Whitehall
Re-elected Burnham calls for Right to Buy suspension powers
Greater Manchester’s re-elected mayor has called for powers to suspend Right to Buy on new homes under plans to build 10,000 houses across the region.
Election timetable means councils face race against time
Councils’ next finance settlement may have to be announced before a Spending Review amid ‘extremely accelerated’ demands after the General Election, experts have warned.
Corridors of power
Daisy is chatting to her neighbour Tom who stood as an independent in the local elections…
Vote warning
Elections officers have warned of the impact of changes to postal vote rules as polls open across England and Wales today.
Nationwide local government recruitment campaign planned
Ministers have agreed to fund the roll-out of a national publicity campaign promoting the attractions of working for local government.
MPs sign off indefinite delay to no-fault evictions ban
The Renters (Reform) Bill, which now includes an indefinite delay to the long-awaited ban on ‘no-fault’ evictions, passed its third reading in the Commons yesterday.
Sunak's defence spending could hit council budgets, says IFS
The Prime Minister’s announcement of extra defence cash could hit public sector budgets further, according to the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS).
Corridors of Power
The minister for red tape reduction is having a catch-up with his senior mandarin…
NAO warning over childcare reforms
Just one in 10 councils predict they will meet the deadline to create 85,000 Government-funded childcare places by autumn 2025, spending watchdogs have warned.
Gove open to giving mayors Whitehall voice
Local government secretary Michael Gove has not ruled out a ‘formal structure’ for mayors to work more closely with central government.
Blow to council hopes for cash boost
The prospect of extra cash for councils has faded further with the latest public finance figures showing the UK borrowed more than expected last month.
Whiteman criticises lack of prevention focus in productivity demands
Some ministerial productivity demands are ‘populist nonsense’ more likely to appear in election campaigns than ‘plug material gaps’ in council finances, an expert has warned.
LGA lobbied over income tax devolution amid White Paper preparations
The Local Government Association’s (LGA) White Paper should make the case for councils to receive a share of income tax, sector experts have urged.
Ministers in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones
The letter on councils’ productivity, sent by local government minister Simon Hoare this week, borders on farcical, says Heather Jameson.
Councils hit with new productivity demands
Ministers have demanded councils improve their productivity in the same week as the Government quietly published a report revealing Whitehall makes the sector less efficient.
Help councils unlock their true power
With LGA plans for a local government White Paper gathering pace, Lord Bichard reiterates the importance of councils being afforded a genuine partnership with central government – something he feels the next government must establish as a matter of priority.
Social work development programme 'pulled' by Department for Education
A Government decision to end a training and development programme for social work managers has been branded a ‘kick in the teeth’ for the sector.
Betts backs Homes England review
Parliament’s housing committee chair has backed calls to remove some responsibilities from Homes England so the agency can focus on affordable housebuilding and regeneration.
Clark: Tories and Labour unwilling to address SEND crisis
Labour and the Conservatives have been accused of an ‘unwillingness’ to confront the crisis in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services.
Government ignores sugar levy calls
The Government has ignored Local Government Association (LGA) calls for the sugar levy to be spent by councils to tackle physical inactivity.