Finance
Refuges 'not always right solution'
A top children’s services director has suggested refuges are ‘not always the right solution’ after research found a dramatic fall in spending by English councils.
Unions claim 'huge victory' in equal pay case
Trade unions have claimed a ‘huge victory’ in a long-running equal pay case against St Helens MBC after the authority dropped a legal appeal.
Javid considers gradual introduction of 100% rates retention
The move to 100% business rates retention could happen gradually, communities secretary Sajid Javid has revealed.
Government backs sector-led improvement for children's services
The Department for Education (DfE) has signalled a major policy shift with a £20m investment for a new programme of sector-led improvement for children’s services.
Children in care figures hits record high
Some 90 children a day entered care last year, meaning a record number of youngsters are now in the care system, councils have revealed today.
Labour may ditch flagship National Care Service name
Labour may ditch the name of its flagship National Care Service policy, the party’s shadow minister for social care has revealed.
Health and care reform challenge 'greatest since welfare state creation'
Health and social care face the ‘greatest reform challenge since the creation of the welfare state,’ the chief executive of the NHS Confederation has said.
Andrew Burns: We must be better at justifying our commercial decisions
Andrew Burns outlines some of the key principles enshrined in the upcoming revised CIPFA Prudential Code amid fears the Autumn Budget may restrict councils’ ability to make commercial investments in property, especially outside their own area.
‘Talk less and invest more in infrastructure’
A former chairman of the Local Government Association has urged council pension funds to get off the sidelines and start investing in infrastructure.
Funding review ‘a priority’
The local government fair funding review is a priority and could be implemented by 2020/21, Whitehall insiders have suggested.
Whitehall and authorities clash over review on deprivation
The Government and the sector could be on a collision course over the approach the fair funding review takes towards deprivation.
DCLG LEP rating system canned
The Government has scrapped its rating system for local enterprise partnerships (LEP), The MJ has learnt.
HRA cap may be lifted
Communities secretary Sajid Javid has given ‘positive messages’ to councils on lifting the housing revenue account (HRA) cap on a case-by-case basis, The MJ understands.
Gauke: Universal Credit rollout going to plan
Work and pensions secretary David Gauke has told MPs that the rollout of Universal Credit (UC) is ‘proceeding to plan, gradually and sensibly’ despite mounting concerns.
Welsh council tax support extended to 2019
The Welsh Government has announced it will extend its council tax reduction scheme into 2018/19 after helping 300,000 vulnerable and low income families last year.
Pensions partnership launches fund
A £1.3bn fund has been launched by Local Pensions Partnership (LPP) to offer investors ‘cost-effective exposure to diverse sources of return’.
Council considers cutting 300 staff
Hundreds of staff at East Renfrewshire Council could be axed in an attempt to close a £26m funding gap.
Council tax increase warning
Local authorities in Wales will be forced to increase council tax by the maximum 5% next year, a senior councillor has warned.
We need intellectual bandwidth, capacity and resources to halt a children's crisis
A crisis is coming to children’s services and the Government has yet to acknowledge the problem, let alone respond, writes Adam Lent.
LGA surprised by changes to prudential code
The Local Government Association (LGA) has been left surprised by the extent of proposals to strengthen the prudential code.