Fiscal Freedom
MPs call for urgent finance reforms
Councils should be given more flexibility to raise their own taxes and social care funding urgently needs to be reformed, MPs have said.
'No appetite for fiscal devo,' says pollster
There is no public appetite for fiscal devolution, according to leading pollster Ben Page.
Reed accuses government of dropping devolution
Shadow communities secretary Steve Reed has accused the Government of dropping its commitment to devolution.
Former minister tells government: Stop being so ridiculously tribal
Ex-Treasury minister Lord Jim O’Neill has told the Government to stop being ‘so ridiculously tribal’ as it considers the next stage of its devolution policy.
LGA pauses tourism levy calls
The Local Government Association (LGA) has agreed to pause its work gathering an evidence base for the introduction of a tourism levy.
Spending Review will 'fail to offer long-term view' for sector
This year’s Spending Review will fail to offer a long-term view for local government, The MJ understands.
EXCLUSIVE: Lib Dem leadership candidates in reorganisation warning
The Lib Dem leadership candidates have both warned against the Government’s plans to force through reorganisation without proper consideration.
Better response to pandemic from European councils, says think-tank
Local government across Europe has been able to react to the coronavirus crisis with greater power and autonomy than in the UK, a report published today has found.
Crisis has exposed council finances, Whiteman tells MPs
The coronavirus crisis has exposed just how far public services have been cut, finance expert Rob Whiteman has told MPs.
Academics urge fiscal devolution
Experts have told MPs that financial powers must form part of the Government’s devolution plans.
Rates repatriation revolt collapses
An attempt to repatriate the setting of business rates to Scottish councils has collapsed.
Localis hired for fiscal devolution study
The Local Government Association has commissioned research to better understand how greater control of financial and fiscal levers might operate in non-metropolitan areas.
This will be a different Conservative Government
Head of local government at Grant Thornton UK, Paul Dossett, says the fact that the Conservative majority has been won by gaining seats in towns in Wales, the Midlands and the north of England will make a difference.
Lib Dems to 'end continual erosion' of council funding
Lib Dems would ‘end the continual erosion’ of local government funding if they win power at the General Election, the party’s manifesto has pledged.
Five councils suffer credit outlook ratings downgrade
The credit outlook ratings for five local authorities have been changed from stable to negative.
Let’s back the tourist tax
Cllr Nickie Aiken argues that a modest levy on overnight visitor stays raised locally would go straight into services that help to boost tourism.
It’s a fiscal drag
If we are ever going to unlock the benefits and freedoms that fiscal devolution could engender in localities, we have to set out what the political problem is, writes Jonathan Werran.
COSLA conference: Ex-minister hints at council tax cap relaxation
A former SNP minister has suggested there could be a relaxation of the cap on council tax.
COSLA conference: Sturgeon promises 'biggest decentralisation of power' in two decades
The results of the Scottish Government’s local governance review will bring the ‘biggest decentralisation of power’ in the 20 years since devolution, first minister Nicola Sturgeon has promised.
COSLA conference: 'Devolved powers have stopped at Holyrood'
It is a ‘sad paradox’ of devolution that powers handed to Scotland 20 years ago have stopped at Holyrood, the president of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) has said.
