Jack Shaw says it may have become harder to imagine a brighter future for council finances, but it's time for local government to ask itself what it envisions for the future of local growth

The criticism levelled at Westminster's approach to local government finance is well-known. Local government finance settlements have been inadequate year after year; the fair funding review is yet to materialise and isn't expected to do so anytime soon, council tax remains deeply unequal, entrenching inequalities, single year settlements have become the standard, denying authorities financial security, local growth funding has been slow and inflexible and fiscal devolution is in short supply.