watchdog has found ‘astonishing’ funding delays and blind optimism have blunted the impact of levelling up projects.
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.
Accountancy bodies move to offer dual membership
Two accountancy bodies are putting the ‘finishing touches’ to the registration process for an accelerated route to dual membership.
Place shapers wanted
George Agyemang and Pete John of Penna share their experiences over the past few years on the leadership talent market for place, regeneration and growth, and have strong hopes for this year.
Funding announcement timing angers MPs
A ministerial statement revealing councils would receive an additional £500m for adult social care was released while the Public Accounts Committee was holding an evidence session on the subject.
PAC: New housing continues to be built in high risk areas
More than half of councils rarely or never inspect a new housing development to check compliance with flood risk planning conditions, a new report from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has said.
Mandarin denies 'silo mentalities' restricting initiatives
The director general of levelling up has denied that ‘silo mentalities’ within Whitehall restrict cross-departmental initiatives - but urged more devolution to overcome barriers where they exist.
National audit reforms must be sustainable
Regardless of the reasons leading to the high number of unaudited financial statements across the country, it is essential the structural causes are resolved effectively, says Cllr George Jabbour.
MPs in waste clarity call
England’s town halls cannot prepare for forthcoming waste reforms – including procurement - until ministers provide certainty over the impact on council coffers, MPs have warned.
Supported housing struggles exposed in PAC report
The strained supported housing sector is blighted by fraud, inadequate financial resources and missing data, a damning report has found.
Home Office 'failing to engage' councils
The Home Office is ‘failing to engage meaningfully with local authorities’ on asylum, according to a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report published today.
Home to roost
The challenges faced by councils in financial crisis stem from Government action since 2010 and many authorities are flying blind to problems because of the local audit backlog, say Clive Betts and Meg Hillier.
Government accused of 'paralysing' councils on waste
The Government has been accused of leaving frustrated councils ‘paralysed’ by ‘painfully slow’ progress pushing through its waste strategy.
Evidence on the need to re-set the system continues to pile up
This is the core of the centre’s problem: its lack of understanding of the huge untapped potential that could be unleashed if the local level was properly empowered and resourced, says Dr Arianna Giovannini.
MPs call for urgent audit action
MPs have called for urgent action over an ‘unacceptably high’ backlog of local government audits.
Concerns over funding supported housing regulation
The Government has yet to devise the system to fund councils’ regulation of supported housing, mandarins have admitted.
Calls for supported housing improvements
Senior MPs and Whitehall’s spending watchdog today demanded improved regulation and data on supported housing amid evidence the system is blighted by rogue landlords.
