Local Government Association
Committing to youth wellbeing
Councils are being ‘forced to divert the limited funding they have left away from preventative work. But with levels of knife crime rising, will the Government put more money into targeted youth services responses? Ann McGauran reports
Further delay to devolution drive
The Government’s repeatedly-delayed devolution framework will not be published until after Brexit, minister Jake Berry has admitted.
EXCLUSIVE: Government to hear Brexit legal base fears
Continuing concerns around the future legal base of regulatory work after Brexit will be raised at the next EU exit local government delivery board, The MJ understands.
Councils in fresh NHS warning
The Local Government Association (LGA) has issued a fresh warning that the NHS must not forget councils as it embarks on its Long Term Plan.
EXCLUSIVE: Concern over councils' ability to cope with polls
Council chiefs have raised concerns with Government about the sector’s capacity to run EU elections so close on the heels of local polls.
Teams help make Salisbury a success
In the aftermath of the Salisbury Novichok attack, the town faces a unique issue with its local economy. Wiltshire Council asked the second LG Challenge of the year to come up with plans to rebuild its high street, writes Robert Gibson.
No-fault evictions to be axed
Local government has welcomed plans to axe ‘no-fault evictions’ in England as a ‘first step’ in improving housing security.
EXCLUSIVE: Call for inspection pause in case of Brexit hit
Council chiefs have urged Whitehall to be ready to ease pressures on the sector for up to six months if Brexit threatens to stretch capacity.
Leading regeneration in coastal communities
Great Yarmouth is one of just five ‘future places’ in England selected for a new programme to showcase and support councils with ambitious visions for shaping their areas’ futures, says Sheila Oxtoby.
EXCLUSIVE: LGA in finance director plea
Council finance directors have been urged to detail the pressures facing services and the savings they have been forced to make in a new survey.
Council decision to determine agency future
The future of a not-for-profit enterprise agency rests on talks over its failure to pay back a loan to King’s Lynn & West Norfolk BC.
LGA urges chiefs to challenge children's services directors
Chief executives should confront directors to ensure children’s services are well delivered, fresh guidance published by the Local Government Association (LGA) has suggested.
EXCLUSIVE: Whitehall warned as Brexit tensions grow
‘Early signs’ of escalating community tensions and hate crime related to Brexit have been reported to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), The MJ has learnt.
Call for regulator to manage increasing commercial activity
A code to guarantee the soundness of the sector’s plans as commercial activity gathers momentum has now become necessary, a new report has suggested.
Modern slavery referrals rocket
Referrals of potential victims of modern slavery made by councils have soared tenfold in five years, new figures have shown.
The trouble with social policy ‘evidence’
In making the case for more cash to improve public health based on its ‘evidence of what works’, the Local Government Association 'has been simplistic and selective in its statistics', according to Richard Stokoe.
LGA presses for increase in asylum-seeking children funding
Pressure is growing on the Government to deliver on promises to improve funding for councils supporting children who are seeking asylum.
Government Settled Status scheme 'will cope' with surge
The Government has insisted it will be able to cope with up to three million people applying for Settled Status by the end of 2020.
DEFRA: We will fund new burdens to collect food waste weekly
Whitehall has insisted that local authorities will be funded for new burdens connected with plans to introduce compulsory weekly food waste collections.
Making better discharge decisions needs a whole-system approach
Social care and the NHS should analyse Delayed Transfer of Care (DToC) statistics on a system basis rather than at the organisational level so that their true cost becomes clear, says a new analysis from Newton. Dan Peters reports.