Dan Peters
Unions plan for January pay claim
Local government trade unions are aiming to submit their next one-year pay claim in January, The MJ understands.
Councils welcome PWLB rate extension
Councils have welcomed chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s decision to extend preferential Public Works Loan Board borrowing rates for Housing Revenue Account (HRA) expenditure.
Pressure for LGA peer review to be strengthened
Senior Local Government Association (LGA) figures are pushing the organisation to beef up its peer review offer to help neutralise the threat from Oflog.
MPs demand answers on Oflog independence
MPs have called for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to outline the degree of independence the Office for Local Government (Oflog) will have.
Fewer than 100 homes for refugees are occupied
Fewer than 100 homes acquired using a fund to support English councils obtain housing for those fleeing conflicts have been occupied, according to the latest figures.
London Councils to step back support for land value tax plans
London Councils is expected to distance itself from backing the idea of a land value tax when its leaders meet next month.
Mayor apologises as combined authority 'learns lessons'
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority’s chief executive, Rob Bridge, has said he is ‘confident’ his organisation has ‘learned many lessons’ as mayor Nik Johnson apologised.
Department's financial views questioned
Levelling up civil servants have told council chiefs financial pressures have eased but watchdogs have warned other Whitehall departments may be driving local government’s costs.
Don't call it a comeback
Dan Peters talks to Cllr Rowenna Davis and Mayor Jason Perry about Croydon LBC's improvement journey, and how, in spite of positive signs, there is still much work to do.
EXCLUSIVE: Oflog pushes ahead with early warning system
Senior Oflog officials are pressing ahead with their plans to create an early warning system for councils in trouble despite continuing Local Government Association (LGA) resistance, The MJ understands.
Sector waits for Downing Street to clear devolution announcement
Councils are hoping No10 will sign off an expansion of level two and level three devolution deals in time for next week’s Autumn Statement, The MJ understands.
EXCLUSIVE: Improvement grant talks to start with zero-based review
A zero-based budgeting review will take place as part of talks on next year’s sector-led improvement grant, The MJ understands.
Chief to retire after almost 40 years with council
Chief executive of Tonbridge and Malling BC, Julie Beilby, has announced she is to retire after nearly 40 years with the authority.
Land value tax could redistribute billions
A plan to reform business rates could lead to billions of pounds being redistributed from high land value areas to other parts of the country.
Call for 'urgent action on deepening housing crisis'
The council that increased new homes supply the most last year has urged the Government to take ‘urgent action’ on the ‘deepening housing crisis’.
Watchdog warning over elections
It could take a generation to restore public confidence if there are major problems at the next General Election including with voter ID, a watchdog has warned.
Perry bemoans police probe speed
Croydon LBC’s elected mayor Jason Perry has bemoaned the speed of the Metropolitan Police’s investigation into the council’s former leadership over the authority’s financial collapse.
Council chiefs to receive 3.5% pay increase
Local authority chief executives will receive a 3.5% salary increase backdated to the beginning of April after agreement was reached on this year’s pay award.
Emergency summit held amid temporary accommodation warnings
More than 150 councils this week attended an emergency summit as the cost of temporary accommodation to local authorities increases rapidly.
Call for Government write off of Croydon debt
The Government should write off Croydon LBC’s £1.3bn of General Fund debt, a senior opposition councillor has urged.
