Title

COMMERCIALISM

MPs launch inquiry on local authority commercial investment

An inquiry examining investments in commercial property by councils has been launched by the public spending watchdog.

An inquiry examining investments in commercial property by councils has been launched by the public spending watchdog.

With figures showing local authorities spent £6.6bn on commercial properties in the past three years, the Public Accounts Committee is also calling for evidence on commercial skills in local government.

The committee will also question officials from the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government on how it formally monitors commercial activity and long-term exposure to risk.

The committee is also exploring how the coronavirus pandemic is impacting on local government finances. 

COMMERCIALISM

The little button quietly saving UK councils from a thousand complaint emails

28 May 2026

On a Wednesday morning in February, a mother somewhere in the north of England sat down to apply for free school meals. She found her council's website. She ...

COMMERCIALISM

Reach more residents – let them 'invest in those who are investing in them'

By Karl Harder | 28 May 2026

Municipal investment can help drive even deeper engagement with residents than traditional methods, writes Karl Harder

COMMERCIALISM

Local authorities are central to building the places where people live, work and socialise

By Louise Gittins | 27 May 2026

UKREiiF became a platform for demonstrating how a solid partnership between local government and the private sector is the cornerstone of inclusive growth, s...

COMMERCIALISM

Fair Funding: Have rural councils in England really lost out?

By Gabriel Stewart | 26 May 2026

When it comes to spending power, urban councils will soar ahead of rural councils by 2028-29, according to LGA figures. But exclusive Institute for Fiscal St...

Popular articles by Laura Sharman