David Sparks
Get ready for £9.5bn funding gap in 2020 warns LGA
Councils could be facing a funding gap of £9.5bn by the end of the next Parliament, the Local Government Association (LGA) has warned.
Pickup sets sights on fair funding
The Local Government Association’s (LGA) new deputy chief executive, Sarah Pickup, has called for a ‘fair funding deal’ for local government – in exchange for supporting and developing communities.
Carolyn Downs to leave LGA
Local Government Association (LGA) chief executive Carolyn Downs has been appointed as the new chief executive of Brent LBC.
LGA pleads for no more cuts
Town hall bosses have called on the chancellor to spare them from any further cuts.
Conservatives win back leadership of the LGA
The Conservatives have regained the leadership of the Local Government Association after a shock shift to the party in the local elections.
Councils want freedom to set Right to Buy discounts
The next government should give councils greater flexibility to set discounts under the Right to Buy scheme, council and housing chiefs have advised.
Row over as LGA sticks with growth board
The Local Government Association (LGA) has stepped back from threats to pull out of the National Growth Programme Board (GPB) in a row over European Union funding.
MPs back social care ringfence
Three quarters of sitting MPs have backed calls by the Local Government Association (LGA) to protect adult social care funding in the next Parliament.
Pass on powers ‘or economy will stall’
Council leaders have reiterated their calls for more powers from Westminster, amid claims local government is at a ‘pivotal moment’ in its history.
Budget 2015: Call for more devolution after 'disappointing' deal
Local government leaders called for ‘greater levels of devolution’ after the West Yorkshire combined authority was left ‘disappointed’ with its deal.
EXCLUSIVE: LGA in row over European cash
Councils have questioned the Government’s commitment to devolution amid a fierce row over European funding.
Pickles in council charges crackdown
Eric Pickles has gone on the offensive over council charges, with new guidance on car parking and plans to prevent local authorities from billing for use of household waste recycling centres.
Firms back business rates devolution
More than two thirds of UK firms have backed the Local Government Association’s (LGA) call to devolve business rates, according to a new survey.
Council bosses call for social care protection
Town hall chiefs have called for social care to be protected in the next Budget, as councils come under fire for five-minute visits.
Council services to take £1.1bn hit for adult social care
The escalating cost of caring for the elderly means councils will have to divert £1.1bn from other services in 2015/16, new analysis has shown.
Smith report prompts race for devolution
‘English votes for English laws’ is less important than getting the right deal for communities, the local government associations have told William Hague.
Call for business rate system overhaul
Town hall chiefs have called on the Government to let them be able to give business rate discounts to help small firms.
LGA set to argue case for devolution with Whitehall
Local Government Association (LGA) chair David Sparks will take the case to Whitehall for devolution to be delivered to all English councils within 10 years.
Town hall chiefs call for devolved training
Town hall chiefs have renewed calls for the devolution of education, skills and training programmes as new figures show 90,000 youngsters have been jobless for two years or more.
NCAS 2014: Councils issue social care funding warning
Councils will face a £4.3bn funding black hole by the end of the decade, according to town hall chiefs.
