Finance
The search goes on...
Diary, as a man/woman/page of the people, is always keen to find out what’s occupying the minds of the sweltering masses.
Dawn Baxendale: Chiefs have lost their public service raison d’être
Dawn Baxendale speaks to Sam Clayden about how Southampton City Council – and local government as a whole – will be grappling with an increasingly uncertain future
Local Government Finance Bill: A big let-down for the sector
With a parliamentary agenda lacking much in terms of legislation for the next two years aside from a series of Bills aimed at delivering a ‘smooth and orderly’ Brexit, Sam Clayden reports on the sector’s reaction to last week's Queen's Speech.
Business rate as an income base requires more thought
local government needs to be realistic about the feasibility of relying on business rate for its funding into the future, argues Michael Burton.
Two win biggest slice of quarter billion contracts
Contracts worth up to a quarter of a billion pounds for the audit of councils and police services have been announced, with the lion’s share going to two consultancy giants.
Capital latest to sign up to LGPS code
Capital Group has become the latest asset management firm to sign the Local Government Pension Scheme’s (LGPS) code of transparency. The firm has committed to the transparent reporting of all major investment costs involved in its LGPS work.
DWP slammed over ‘poor’ ESF
The Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) has blamed the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) for the poor performance of its European Social Fund (ESF).
Tensions rise as NHS fines 22 councils for bed-blocking
The NHS has fined at least 22 councils for bed-blocking and threatened 11 others with charges amid escalating tensions between health and care.
Local government has been left in limbo
A lack of finance reform legislation may give local government the chance to craft a better solution for the future of funding, writes Heather Jameson.
Queen’s Speech leaves fiscal plans in question
Whitehall officials are assessing how councils could control a greater share of local income without requiring fresh legislation, The MJ understands.
DUP deal won’t change Barnett calculations
The Conservative-DUP deal will have no impact on Barnett formula calculations, Treasury sources have confirmed.
Counting the cost of Grenfell
Government pressed for ‘emergency funds’ as local authorities face mounting costs in aftermath of Grenfell fire.
Where next for local government financial reform?
With the falling of the Local Government Finance Bill, the IFS's David Phillips assesses where this leaves reforms to the sector's finance system.
City deals among promises in DUP-Conservative deal
Fresh devolved powers for Northern Ireland form a key part of today’s £1bn deal between the minority Conservative government and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).
Change to pension boards should be kept to a minimum
Local pension boards already have all the tools they need to play their vital part in the governance of the local government pensions scheme, writes William Bourne.
Council moves to generate income
Test Valley BC expects to rake in £1.3m from a project to generate additional income this financial year.
Austerity must be eased
Heather Jameson says that without the return of business rates or a solution to the social care crisis, the only option must be the easing of austerity.
Borrowing lowest since recession
Borrowing continues to reduce and is at its lowest since just before the recession, but total debt continues to rise, according to latest public finance figures.
100% business rates retention legislation dropped
The Local Government Finance Bill has been dropped from the legislative programme, leaving plans for business rates retention in limbo.
Investment ‘key to capital expenditure’
Commercial investment by councils to generate income is a key factor in the upward trend in capital expenditure in the last year, according to a new Department for Communities and Local Government report.