County Councils Network
United view?
Chair of the LGA Lord Porter says the smaller unitaries have ‘probably a larger number of councils close to the edge’. But as Ann McGauran reports, it may be hard to generalise about the financial health of this ‘disparate group’.
'You can't cut what you don't have!'
We need the sort of detailed analysis carried out by PriceWaterhouseCoopers for the County Councils ' Network, which uses evidence to project 'spending need' over the period 2015-25, says Richard Flinton.
What is local government really worth?
Does all the ambition for local government come down to core service and self-sustainability, asks Heather Jameson. Where is the full funding, fiscal freedom and the local discretion?
Reviews are a chance for us to come together
The County Councils’ Network (CCN) has released a new report on councils’ finances. Simon Edwards says it shows all councils need a significant injection of resources, and that its members face ‘a particularly severe set of circumstances’.
The self-sufficiency myth
Marsham Street appears not to understand the drivers of demand or the pressures local services are under, county finance chiefs have told MPs.
EXCLUSIVE: Sunak to rule on default tier split
Ministers been asked to set out a ‘national default position’ on the distribution of business rates between county and district councils after 75% retention, The MJ has learnt.
Counties can help speed delivery of the right homes in the right places
We must move away from simply 'planning by numbers' when it comes to housing and instead seek to create genuine and sustainable communities, says Peter French
EXCLUSIVE: Ministers to step in after tier split talks collapse
Ministers are expected to be called on to intervene in the thorny issue of business rates tier splits after talks ended with no agreement, The MJ understands.
Social care should be funded centrally, says MP
Social care should be delivered locally but funded nationally, a new report has suggested.
Further delay to devolution drive
The Government’s repeatedly-delayed devolution framework will not be published until after Brexit, minister Jake Berry has admitted.
Corbyn launches attack on fair funding review
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has entered the debate over the fair funding review, claiming it ‘will make poorer areas even poorer’.
If empowered, councils can achieve much more on public health
Rather than seeking to downgrade the role of public health within local authorities we should be seeking to enhance it, says Nathan Elvery.
Chiefs hit back at 'rich list'
Chief executives have hit back at claims from the Taxpayers’ Alliance pressure group that more local authority staff are being paid six-figure salaries.
Council housebuilding figures highest in 17 years
Local authorities built 3,540 homes in the UK in 2017/18, the highest in 17 years. according to latest figures from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, but a total of 12,059 council homes were sold.
Councils defend council tax hikes
Councils have had ‘little choice’ but to raise council tax to protect local services, the Local Government Association has said, after the latest tax rises were revealed.
Change will be necessary to fix a broken funding system
Compromises along the way will be needed if the sector is to secure the implementation of the fair funding review, says Simon Edwards.
Asset sales help to reduce frontline cuts
Frontline services would have faced further cuts if councils had not sold assets, the County Councils’ Network (CCN) has said.
Rebooting the relationship
The transfer of public health responsibilities to councils has been a success, say sector experts interviewed for an independent report commissioned by the County Councils’ Network. But health stakeholders are not so positive.
Taking back some public health commissioning from councils would be a 'retrograde step'
With 'clear progress and tangible success' on public health delivery in local government, the suggestion that NHS England could take back some elements of public health commissioning would be a retrograde step, says David Williams.
Rebooting the relationship
Directors of public health believe the impact of the transfer of public health responsibilities to councils in 2013 has been a positive one in county areas, according to a new report commissioned by the County Councils' Network.