Policy
EXCLUSIVE: Sector fumes over lack of pre-Brexit briefing
Councils have threatened to walk away from Government attempts to engage with them on Brexit amid growing frustrations about the response to their concerns.
Business rates plans are 'confusing and imprecise' - finance experts
Finance experts have hit out at Government plans for business rates retention, claiming they are ‘confusing, imprecise and internally inconsistent’.
Concerns raised over waste consultation length
Concerns have been raised that the consultation period on three major pieces of policy could be slashed from the standard 12 weeks.
Union dilution warning over merging of roles
The union that represents senior local government managers has called for the independent roles of chief financial officer and chief executive to be kept separate.
Brokenshire slams door on One Yorkshire plan
Communities secretary James Brokenshire has told regional leaders that their plans for a One Yorkshire metro mayor fails to meet the Government’s devolution criteria.
Think-tanks float extra council tax flexibility
Local government faces another period of tough budget settlements but could be granted more freedom to raise local revenues, according to a report on options for this year’s Spending Review by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) and the Institute for Government.
Ministers accused of 'irrational policy-making'
Ministers have been accused of irrational policy-making by funding prevention in the NHS while forcing councils to focus on acute statutory services.
Cities have borne brunt of austerity - report
Cities have borne the brunt of austerity, a report out today has warned.
EXCLUSIVE: Councils warn Whitehall of Brexit risks
Councils this week started to formally inform Whitehall about their Brexit risk assessments amid fears of crime spikes, public demonstrations and food bottlenecks.
MHCLG churn 'damaging institutional memory'
Whitehall is suffering from ‘collective amnesia’ due to high staff turnover that is wasting millions of pounds, according to a study today from the respected think-tank the Institute for Government (IfG).
LEPs face Government action if they ignore framework
The Government has threatened to withhold or withdraw funding and responsibilities from local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) that fail to comply with a new framework.
LGA puts 2019/20 funding gap at £3bn
Councils face an overall funding gap of more than £3bn in 2019/20, the Local Government Association (LGA) has told Whitehall.
Government could face legal challenge over SEND
Families have officially launched a High Court legal challenge against the Government’s special education needs and disabilities (SEND) funding policy.
Brokenshire announces homelessness hubs
Communities secretary James Brokenshire has announced a network of 11 homelessness ‘hubs’ across England to tackle rough sleeping.
Social care Green Paper delayed again amid Westminster turmoil
Turmoil in Westminster has piled further uncertainty onto local government, with the social care Green Paper the latest casualty.
Ombudsman concerned over council care policies as complaints increase
Council systems and policies are increasingly to blame for a surge in complaints over charges for social care, according to the ombudsman.
Reserves warning in face of predicted overspend
Hartlepool Council has warned it may have to dip into its reserves if it fails to make savings to reduce a £920,000 in-year overspend.
Denver tax 'demonstrates fiscal devolution need'
The introduction of a 0.25% sales tax in Denver is ‘further proof of the need for devolved political power in the UK,’ a local government finance expert has suggested.
Devolution framework to kick-start 'neo-localist' agenda
The Government’s new devolution framework next month will ‘begin a new conversation about our emerging neo-localist agenda,’ communities secretary James Brokenshire has said.
EXCLUSIVE: The Bucks stops here
Local government secretary James Brokenshire will only invite new unitary proposals in the case of another Northamptonshire CC-type collapse, The MJ understands.