Spending Review
Babies’ needs overlooked in COVID response
A generation of babies risks being damaged by the fallout from the pandemic without a concerted effort from local support systems to improve outcomes, says a new report.
Seeing the bigger picture
Combining data in one place to build up a much fuller picture of what is happening within each area from a mental health perspective enables councils to have a comprehensive picture of prevalence, demand and support services, says Nick Clarke.
Levelling up our health and wealth
The current challenges can be a catalyst for a major rethink about how national and local government spends and invests to create better communities, says Solace spokesperson for economic prosperity Robin Tuddenham.
Communities and councils need the power to act locally on unemployment
We need to give local authorities the power and the means to tackle unemployment rates at a community level, says Vidhya Alakeson.
‘We’re still not doing what works in many areas’
Are the Government’s latest early years’ initiatives enough to improve the life chances for vulnerable children – or is more leadership and vision needed? Ann McGauran reports from the Early Intervention Foundation conference.
Where now for the economy?
Uncertainty about the future has reached extreme levels, says Dan Corry. The mystery as to the Government’s instincts on economic and fiscal policy will probably remain, even as Brexit is sorted one way or another and vaccines come on stream.
Counties will continue to deliver
Director of the County Councils Network Simon Edwards says the next few months will be 'no easier for our communities, but local government has already proven the importance of locally led, rather than centrally imposed, solutions'.
Council taxpayers to ‘pay more and get less’
Local authorities have been left in the unenviable position of raising taxes in an effort to balance their books following the Spending Review, Local Government Association members have said.
ADPH chief slams failure to increase public health grant
The Government’s failure to include a public health grant increase in the Spending Review was branded ‘utterly incomprehensible’ by the UK’s most senior public health chief.
Propping up Rishi’s review
Once again, the chancellor was somewhat upstaged by his own props in the build-up to his Spending Review announcement.
The devil is in the detail
Tracie Langley says that while the additional Spending Review cash helps, ‘it doesn’t help the base budget position we were already managing’.
No local exit from the economic emergency?
Ann McGauran reports from a Centre for Progressive Policy debate on the longer-term investment needed to ‘level up’ – and gets its director Charlotte Alldritt’s take on the Spending Review.
Community-led skills devo should be the way forward
A more comprehensive and community-led approach to devolution would enable skills strategies and local services to be joined up more effectively, says Charlotte Morgan.
A mixed bag for councils
While Sir Bob Neill says there was much in the Spending Review to applaud, ‘what’s ultimately needed is a complete repair job of local government finance’.
There’s not enough votes in funding councils
'Whatever the finance settlement brings, it will not be enough', says Heather Jameson. 'Councils will cope as they always do – or most will – and there is another year to make the case for local services, while the Government hopes it all goes away.'
More cash, but not enough
With its £5.5bn extra funding for local government next year the Spending Review may have delivered more than expected – though this won’t be enough to reverse the cuts since 2010. Heather Jameson reports.
The devolution waiting game
The Prime Minister has said that ‘devolution…should be used as a step to pass power to local communities and businesses to make their lives better’. Is this the sort of devolution that councils expect, asks Ian Miller.
Spending review: The chancellor has made some big promises – can he deliver?
The chancellor’s ambition is laudable, says research director of the Fabian Society Luke Raikes, but it will take ‘time, massive investment and above all real devolution to see the difference’.
Councils allowed to delay precept rise
Local authorities will be allowed to delay big council tax increases next year ahead of elections, it has emerged.
Spending review: Treading water next year is our best hope
Chair of SIGOMA Cllr Sir Stephen Houghton says Spending Review 2020 is a missed opportunity ‘and will mean the best that many of our councils can hope for next year is treading water’,
