Fiscal Freedom
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.
Think-tank calls for more local taxes
There appear to be ‘few’ legislative barriers to bringing in new local taxes as long as the money raised went towards local authority expenditure, think-tank IPPR Scotland has said.
Edinburgh welcomes tourism tax plan
SNP-controlled Edinburgh City Council has welcomed the inclusion of a Transient Visitor Levy Bill in the Scottish Government’s programme for Scotland.
Tourism levy meeting call
Core Cities has called for a meeting with new culture secretary Nicky Morgan and her ministers to discuss the idea of a hotel room levy.
Let’s talk about tax
Colin Copus and Steve Leach ask how we should approach the problem of how to finance English local government and examine how comparable nations use their local taxation powers
