Income generation
Council-backed energy firm close to collapse
Together Energy, which is 50% owned by Warrington Council, is close to running out of funding, according to reports.
Copeland in 'Section 114 territory'
Copeland BC is ‘heading rapidly towards its minimum level of reserves and an expectation internally of issuing a Section 114 notice,’ an external assurance review of the council’s financial position has found.
Ofgem threatens to revoke licence from Together Energy
The energy watchdog has threatened to withdraw the supplier’s licence from Together Energy, part-owned by Warrington BC.
Council to close ethical debt collection firm
Hammersmith and Fulham LBC is to close its ethical debt collection company after failing to garner sector interest in the concept.
Council energy firms lose £100m
Council-owned energy firms have lost £114m over four years, according to new analysis.
District expectations tempered for Spending Review
The District Councils’ Network annual conference has heard reforms to local government finance are not expected in the short-term.
Warrington rebuffs call to end energy investment
Opposition members at Warrington Council have urged the authority to end its investment in a green energy company as the sector is engulfed in crisis.
Mind the Gap
Geoff Tucker at Norse explains how partnership income is easing councils’ funding gap.
Unlocking the potential of council assets
Richard Eccles explores how councils can maximise existing assets to generate much needed income and support local businesses.
Sector should challenge ‘poisonous narrative’ around commercialism
Councils should not be held back from responsible commercial investments because of high-profile failures by their counterparts, according to a panel of experts.
EXCLUSIVE: Councils urged to 'sharpen commercial edge'
A new report has argued that allowing councils to sharpen their commercial edge will ‘unlock immense latent place potential’ and help ‘galvanise recovery’.
Council presses ahead with £100m property investment
Somerset West and Taunton DC has doubled down on its commercial property investments during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Council tax collection deficit hits £500m
Councils will need ‘additional help from taxpayers’ to balance their books, the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy has warned.
Council apologises over property investments
Kensington and Chelsea LBC has admitted putting income above community benefits in its past property deals.
Oxford urged to halt property investment
The Labour administration has rejected calls to scrap £20m spending plans.
Councils bail out airport
Local authorities are among the shareholders that have been asked to provide loans to Birmingham Airport as it suffers from COVID-19 restrictions.
Intervention threat over 'unwise' investments
Councils have been warned the Government will intervene if they rely too much on commercial investments.
COVID-19 impact on council income uncovered
Spending on car parks fell to 10% of 2019 levels and gyms 20% during the first lockdown.
Spelthorne undergoes finance peer review
A council branded reckless for excessively borrowing to buy up commercial property has undergone a finance peer review from the Local Government Association (LGA).
Manchester considers £50m of cuts
A programme of cost-cutting measures has been put forward by officers in an effort to tackle a looming £105m budget deficit.
