Austerity
Havering 'can look both ways'
Havering LBC’s chief executive has insisted that the council can look towards both London and Essex as it plots a path to the future.
Grabbing a larger slice of the cake
On paper, cash-strapped councils face many options for raising revenue. As they await the Spending Review, David Phillips argues they need ‘cake decisiveness...to plan how to grow the cake for an increasingly austere diet'.
What future for local services?
As public sector finance specialists prepare to attend CIPFA's annual conference in Birmingham this week, speaker at the event Graham Atkins says delays to the Spending Review mean councils must plan for more efficiencies.
Catch them early and save their lives
A child’s experiences at an early age can make a major difference to their long-term outcomes. Rachel Dickinson explains how austerity and a lack of cash is preventing local needs being met,
Brexit and austerity blows threaten service delivery
Nearly half of local authorities say some councils will fail to deliver essential services over the next year, says PwC’s latest annual local government survey.
UK councils step up their foreign trading links
Almost one in five (18%) UK councils are going abroad on a city-to-city basis to find investment and develop trading links – up from 12% in 2018, according to the PwC annual survey of local government.
Community support key to Co-operative Council of the Year accolade
South Tyneside Council has become Co-operative Council of the Year. Its leader Cllr Iain Malcolm, explains just what the accolade means – and says it is a testament to those in communities who’ve stepped forward to support people and place.
Quarter of council jobs lost in nine years
A quarter of local government jobs have been cut since 2010, new data from trade union Unison has found.
A campaign to dispel some of the myths about local government
Unison has launched a campaign this week to celebrate the work of council staff. General secretary Dave Prentis explains why.
The time to act is now
The volume is going to continuously increase on the climate change public policy agenda, according to Paul O'Brien - and local government could and should lead the way.
Jam tomorrow from the Conservative candidates
As the candidates for election as prime minister are targeting 2% of the voters - namely Conservative Party members who are mainly older, white, wealthier, and Brexiteers - it is barely surprising they focus on the goodies, says Michael Burton.
Has the sector turned its back on the race to the bottom mentality?
We need to be honest in local government about the value of attracting high calibre people, according to Claire Kober.
Porter in top up cash call
Councils will need a cash top up if the political turmoil forces the new Prime Minister to delay plans for a three-year Spending Review, Local Government Association (LGA) chairman Lord Porter has warned.
'We've broken the social contract with people'
Former Society of Local Authority Chief Executives president Jo Miller is leaving her chief executive role at Doncaster MBC to take up a new local government post in New Zealand. She talks to Heather Jameson about her legacy.
Cliffs, knives and U2
Abdool Kara is not sure that falling over or off cliffs is the right metaphor for what we could see in local government if the current funding trajectory continues.
Can we all work smarter?
Gary Fielding says that even if the government loosens austerity, we probably need to do more work on our savings plans - but can we all work smarter?
Surrey to pause out-of-county purchases
Surrey CC has paused making property purchases outside the county amid ongoing furore that councils are taking on too much risk by developing extensive portfolios.
Spending Review should put aside £3bn for children's services - MPs
The Government needs to release at least £3bn of non-ring-fenced funding to local authorities to save children’s services from the ‘crisis’ they are in, MPs have said.
Austerity holding back local government fight against knife crime
‘Inadequate’ Government leadership and funding is hindering local government in tackling knife crime, a former Whitehall tsar has said.
Taking forward New Municipalism in London
The Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES) has launched a new publication introducing the concept of New Municipalism and how it is being progressed in the London boroughs of Islington, Hackney and Camden.Neil McInroy explains its key elements.