Finance
Spending Review poses 'challenge' for fair funding
A minister has said a one-year settlement for local government would pose a ‘challenge’ for implementing the fair funding review in 2020/21.
Jobs cull for Kier
Kier Group is to cut around 1,200 jobs and make savings of £55m over the next two years amid a planned sell-off of many of its commercial interests.
Pensions Infrastructure Platform optimistic despite Brexit
A vehicle designed to encourage council pension schemes to invest in UK infrastructure will not launch a fresh fund this year but remains optimistic.
Council finding it 'harder to identify and deliver savings'
Knowsley MBC is finding it ‘harder to identify and deliver savings’ given the scale of Government funding cuts, senior councillors will be told next week.
Councils to appeal 'town hall Pravdas' ruling
Waltham Forest and Hackney LBCs will appeal after a judge backed Government attempts to stop them publishing a council newspaper every two weeks.
No new cash for Greater Manchester local industrial strategy
A former senior civil servant and council chief has questioned the impact of Greater Manchester’s local industrial strategy after it came with no new money.
Savings scepticism over election reforms
Election professionals have expressed scepticism that expected savings from reforming the annual canvass will offset the need for Government funding for individual electoral registration (IER).
Money, money, money...
Hopes that Government will use the Spending Review to get out of the cycle of short-termism, over-optimism and silo decision-making will almost inevitably be dashed.
The art of budgeting
We need to know what extra money we are going to get in the Spending Review, not just a continuation of funding streams such as the Improved Better Care Fund (IBCF), says Tony Kirkham.
United view?
Chair of the LGA Lord Porter says the smaller unitaries have ‘probably a larger number of councils close to the edge’. But as Ann McGauran reports, it may be hard to generalise about the financial health of this ‘disparate group’.
Jam tomorrow from the Conservative candidates
As the candidates for election as prime minister are targeting 2% of the voters - namely Conservative Party members who are mainly older, white, wealthier, and Brexiteers - it is barely surprising they focus on the goodies, says Michael Burton.
Dawes renews commercialisation warnings
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s (MHCLG) top civil servant has renewed warnings about tougher Whitehall action to prevent risky commercial ventures by councils.
Westminster announces u-turn on cuts to youth services
Westminster City Council leader Nickie Aiken has admitted the council made a mistake when it cut funding to youth services.
Government bidding culture attacked
The growing trend of forcing councils to bid for small, policy-specific grants has been attacked as an ‘inefficient use of public resources’ by a think-tank.
Scottish pension fund highlights 'significant achievements'
A Scottish pension fund administered by Aberdeen City Council has posted a profit in excess of £300m over the last year.
Bristol auditors urge management action
Internal auditors have urged managers at Bristol City Council to improve oversight of the authority's finances.
Council preparations for Brexit 'hampered' by Whitehall
Whitehall’s lack of focus and co-ordination ‘hampered’ councils’ preparations for Brexit in the run-up to April 12, a Local Government Association (LGA) report has said.
Call for leader to quit after 'repeated failures'
Shadow local government secretary Andrew Gwynne has called for Northamptonshire CC leader, Matt Golby, to quit after ‘repeated failures’ in the council’s children’s services.
Woodford moves to reassure Kent after trading suspension
City heavyweight Neil Woodford has sought to reassure Kent CC and other investors after they were blocked from withdrawing from his multi-billion pound fund.
White Van Man on... council finances
Well done that student who won damages off the university she attended saying it was a pile of crap.