Funding
Levelling up project delays ‘astonishing’
Parliament’s spending watchdog has found ‘astonishing’ funding delays and blind optimism have blunted the impact of levelling up projects.
Smarter spend will get Britain building again
Stephen Muers says policymakers must ‘spend smarter’ to tackle the temporary housing crisis, and he proposes a solution to the funding gap.
Who can solve the council tax conundrum?
In the latest of The MJ’s series outlining a new vision for local government, drawing from the Lyons review, Jon Rowney considers the options for council tax reform.
Carving out a financial solution
With local government currently in the spotlight in General Election year, Dr Jonathan Carr-West looks at ways councils can capitalise to make their case for funding reforms.
Has the levelling up agenda died or is it only resting?
Levelling-up's recent political incarnation was designed to appeal to voters with a four-year attention span, says Heather Jameson. 'It was only a matter of time before the public noticed there was little life in the bird.'
Local government can drive an inclusive transition to net zero
Emily Morrison calls for a place-based approach to net zero transition, saying national policy is failing to support the UK’s poorest households towards a carbon-neutral future.
Tough times ahead for public services
Public finances face their toughest outlook for 80 years and there is no magical solution on the horizon following the Spring Budget, writes Nicole Wood.
Budget leaves councils in peril
Cllr Sir Stephen Houghton says many will highlight that cuts in local government spending mean the return of austerity – ‘but council leaders will know that it never went away’.
We need fairer funding of local government, and we need it now
Cllr John Merry says that while the chancellor stressed the need for more efficiency in this week's Budget, he would highlight the importance of fixing what is, in Key Cities’ view, councils' broken funding model’.
Recruitment conundrums and economic development
A key challenge for councils building economic development teams is understanding where to prioritise the service skills, while many candidates are opting for the contractor market, says Penna.
There is no quick fix
The announcement of £2.5bn of ‘exceptional financial support’ for councils will fail to fix local government’s finances, a senior sector figure has said.
Budget: West Midlands to get £15m culture funding boost
The West Midlands Combined Authority is to get a £15m boost in funding for culture, heritage and investment projects in the region, the chancellor has announced.
Budget: Household Support Fund extended
A scheme aimed at supporting the most vulnerable households will be extended for another six months, chancellor Jeremy Hunt has announced in the Budget.
Selling the family silver is a mistake
The Government is Incentivising councils to sell off publicly-owned assets, 'but these flexibilities should not become business as usual and they are not a sufficient substitute for a reform of our broken funding system', warns Rob Whiteman.
Easing finances creates perverse incentives for failure
Capitalisation directions reward councils that are financially failing with the ability to raise taxes and borrow more - lumping future generations with a legacy of both inherited debt and decades of underfunded services, says Heather Jameson.
Council funding crisis ‘existential’
Local government’s funding crisis threatens to derail ambitions to level up the north of England, it has been claimed.
Rayner to go ‘further and faster’ on devolution
Shadow local government secretary Angela Rayner has promised to go ‘further and faster’ on devolution if elected to Government.
More areas get level four devolution powers
West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and the Liverpool city region will all receive level four devolved powers, local government secretary Michael Gove has announced.
Government agrees £2.5bn of capitalisation directions
A total of 19 councils have agreed in-principle capitalisation directions worth almost £2.5bn with the Government.
Government expected to grant £54m capitalisation direction to Havering
Havering LBC has staved off the threat of a section 114 notice after the Government said it was minded to grant its request for a £54m capitalisation direction.