Local Government Association
Challenging the system
Shadow communities secretary, Andrew Gwynne, talks to Dan Peters about devolution, fiscal change, and his hope to represent the sector in a far more positive light
Gender disparity is alive and well
Does local government work for women? The answer is a firm ‘no’, according to Heather Wakefield, as she examines the shocking results of a recent report by the Fawcett Society’s Local Government Commission.
Doggie in the window
We’ve all been there.
‘Whitehall is committed to full rates retention’
Local government minister Marcus Jones has insisted the Government is ‘still fully committed to proceeding with’ business rates retention.
Pension funds get option for new financial status
Standard documentation is being produced to help councils and local government pension funds wanting to secure a new financial status.
LGA report influenced axing of Derbyshire chief’s role
Derbyshire CC’s decision to abolish its chief executive post was informed by a Local Government Association (LGA) report, The MJ has learned.
Residents’ satisfaction with councils decreases
Residents’ satisfaction with their council has ‘significantly decreased,’ Local Government Association (LGA) research has found.
Why we must reform public sector procurement
There is a growing clamour for post-Brexit public procurement reform, writes Mark Robinson.
Name and shame threat hangs over councils
Councils that fail to get business rates relief schemes in place by the beginning of next month could be named and shamed by the Government.
Local authorities lending weight to staff pay rise calls
Councils are piling on the pressure to give local government staff a pay rise by backing trade union calls.
All councils should sign up to peer review challenges
Following the results of a survey by The MJ, Michael Burton argues peer reviews are critical to performance monitoring.
MPs back social care system overhaul
A poll of 100 English MPs has found just one in 10 believe the current social care system is suitable for the UK’s ageing population.
LGA calls for government to lift planning fees freeze
Councils have ramped up their calls for the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) to meet its commitment to allow them to increase planning fees by 20%.
Councils call for modernisation of taxi laws
Council leaders have demanded a rethink of ‘outdated’ taxi laws to reflect new technology, reduce the risk of child sexual exploitation and improve working conditions.
Homecare market under growing pressure
The continued under-funding of adult social care is placing the homecare provider market under a lot of pressure, councils have warned.
Outsourcing blamed for bin complaints increase
The outsourcing of waste collections by councils in England has led to an increase in the number of complaints being upheld by the ombudsman, a new report has warned today.
County call for targets rethink
Councils have called for the Government to rethink a threat to strip them of promised cash if they fail to meet ‘undeliverable and arbitrary’ targets.
Call for more women in local government
Council leaders have admitted that the move towards gender balance in local government should be made at a ‘faster pace’.
Councils call for post-Brexit procurement reforms
Council leaders have called on the Government to ‘simplify’ the current rules on how local authorities buy goods and services once the UK has exited the EU.
Reading balances books but warns: ‘there’s no room for error’
Reading Council’s new boss has said the authority’s books are balanced until 2020 but there is ‘no room for things to go wrong’.