Brexit
Financial uncertainty forcing councils to award shorter contracts
The Government should offer subsidised loans to cash-strapped councils to encourage them to award longer contracts to organisations that support children with mental health difficulties, a think-tank has urged.
Where’s Wally?
Given the current Brexit-based turmoil in which Britain has increasingly become embroiled, Diary could surely be forgiven for assuming that the man who, ahem, ‘masterminded’ the EU Referendum vote had long fled abroad.
Replace lost EU funding, council leaders tell government
Local government has called on the Government to meet its pledge to replace lost EU regeneration funding.
Aberdeen to be worst hit by Brexit - report
Aberdeen is most likely to be the hardest hit in the case of either a hard or soft Brexit, according to a new report.
Horwood gets interim MD role
Waverley BC has appointed an interim managing director and head of paid service.
Uncertainty and a lack of DCLG capacity is hampering progress
Abdool Kara looks at the uncertainty facing local authorities and the depleting capacity in central government.
Call to scrap Barnett formula after Brexit
The controversial Barnett formula should be scrapped following Brexit and replaced with a needs-based funding regime, an influential group of peers has urged.
High costs make it hard to keep staff
Unaffordable housing and costly transport are the top two reasons why businesses in London find it difficult to retain staff, a new survey has revealed.
Core Cities' Brexit call
The leaders of the UK’s biggest cities this week called on the Government give them greater discretion to deal with the consequences of Brexit.
Devolve all property taxes to the Mayor of London, says new report
All property taxes should be devolved to the Mayor of London to pilot reforms in a bid to protect the capital’s economy post-Brexit, according to a report by think tank the Centre for London.
Council chiefs urged to 'seize the day'
Local authorities should ‘seize the day’ to secure inward investment for their areas, a former Government adviser has urged.
Leese: Skills system is a mess
The leader of Manchester City Council has described the current skills system as a ‘mess’ as he laid out a vision for the future.
‘Unleash county powers for growth
Devolution of public spending and tax-raising powers to county councils would boost England’s economy and lift it back to pre-Brexit growth rates, new research has suggested.
Sector ‘lacks vision’ for devo
Local government has been criticised for failing to present a compelling vision of decentralisation and reform amid uncertainty over the future of formerly flagship devolution policies.
Full county devolution could be perfect tonic
The Government should be ambitious and seriously consider full fiscal devolution to county areas, argues chairman of the County Councils' Network, Cllr Paul Carter.
Report: Unleash sleeping county giants
Devolution of public spending and tax raising powers to county councils would boost England’s economy and lift it back to pre-Brexit growth rates, new research has suggested.
Simmonds beats Carter to lead LGA Tories
Hillingdon LBC’s deputy leader has seen off competition from the County Councils’ Network’s chairman to be named leader of the Local Government Association’s (LGA) Conservative group.
The local state we are in – and where to go from here
Fresh off the heels of PwC's 'Local State We're In' survey, Jonathan House looks at how local government can respond to the new sets of challenges it is faced with - from cyber attacks to public sector reform.
Dawn Baxendale: Chiefs have lost their public service raison d’être
Dawn Baxendale speaks to Sam Clayden about how Southampton City Council – and local government as a whole – will be grappling with an increasingly uncertain future
‘There is more that unites us than divides us’
Echoing the words of the late Jo Cox MP, Bob Neill argues a cross-party, cross-government approach in Whitehall and town halls can help solve some of the country’s most complex challenges.