Commercial investment
Future Forum North: Co-designed commissioning answer to outsourcing crisis
Co-designed commissioning is the answer to an era of heightened demand, budget reductions and supplier failures, council chiefs have been told.
Swansea to enlist private sector for tidal lagoon project
Swansea City Council is turning to the private sector in the hope of resurrecting a project for a tidal lagoon.
South Cambs bankrolls ice rink following explosive discovery
An extra £550,000 has been invested in a permanent ice rink by South Cambridgeshire DC after buried explosives were discovered during construction.
Portsmouth to sell fledgling energy firm
Portsmouth City Council is to sell its energy company before it has taken on any customers.
Commercial property: Taxpayers are being sold short
The economic rationale for the ‘commercial councils’ agenda is filling the austerity hole in their budgets with income streams from financial assets, says Joel Benjamin - but are the assets sound investments made in the public interest?
Birmingham councillors not told about soaring Paradise costs
The runaway costs of a flagship redevelopment in the centre of Birmingham were not revealed to councillors, a report has revealed.
Ambition that goes beyond Essex
At Essex CC, the focus has been on commercialisation to achieve an ambitious target of £5m of sustainable year on year net income by 2021/22, the council tells The MJ. Debbie Knopp explains
Embedding commercialisation
When making commercialisation part of your organisation, Anthony Roche of North Hertfordshire DC asks if you should focus on having the right culture, structure or strategy.
Don’t risk your foundations
As investment by local authorities in land and buildings this year hits the ‘record breaking’ level of £4bn, Don Peebles warns them not to become too dependent on commercial income
Dover to build homes itself to meet housing targets
Dover DC is to create its own property company to help meet housebuilding targets.
Cornwall and Nottinghamshire negotiate over highways firm
Nottinghamshire CC is in talks to take over the firm responsible for its highways maintenance.
Hackney to install solar panels to supply energy firm
Plans are being drawn-up by Hackney LBC to install solar panels on homes to supply a new energy company.
Reform outsourcing to avoid £30bn bill, think-tank warns
Bringing outsourced services in-house would cost local government billions, a think-tank has calculated.
Venture into resilience
There is a lot to consider before launching into a commercial venture. Julie McEver explains
Westminster brings 'failing' commercial venture in-house
Westminster City Council is to bring its arms-length housing company back under direct control following cultural and management failings.
Market 'saturated' with council trading companies
Almost two-thirds of councils have established trading companies, new research has found.
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.
Councils deserve a better deal after Carillion's collapse
Local government figures recently met to discuss the current state of commissioning and procurement after the liquidation of outsourcer Carillion. David Hutton reports.
Call for more councils to become social investors
Councils are being urged to ensure investments yield community benefits, in addition to generating income.
Cross-sector leadership – the way forward
Jessica Mullinger and Steve Guest look at the lessons that can be learned from the private and public sector coming closer together