Business
Council cyber-attacks rocket
Cyber-attacks on UK council remote workers increased by 213% during the pandemic, Freedom of Information Act requests have found.
Councils will continue to draw on reserves, predicts Moody's
Many councils will continue to draw on their reserves to manage the uncertain funding environment and offset budgetary pressures, international ratings agency Moody’s has predicted.
Reed accuses government of dropping devolution
Shadow communities secretary Steve Reed has accused the Government of dropping its commitment to devolution.
Half may miss September audit deadline
A top auditor has predicted that as many as half of councils may miss this year’s September 30 audit deadline.
Croydon to keep hold of loss-making property development firm
Croydon LBC is expected to keep hold of its property development firm Brick by Brick after rejecting an offer from a ‘credible bidder’.
New subsidy rules unveiled
New rules on the awarding of subsidies by local authorities to businesses have been unveiled to MPs following Brexit.
Municipal bonds agency faces uncertain future
The board of the loss-making UK Municipal Bonds Agency (MBA) has warned the company faces an uncertain future.
£1bn business grants still to be allocated
Nearly half of £2bn handed to local authorities for discretionary business grant funding has yet to be allocated, the Government has said.
Councillors to bring supported housing closer to home
Senior Haringey LBC councillors have moved to develop supported housing for young people with complex learning disabilities and autism within their own borough.
Lack of support held back local industrial strategies
Local leaders must be given a say in the Government’s Plan for Growth as it prepares to replace the national Industrial Strategy, a report by MPs has concluded.
Pensions chairman surprised at preparedness findings
The chairman of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) advisory board has expressed surprise at a survey that found most funds unprepared for a major change.
Council prosecutes firm over jams
Thames Water has been prosecuted by a London borough after creating what the council said were unnecessary traffic jams three times in less than a fortnight.
Council cyber security 'disjointed and under-resourced'
Cyber security across councils is ‘disjointed and under-resourced,’ it has been claimed.
Government borrowing drops
Government borrowing last month at £24.3bn was £19.4bn lower than the same month in 2020 thanks to better than expected tax revenues.
Audit firms to be wooed
Audit appointment chiefs have launched a bid to attract more firms to the local government market from April 2023.
LEP Network: Councils should have greater role in review
Councils should have a greater role in the Government’s ongoing review of local enterprise partnerships (LEPs), a key figure has said.
EXCLUSIVE: Councils urged to 'sharpen commercial edge'
A new report has argued that allowing councils to sharpen their commercial edge will ‘unlock immense latent place potential’ and help ‘galvanise recovery’.
Heseltine: Metro mayors should make more trouble for Boris
Metro mayors should ‘make more trouble for the Prime Minister’ to deliver their plans, former deputy prime minister Lord Heseltine told an online seminar on devolution.
Business leaders make planning plea
Business leaders have demanded ‘properly resourced and upskilled local planning departments’ so carbon reduction and nature can be at the heart of the planning system.
Hillier in financial sustainability transparency warning
The chair of an influential government spending watchdog has warned of a lack of transparency around the financial sustainability of councils.
