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Sir Stephen Houghton

Articles by Sir Stephen Houghton

Spending Review is another missed chance on 'levelling up'

By Sir Stephen Houghton | 09 November 2021

While we still await detail behind the Spending Review headlines, what we do know raises serious ...

Spending Review fails to deliver for local government or levelling up

By Sir Stephen Houghton | 01 November 2021

Despite heralding the largest increase in core funding for councils in a decade, the chancellor h...

Expect tax double whammy on residents to pay for social care

By Sir Stephen Houghton | 30 September 2021

After a long wait, the Government’s announcements offer nothing for local authorities or the care...

Why we're being levelled down

By Sir Stephen Houghton | 31 August 2021

Levelling up should be about quality sustainable public services supporting those most in need, a...

Business rates are past their sell-by date

By Sir Stephen Houghton | 25 January 2021

Business rates are an unsustainable way to fund local government, argues chair of SIGOMA Cllr Si...

Spending review: Treading water next year is our best hope

By Sir Stephen Houghton | 30 November 2020

Chair of SIGOMA Cllr Sir Stephen Houghton says Spending Review 2020 is a missed opportunity ‘and ...

The business rates system needs to go

By Sir Stephen Houghton | 18 September 2020

Today is the deadline for the call for evidence for the Treasury’s  review of business rates. Rat...

Budget 2020: If this is a national crisis it's one many of us felt was already underway

By Sir Stephen Houghton | 13 March 2020

Local agendas should prevail, according to chair of SIGOMA Sir Stephen Houghton – but he says the...

Fair redistribution must play a continuing part in council funding

By Sir Stephen Houghton | 18 December 2019

SIGOMA chair Sir Stephen Houghton trusts ministers will ‘recognise the key role that councils mus...