19 May 2020

Senior Local Government Association (LGA) figures have called for the sector to reappraise its support for increased business rates retention in light of coronavirus.

12 May 2020

Already cash-strapped following a decade of austerity, councils now face fighting a national crisis on a basic budget with their financial futures left in the balance. Heather Jameson reports.

06 May 2020

Almost 500,000 households are at high risk of becoming homeless as a result of the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis, new analysis for the District Councils’ Network (DCN) has revealed.

06 May 2020

Coastal resorts are particularly vulnerable during the pandemic, says Sheila Oxtoby - and the Government’s national plans, including timescales, for easing social distancing restrictions will be critical in localised planning.

28 April 2020

Districts have won a significantly higher share of funding in the latest allocations of government cash to help councils cope with coronavirus.

27 April 2020

The District Councils’ Network (DCN) famously boasts about their members delivering 86 out of 137 essential local government services to more 22 million people.

27 April 2020

Councils may need up to another £12.8bn from the Government to get through the coronavirus crisis, the chairman of the Local Government Association (LGA) has suggested.

24 April 2020

Simone Hines hopes that once the details are out of the latest round of COVID-19 emergency funding ‘the draft S114 notice can stay in the drawer for a bit longer’. She doesn’t want to think about the alternative for districts.

24 April 2020

More than 5,400 rough sleepers have been offered safe accommodation in just under a month, Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s adviser, Dame Louise Casey, has revealed.

22 April 2020

District councils need a ‘fair share’ of the government’s latest round of funding, or they face having to cut vital services, the District Councils’ Network (DCN) has warned.

01 April 2020

Local Government Association (LGA) chief executive, Mark Lloyd, has hailed councils’ efforts to get all rough sleepers off the streets amid the coronavirus pandemic.

27 March 2020

When the opportunity to reflect comes, Ian Miller feels the conclusion may be reached that the UK was not well prepared for COVID-19.

20 March 2020

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has told local government it has to ‘do what it takes’ to beat the coronavirus crisis.

12 March 2020

District councils have called for a ‘more robust procurement process’ as an increasing number of auditors shift away from their tendered prices.

04 March 2020

With a Budget and the devolution White Paper round the corner, residents now need the convening, enabling and leadership role offered by districts, says Cllr John Fuller.

13 February 2020

Auditors have suggested an overhaul of council borrowing and investment rules may be needed after ‘alarm bells’ were triggered by billions of pounds of spending.

12 February 2020

District councils need a broader range of fiscal devolution, starting with the taxes, fees and charges that councils already collect, says Ian Miller.

10 February 2020

Talks over future division of business rates foundered over fears district councils could be left worse off, it has emerged.

07 February 2020

District authorities will have a key role to play in the implementation of the Government’s devolution agenda, the chairman of the District Councils’ Network (DCN) has said.

07 February 2020

Central Government’s focus on rough sleepers is hindering efforts to help ‘hidden homeless’ families, it has been claimed.