Budgets
Cumbria faces budget overspend due to children's services
Rising demand and costs in looked after children threaten to leave Cumbria CC with a budget gap.
Haringey faces £6.5m budget shortfall
Haringey LBC will have to tackle a shortfall of £6.5m in its budget for the next financial year.
Councils warn of impact of public health funding cuts
Councils have reacted angrily to ‘short-sighted’ cuts to public health funding next year by the Government.
Northamptonshire budget targets £43m in savings
Ministers have allowed Northamptonshire CC to use up to £70m of capital funds to reduce its deficit for this year and replenish its reserves, the council’s revenue budget confirms today.
Local government hits out at Dawes
Local government has hit out at its top mandarin after she claimed councils were still sustainable as they only needed to provide statutory services.
Who tells the truth about education spending?
The old adage ‘lies, damned lies and statistics’ is never truer than when it comes to education spending. Is it up or down? Is the Government telling porkies when it says we’re spending more than ever on schools, asks Mike Burton
Spending freeze for Shropshire Council
Staff at Shropshire Council have been told they must work from home one day a month as the authority introduces a spending freeze.
Making every decision 'process perfect'
It’s that time of year again when we start to think seriously about what consultations we need to put in place to ensure budget decisions made later this year are not subjected to judicial reviews, says Tracie Evans
LGA's pre-Budget play in war against austerity
Smith Square has begun drawing local government’s battle lines as chancellor Phillip Hammond comes under renewed pressure to loosen his grip on council finances.
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 this a year ahead of its own expectations.
Leading the charge
As the sector prepares to make its case with Whitehall about the future of local services at the forthcoming Society of Local Authority Chief Executives’ annual Summit next month, Dr Martin Reeves puts forward his vision for the future.
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. Michael Burton reports on its conclusions.
Cash-strapped county faces £94m funding gap
Surrey CC faces a funding gap of £94m by March 2021 unless it takes drastic action to change its finances, a report by accountancy experts has warned.
Unitary council stops all non-urgent spending in face of £2.8m overspend
Torbay Council has been forced to announce an ‘immediate moratorium’ on all non-urgent expenditure.
Spending and tax figures continue to show imbalance
Michael Burton says the latest public finance figures are the latest evidence for greater investment and devolution outside of London and the South East
Districts' ability to invest in infrastructure is curtailed by borrowing caps
Cllr John Fuller argues for a new funding approach in the forthcoming spending review that retains current incentives as well as including a prevention precept.
Cash collection made simple
Councils could bring in vital extra funding if they apply behavioural insights to revenue collection argues Tim Pearse
Building the evidence base for a long-term settlement
James Maker says Northamptonshire CC’s mismanagement of austerity should not prevent us talking about the latter more openly.
Council foots £9m bill following Carillion collapse
The Carillion collapse has left a £9.4m hole in a council’s finances.
MHCLG alone cannot ease funding pressures, says NAO
The National Audit Office (NAO) has insisted all government departments need to work towards finding solutions to local authority funding pressures, not just Marsham Street.