Intervention
Northamptonshire commissioners warn of financial risks
The funding of children’s services poses a ‘significant risk’ to Northamptonshire CC and the viability of its successors, commissioners have warned.
Medway given six months to turn around children's services
Medway Council could lose control of its children’s services unless it improves standards within the next six months.
A positive response to a care home collapse in Cornwall
Cornwall Council’s decision to step in and buy a care home ensured some of the area’s most vulnerable residents avoided being moved out of the county and safeguarded 80 jobs, says Helen Charlesworth May.
Think tanks to produce ‘toolkit’ to improve governance
A project part-funded by Whitehall and the Local Government Association aims to produce ‘practical support’ and a toolkit to improve councils’ corporate governance by next summer.
Brum’s turnaround plan should have come sooner
Birmingham City Council has created a new model of intervention, says Heather Jameson - 'but it should have happened before now'.
Leader of ‘fractious’ council seeks Government help
The leader of Merthyr Tydfil Council has asked the Welsh Government for help to overcome its ‘fractious’ position and financial challenges.
Brum improvement team issues final damning judgement and walks away
Birmingham City Council’s intervention team has issued a final, damning report on the crisis-hit council and walked away – despite admitting its job is not complete.
Councillors meet to set up shadow Northants council
Councillors on the new Joint Committee for West Northamptonshire will meet for the first time this evening to discuss setting up one of the two new unitary authorities replacing the county council.
Northants reveals rescue budget
Northamptonshire CC’s draft budget proposes a council tax increase of 2.99% for next year after ministers agreed the county could use up to £70m of capital receipts to plug funding gaps.
Northants can use capital to plug finance gap, says Brokenshire
Northamptonshire CC will be allowed to use £70m in capital receipts to plug its financial black hole, local government secretary James Brokenshire has ruled.
Government intervention in Tower Hamlets ends
Government intervention in the running of Tower Hamlets LBC has officially ended.
Managing local authority responsibilities
The need for local authorities to manage their 'delicate balancing act' can be particularly challenging when resources are tight or demands for services are high, say Tiffany Cloynes and Clare Hardy.
Commissioners could 'take control' of Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire CC's deficit could continue to rise and commissioners may be forced to take control of the council, councillors will be warned next week.
Northants cash shortfall set to hit £60-70m
Northamptonshire CC is facing a potential budget shortfall of £60m-70m in the current financial year – with no plan as yet as to how to balance the books.
Double standards?
When it comes to improving public services, what’s good for local government should be good for central government. Piali Das Gupta looks at why the latter can benefit from adopting the principles of the former
A war zone in Northants?
You know the situation in local government must be bad when the comparisons with war-torn Iraq and Afghanistan begin.
Don't delay intervention, Northants tells Javid
Northamptonshire CC has asked for commissioners to be sent into the council as soon as possible, three weeks after communities secretary Sajid Javid announced plans of an intervention.
What constitutes failure?
Bringing commissioners into crisis-hit Northamptonshire CC forces us to think about the value we put on local control and agency, argues Dr Jonathan Carr-West.
Northamptonshire: MHCLG letter details intervention
Northamptonshire CC will continue to make most day-to-day decisions over how the county is run, despite heavy oversight from two government-appointed commissioners that could last three years.
Javid plans intervention into crisis-hit Northants
Local government secretary Sajid Javid has bowed to the inevitable and outlined plans for commissioners to run Northamptonshire CC amid concerns over the county’s sustainability.
