County Councils Network
District warning after £63m handed to counties
Help for families struggling to put food on the table will be delayed due to ‘needless extra red tape in distributing funding,’ district councils have warned after ministers handed counties control of a £63m fund to support the most vulnerable families.
LGA shies away from reorganisation 'fight back'
The Local Government Association (LGA) has shied away from calls for it to launch a ‘fight back’ against reorganisation though senior members criticised any top-down approach.
Fresh reorganisation offensive leaves districts quaking
The County Councils’ Network (CCN) has launched a fresh offensive to rip up the local government map as the country emerges from the shadow of coronavirus.
Counties could be forced to issue Section 114 notices this year
If predictions in Grant Thornton's report on county finances fall anywhere close to the actual financial outturn, a significant number of councils will be forced to reduce costs, and as a last resort issue Section 114 notices, says Tom Foster.
Give councils the powers and funds to transform their societies
As counties begin to move out of the most stringent lockdown measures, CCN member councils will be starting to set out bold visions for their areas, says Simon Edwards.
Funding the long road to recovery
The County Councils Network has set the 'income guarantee' that is crucially needed to address lost income streams at £5bn initially, says Anthony May - but the additional costs of coronavirus will still pose a medium-term challenge, too.
Fresh funding row brews
Another row was brewing this week over how much councils have spent on coronavirus and how much the Government will cover.
Councils given £300m and key tracking role
Councils in England will be handed £300m by the Government as they are given a central role in driving forward testing and tracing.
Call to release ‘trapped’ troubled families funding
Bureaucracy threatens to hold up cash needed to support vulnerable children, the County Councils Network (CCN) has warned.
EXCLUSIVE: Government considers bypassing councils to get cash to care providers
The Government is considering bypassing local authorities and channelling extra funding directly to care providers to ease cash flow concerns, The MJ understands.
Councils call for £5bn 'income guarantee'
England's largest councils are calling on the Government to provide a £5bn 'income guarantee to avoid them having to declare insolvency during the coronavirus pandemic.
Johnson announces £600m for infection control in care homes
Councils have welcomed the £600m extra funding for infection control within care homes.
Facing down an uncertain future
Already cash-strapped following a decade of austerity, councils now face fighting a national crisis on a basic budget with their financial futures left in the balance. Heather Jameson reports.
Districts win in latest allocations
Districts have won a significantly higher share of funding in the latest allocations of government cash to help councils cope with coronavirus.
The sector's substantive funding has come at a significant cost
Carl Les says we should be under no illusion about the scale of the challenge ahead, 'with an elongated outbreak impacting our cashflows and revenue streams more and more'.
Counties urge s114 change as coronavirus costs soar
County councils have called for a suspension of Section 114 and a relaxation of the rules so authorities can borrow to fund revenue spending.
Counties warn against a blanket council tax deferral scheme
County councils have warned that a blanket council tax deferral scheme could create significant financial problems for local government.
Care providers experience tenfold hike in costs of protective equipment
Suppliers of protective equipment are charging as much as 10 times the normal amount for their products as supplies grow scare, care companies have told the BBC.
We will see the very best of local councils
During the COVID-19 pandemic, counties are ‘doing what they have done in an understated way for so long – keeping the show running for their communities’, says Simon Edwards.
Hertfordshire leads the way in managing growth
All 12 members of the Hertfordshire Growth Board have now approved an official working agreement that will help make the county an even better place, says David Williams.
