Whitehall
Fears over public health 'fragmentation'
The Government’s overhaul of public health has raised fears of a ‘fragmentation’ of the system among councils.
MPs reject call for army vet checks
Parliament has rejected calls for a duty on local public bodies to ask service users whether they are military veterans when accessing services.
Councils 'undermined' by right to regenerate plans
The local government sector has urged a rethink on proposals to hand ministers powers to force the sale of public land.
Home secretary urges councils to house asylum seekers
Home secretary Priti Patel has urged local authorities to identify further accommodation to house asylum seekers following the closure of a controversial temporary site in Wales.
Levelling up fund faces legal challenge
The Government could face legal action over its ‘troublingly opaque’ allocation of the Levelling Up Fund.
Council tax revaluation would help level up, says IFS
A new council tax revaluation would boost the Government’s levelling up agenda, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has said.
Region refuses to take more asylum seekers
The West Midlands has refused to take any more asylum seekers unless the Home Office agrees to a ‘more equitable spread’ across all UK councils.
£10bn bill to repair local roads
The estimated one-time cost to get local roads in England and Wales back into a ‘reasonable, steady state’ is £10.24bn, according to a new survey.
The wrong Rishi?
Either someone at Conservative Central Office is a duffer at geography or chancellor Rishi Sunak is making a bold land grab for Number 10.
LEPs braced for shake-up ahead of review
Local enterprise partnerships (LEP) are preparing themselves for a further shake-up amid the second government review of the organisations in three years.
EXCLUSIVE: Leaked report reveals council capacity fears
Local resilience forums (LRFs) dealt well with severe challenges over winter but Whitehall remains concerned fresh emergencies could place unmanageable strain on town halls, a report leaked to The MJ has found.
Districts to warn government over New Homes Bonus changes
District councils are expected to urge the Government not to mess with a scheme that acts as a ‘powerful incentive’ to build new homes.
Voter ID plans face fresh legal challenge
A former councillor has been given permission to legally challenge government Voter ID schemes at the Supreme Court.
More cash as Troubled Families rebranded
The Government has rebranded its Troubled Families programme and pledged £165m.
Public health professionals warn against ‘top-down domination’
The Government’s new approach to public health must be locally-led, experts have said.
Council concern over grant pressure
Councils have raised concerns with government that local authorities will have to demonstrate their efforts to spend a key business grant before getting more cash.
Five councils strike bailout deals with government over SEND
Five councils have struck deals worth at least £100m that will allow them to wipe out their massive special educational needs deficits (SEND).
Future Forum North: 'Business rates will be like Tudor beard tax'
A senior finance director has said ‘anachronistic’ business rates are ‘going in the direction of the Tudor beard tax’.
Pandemic forces finance reform rethink
Whitehall plans for local government finance reform were thrown into doubt this week after civil servants indicated the pandemic would force them to rethink.
Fresh council warning over rates appeals
Councils have warned they could face financial collapse if potential cuts to business rates go ahead.
