News
Healey unveils council tax levy on holiday homes
Labour would double council tax on second homes to help families living in temporary accommodation, shadow housing secretary John Healey is expected to announce later today.
Conwy defends ‘monthly’ bins regime amid complaints
Conwy Council has defended its decision to move to monthly rubbish collections, amid claims a local trial led to increased fly-tipping and unsanitary streets.
Labour would rewrite the Treasury rules
A Labour government would end ‘Treasury bias against investing in the regions’ by ripping-up the Green Book which determines how public money is spent, the shadow chancellor has said.
Salford's £25m cladding loan halted by Government
The Government has blocked Salford City Council’s plans to loan £25m to replace cladding on nine tower blocks.
Social care vacancy figures soar
Adult social care vacancies are soaring, according to the sector’s key training organisation.
Call a halt to fiscal gerrymandering, says SIGOMA
Council finances have been skewed by the Government directing more cash towards wealthier authorities, a coalition of urban councils has claimed.
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Opinion
Stepping up to the housebuilding challenge
Mixed-use property is one of many approaches in Homes England’s housing arsenal. Its value in unlocking new homes and driving wider urban regeneration makes it an issue that should not be overlooked, writes Gareth Blacker.
Measuring poverty to help solve the problem
We need to measure poverty to be able to hold the Government to account and to tackle the problem, argues Deven Ghelani.
Local politicians breaking through
The pending party conference season is likely to be a savage one, with a summer of simmering discontent in the major parties and an anger among the Lib Dems about their disappearance from political debate. Northern Ireland is regressing to the [..]
It’s free speech, not a free-for-all for abuse
How would you feel about walking up to someone in the street and screaming abuse at them?
New minister’s chance for bold ideas on social care
One of the advantages of being a new minister is the freedom to throw up all kinds of new ideas - however wacky - and sound enthusiastic while knowing that for the first 100 days or so, commentators will give him or her the benefit of the doubt [..]
The North finds its voice
On 6 September I attended the first Convention of the North in Newcastle. This was an historic gathering of political, civic and business leaders from across the North, in the Baltic Galleries on the banks of the Tyne and a fitting venue in which to [..]
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Best Practice
Sevenoaks’ rapid road to success
Sevenoaks DC was the first authority to become financially self-sufficient – a model that many other councils are now trying to follow. Chief executive Dr Pav Ramewal and leader Cllr Peter Fleming explain how the west Kent rural district achieved [..]
Analysis
What to expect from the Spending Review
Next year’s Spending Review is likely to be one of the toughest since it was first introduced in 1998. In its first critical study of the review process, Whitehall-watcher the Institute for Government, suggests the approach the Treasury should adopt [..]
Private sector
Report warns of 'dangerous' reliance on suppliers
Councils are concentrating more than half their total spend with their top five suppliers, new research has revealed.
Market 'saturated' with council trading companies
Almost two-thirds of councils have established trading companies, new research has found.
Lincolnshire to renew troubled Serco contract
Lincolnshire CC is to renew its support services contract with Serco for a further two years.