Fair Funding Review
Councils face new era of austerity
Local government could be left to shoulder the burden of public sector cuts in a new age of austerity, experts have warned.
Santa or the Grinch? No quick fix for fail finances
Heather Jameson says: 'It all comes back to the same issues over and again for local government. The funding system is fundamentally broken.'
People want, expect and deserve change
New research shows it’s clear that communities are still too painfully aware that our economy and democracy often do not work for them and their places, says Ryan Swift.
Solving the financial unsustainability problem
The elephant in the room that is unsustainable council finances can no longer be ignored, so what are the possible solutions that will now need to come into focus, asks Tracy Bingham.
Funding reviews don’t help in a crisis
The Government should return to the lessons of the 2008 financial crisis by detaching capital and debt servicing issues from the councils in greatest distress and dealing with them in a bad bank, says Claire Kober.
Funding formulas are back in the news
Cllr Sir Stephen Houghton says small steps can be taken to begin to fix a broken system of council funding. ‘For starters, there needs to be a proper recognition of deprivation in funding formulas.’
Councils’ last throw of the dice
Government may believe councils’ financial failures are the result of gambling with the public purse, but it is centralisation and a lack of reform driving the problems, says Andy Pike.
A proper fair funding review is needed for levelling up to make a difference
More than seven years ago the Government launched a call for evidence on the needs and redistribution of local government funding, which has been consistently pushed down the priority list, says Rob Whiteman.
The fight against unfair cuts must continue
The upcoming election offers a fantastic opportunity to get debates around local government funding into the mainstream, says Cllr Sir Stephen Houghton.
Assessing councils’ wealth health
In the wake of two huge fiscal failures for the sector, Dan Bates sets out how the financial health of councils can best be assessed. He finds further evidence that the lack of a fair funding formula is storing up big problems in some areas.
The uncertainty principle
Council finances are fragile after 13 years of cuts and an extended period of uncertainty, and multi-year settlements would be a key way to make progress, says Cllr Sir Stephen Houghton.
Lords complain of 'air of mystique' around Levelling Up Bill
Peers have rounded on a lack of detail in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill.
The success of Labour’s 5 Missions will depend on councils being properly funded
As the Labour Party begins to release more information on how its 5 Missions are to be achieved, the role of local government should be placed front and centre, says Cllr Sir Stephen Houghton.
Fair funding delay 'missed opportunity'
Pushing back the long-awaited fair funding review risks making the process even more difficult, according to analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) think-tank.
Is the local government workforce crisis fixable?
Already at crunch point, the council workforce capacity gap is set to widen, says Gordon McFarlane. But he explains why he thinks the crisis can be fixed.
Fears as ministers eye rising council reserves
New Government plans to scrutinise council reserves have sparked fresh fears ministers are encouraging local authorities to ‘sail close to the wind’ with their finances.
A blueprint for finances
Following the Government’s policy statement ahead of next week’s Finance Statement, local government minister Lee Rowley says he has listened to councils and understands the challenges they face
'Out of date' council funding system threatens levelling up, says IFS
The local government funding system is ‘out of date and arbitary’ and it threatens levelling up, new research from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said.
Fairness failure
Looming spending cuts make ‘fair funding’ more important – but also much more challenging, says David Phillips.
Minister warns of 'consequences' for mismanagement
Levelling up secretary Simon Clarke has warned of ‘consequences’ for councils that are unable to balance their books.