Naomi Larsson
Local audit’s perfect storm
The chair of the Public Accounts Committee has suggested the volume of late audits means Whitehall is ‘flying blind’ on council finances. Will the situation improve any time soon and how concerned is the sector? Naomi Larsson reports.
Living in limbo
As delays in confirming the successful bids for Community Renewal Fund cash drag on and councils remain in the dark about the upcoming UK Shared Prosperity Fund, local government leaders are running out of patience. Naomi Larsson reports.
Breckland goes it alone in wake of strategic partnership end
Breckland DC has failed to convince another Norfolk district to join it in a new strategic partnership after its deal with South Holland DC ended.
SEND children being left behind by council
Children with special educational needs are being left behind by council services across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, inspectors have found.
Durham told to end unregistered placements
Durham Council must take decisive action to end unregistered placements for children in care, Ofsted has warned.
Welsh Government looks at holiday home reforms
Holiday home owners in Wales could be charged the full amount of business rates amid claims people are being priced out of their local area.
Khan pledges Afghan resettlement help
The Mayor of London has pledged funding to help councils resettle Afghan refugees.
Council warns of further budget pressure
North Lanarkshire Council has warned of further pressure on budgets amid funding cuts and cost pressures.
Croydon returns to drawing board on regeneration plans
The council maintains delayed plans to develop a Westfield shopping centre are going ahead, despite planning permission for the development having expired.
Shetland's reliance on reserves 'not sustainable'
Shetland Islands Council is expected to fall back on more than £29m from its reserves to balance this year’s budget.
'No end in sight' as bin strike continues
Trade union Unite has accused Bexley LBC of failing to deal with an ongoing industrial dispute that has caused six weeks of bin strikes.
Research finds long-lasting benefits from Sure Start
Sure Start centres prevented thousands of children from being hospitalised and cut health inequalities, according to new research.
A tough balancing act for councils
Managing and mitigating the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on local communities poses a huge challenge for councils, but it’s one they’ve been planning for. Naomi Larsson reports.
Councils step up coronavirus response
Local authorities across the country have stepped up their response to coronavirus as the number of cases continues to rise.
Reorganisation fears overshadow devolution talks
Concerns over local government reorganisation are marring devolution talks in the north-west.
Row over York chief departure
A row has erupted over the departure of York City Council’s chief executive.
SEND system 'not working as well as it should' - top civil servant
The reformed system for supporting children with special and educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is ‘not working as well as it should,’ senior civil servants have admitted.
Scottish ministers hit out at UK austerity
Scottish ministers have blamed UK austerity measures for the financial difficulties facing councils north of the border.
AI could save councils £500,000
Artificial intelligence (AI) technology could save local authorities £500,000 in the next 12 months, a survey of UK councils has found.
Union estimates 500,000 post-Brexit care staffing gap
The UK could face a social care staffing gap of almost 500,000 workers due to the Government’s new immigration policy, the union representing care workers has warned.