Budgets and efficiency
Exploring new methods to bridge the funding gap
How can councils develop the right commercial skills across their organisation and broker successful partnerships that make financial sense, asks Paul Bradbury.
Finance concerns grow in wake of Grenfell
Council finance directors are growing increasingly concerned about the impact of the Grenfell Tower fire on their budgets.
Reading balances books but warns: ‘there’s no room for error’
Reading Council’s new boss has said the authority’s books are balanced until 2020 but there is ‘no room for things to go wrong’.
The age of austerity isn’t over yet
Those who think the Government’s change of rhetoric on public funding spells a bold end to years of austerity should guess again, warns Dan Corry.
The road ahead for managing social care
Sean Nolan looks at the conflicts ahead for the social care green paper and outlines some of the key approaches CIPFA will be investigating.
The Government has to address its housing policy
Heather Jameson says it is time the Government stopped burying its head in the sand on complex social issues - especially in the wake of Grenfell.
The children below the threshold
A new Action for Children report warns of a worrying trend that could be leaving as many as 140,000 children and young people without the help they need. Sam Clayden reports.
A broken market
There is a real and urgent crisis in this nation’s ability to find placements for looked after children, writes Olly Swann.
Kirklees under ‘unprecedented’ pressure over £54m shortfall
Kirklees MBC ‘continues to face significant financial challenges’ even after raiding £23m from its reserves, senior councillors have heard.
CIPFA set to target CAs
The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) is expected to focus on combined authorities when it publishes a new version of its prudential code.
Lancashire raids £82m from reserves
Lancashire CC’s £23m underspend in the last financial year conceals a potential £83m overspend, a report to senior councillors has warned.
Money is just a small part of the problem
Despite the sector’s hard work, too often we fail kids in care and those we turn away, writes Heather Jameson.
Exclusive: Councils face 'daily' struggle to place vulnerable kids
The state of the children’s care market has been described as a ‘scar on the conscience of our country’ amid warnings over the lack of placements available for vulnerable young people.
West Suffolk is going Dutch
Tony Goldson explains how a highly successful Dutch care model – Buurtzorg – could revolutionise the British system.
When it comes to commercialisation, we can't afford to do nothing
As councils rush to buy up commercial property, questions are being asked about the capacity and capability of the councils taking on these ventures. Hiba Mahamadi asks whether the risks are worth the financial reward.
Praying for time
Diary knows better than to join simmering rows about religion.
Shaping Oldham’s economic future
Oldham has a long-term masterplan which will act as a catalyst for regeneration across five town centres. The partnership between private and public sectors will be worth an additional £50m a year to the town’s economy, as Tom Stannard explains.
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.
Housing company saves council £2.5m in a year
Enfield LBC’s independent company that buys family homes to provide an alternative to costly nightly accommodation has saved the council about £2.5m in a year, new figures have revealed.
Let’s not kill the goose that lays the golden egg
Councils must provide moderation and balance in their commercial endeavours, warns Pete Moore.