Budgets and efficiency
Future Forum: Funding gap could grow by up to £2bn
The funding gap facing the sector could grow by up to £2bn over the Spending Review period, the deputy chief executive of the Local Government Association (LGA) has warned.
What do the ONS figures for March public sector finances mean for councils?
The pain of inflation will be particularly felt across local authority budgets, says Leo Hanna, but with increased investment into technology today councils will be able to drive future cost efficiencies.
EXCLUSIVE: Councils warned to budget for 4% pay increase
Councils have been warned by local government employers to budget for pay rises of at least 4% this year, The MJ understands.
Nottingham expected to bring housing back under direct control after probes
Nottingham City Council is expected to bring its housing back under direct control after two independent probes found ‘underlying issues around governance and finance’.
Sunak snubs LGA meeting request
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has snubbed a Local Government Association (LGA) call for a meeting on a range of issues affecting the sector.
How Southwark LBC transformed and automated its exchequer services
Laurence Fleming and Grace Warr explain why Southwark LBC chose to work with a partner to deliver more efficient and cost-effective seamless online exchequer services.
Town halls must find more cash for wages
Councils have been warned they will have to find more in their budgets to fund the sector’s increasing wage bill.
Estate retrofit is not too big a challenge for the public sector
Daniel Easthope looks at how the public sector can best retrofit its estates to minimise emissions and maximise potential cost savings.
Future proofing the sector
Neel Patel looks at how councils are establishing large reform programmes to meet the financial challenges.
Slough commissioners sack chief for 'gross misconduct'
Slough Council’s commissioners have sacked chief executive Josie Wragg for ‘gross misconduct’ with immediate effect.
Slough given conditions for £300m bailout
Slough Council will only be considered for a £307m Government bailout to cover its deficits if it proves it can turn itself around financially, the Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has warned.
Council tax reform call as budgets passed
A senior sector figure has called for council tax reform as local authorities continued to pass their budgets for 2022-23 amid concerns about their medium-term financial sustainability.
The importance of councils’ next digital steps
Digital transformation presents many opportunities for local government, but making the most of the benefits and minimising risks calls for a strategy that meets your customers’ needs, says David Bemrose.
EXCLUSIVE: Government has no action plan for improving children's social care
The Government has admitted it does not have a single detailed action plan to deliver high-quality care to all children despite previously claiming one existed.
Wrexham faces £2.3m budget gap
Savings across most services have been outstripped by overspends in social care.
Spending power squeeze amid inflation warning
Councils are bracing themselves for a spending power squeeze amid predictions inflation will soar to its highest level for nearly 30 years this spring.
Recalling Jack Dromey’s instrumental role in the birth of Best Value
Michael Burton recalls Jack Dromey’s longstanding achievement creating Best Value as Labour Party policy to replace the compulsory competitive tendering of council services introduced by the Conservatives.
Wirral faces £27m budget gap
The council said it was time to ‘make the changes that have been put off for too many years’ following heavy criticism from external reviews of its finances.
Copeland in 'Section 114 territory'
Copeland BC is ‘heading rapidly towards its minimum level of reserves and an expectation internally of issuing a Section 114 notice,’ an external assurance review of the council’s financial position has found.
Cornwall plans to cut 400 jobs
The cuts are part of plans to save millions of pounds in order to balance the council’s budget in 2022-23.
