Politics
Row over SNP funding of councils
Local government is ‘treated far better in Scotland than it is elsewhere in the UK,’ the Scottish National Party (SNP) has insisted.
LEPs start to buckle after overlap threat
Local enterprise partnerships (LEP) are finally succumbing to a threat by ministers to withhold funding from them if they refuse to remove overlapping boundaries.
Councils under ministerial pressure over winter care funding
Ministers have piled pressure on councils to maintain winter funding for home care packages, hours of care and care home placements as bed blocking increases.
Brown calls for 'constitutional revolution'
Gordon Brown has called for a ‘constitutional revolution,’ with a series of citizens’ assemblies and a forum for mayors and regional leaders to shape change.
York welcomes House of Lords move suggestion
York City Council has welcomed news that the Government is considering moving the House of Lords to the city.
Scottish Government resists business rates devolution plan
Public finance minister Kate Forbes has hit out at opposition proposals to devolve control of business rates to Scottish local authorities.
Who do public servants owe their loyalty to?
Public servants' role in stewardship of institutions, publicly defining fact and sharing advice, needs updating to take account of our very different world, argues Graeme McDonald.
EXCLUSIVE: Government prepares for new rate reliefs
The Government has started to prepare the ground for the introduction of new business rate reliefs after its previous efforts were labelled a ‘shambles’.
Government social care plans to be published this year - Johnson
Prime Minister Boris Johnson today vowed to publish the Government’s long-awaited social care plans this year.
Permitted development pressure on Government grows
Pressure is growing on the Government to conclude its review of homes built under controversial permitted development rights and scrap the rules.
Starmer pledges new partnership with councillors in leadership bid
Labour leadership hopeful Keir Starmer has written to councillors in a bid to garner support in the election race.
EXCLUSIVE: 100% business rates retention could be back on agenda
Full retention of business rates could shoot back up the agenda as part of a long-awaited Government review, The MJ understands.
'Ambitious programme of domestic reform' promised in Queen's Speech
The second Queen’s Speech in almost as many months has promised an ‘ambitious programme of domestic reform’.
Whitehall schtum as Gwynne calls for provisional settlement
Shadow local government secretary Andrew Gwynne has called on ministers to publish the provisional finance settlement immediately with Whitehall tight-lipped on its timing.
This will be a different Conservative Government
Head of local government at Grant Thornton UK, Paul Dossett, says the fact that the Conservative majority has been won by gaining seats in towns in Wales, the Midlands and the north of England will make a difference.
Devolution revolution expected after Johnson wins
Local government was this morning expecting a devolution revolution after Prime Minister Boris Johnson secured a sweeping election win.
Council leader resigns after being 'kept in the dark'
Torridge DC has elected a new leader after a stinging resignation statement from its outgoing top councillor.
Future Forum North: IFS boss praises 'sensible' Labour tax proposals
The director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies has urged whoever is elected next week to look at ‘sensible’ dividend and capital gains tax proposals.
Lib Dems unveil plans to tackle homelessness
The Liberal Democrats have set out a raft of plans to end rough sleeping in the run up to the General Election.
Conservatives call for care consensus in cautious manifesto
The Conservatives are set to keep the council tax cap, seek cross-party consensus on social care reform and toughen powers to tackle illegal traveller encampments if they win the General Election.