Reserves
Auditors concerned by slow transformation
Scotland’s Accounts Commission is ‘extremely concerned’ by slow transformation at Moray Council, which faces a £31m deficit despite years of warnings to improve.
Retrograde is no way to fund financial recovery
If councils call out the Government for glossing over the facts, they must ensure terms such as balancing the budget and capitalisation are not matters of ‘spin’, says Rob Whiteman.
Partnership working is making major projects deliverable
Great Yarmouth's core spending power has more than halved between 2010-11 and 2023-24, but it has been particularly encouraging to see the council's work with a range of partners on regeneration bearing fruit, says Sheila Oxtoby.
Let's start the debate on what the nation wants councils to do
Local government cannot go on delivering more and more for less and less, says leader of Buckinghamshire Council, Martin Tett.
Cheshire East seeks £18m capitalisation direction
Cheshire East Council has become the latest council to approach the Government for ‘exceptional financial support’ in a bid to avoid a section 114 notice.
Putting assets in to active new uses
Martin Guest and Alistair Chapman look at whether real estate can effectively address local authorities' funding gap.
Money, money everywhere?
Councils’ reserves are not there to be guarded, says a local government minister. In straitened times, councils argue, the higher the risk, the more reserves you need to mitigate it. Martin Ford reports
40% of councils face ‘financial failure’
Two in five councils in England could see their reserves drop to less than 5% of their net revenue expenditure within the next five years, new study finds.
Minister in reserves row
Local government minister Simon Hoare has said councils ‘can and should consider drawing on their reserves’ to help deal with the financial crisis.
Welsh councils face £750m shortfall
Local government finances in Wales are on an ‘unsustainable path,’ according to a report from Cardiff University’s Wales Governance Centre.
DCN in cuts warning
Cultural services, community support and parks and green spaces are all at risk of cuts without a boost to the local government finance settlement, respondents to a District Councils’ Network (DCN) survey have warned.
Jones warns of s114 impact
The lead commissioner for Thurrock and Slough councils has warned fellow chief executives of the ‘devastating’ impact of issuing a section 114 notice.
Council to limit non-essential spending amid s114 threat
Windsor & Maidenhead BC is to limit all non-essential spending as it raised the risk of a section 114.
Nine councils in section 114 warning
Nine councils within the Special Interest Group of Municipal Authorities (Sigoma) have warned they could issue a section 114 notice by 2025.
Reserves 'critical' at Middlesbrough
‘Critically low’ levels of reserves have left Middlesbrough Council in danger of issuing a section 114 notice.
Good governance: A critical part of a local authority’s DNA
At a time of unprecedented pressure, Tiffany Cloynes looks at how to make governance and collective best practice functions as good as they can possibly be.
BCP Council in finance warning
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council has warned tough budget decisions are needed if the council is to avoid going broke.
A clear medium-term financial plan requires certainty
Tracy Bingham wonders if many future Best Value failures will be in councils whose circumstances can be traced back to inadequate funding policy.
We need creative solutions for all our children
Ann McGauran sets the scene ahead of this week’s Association of Directors of Children’s Services annual conference in Manchester and talks to president John Pearce about the challenges ahead.
Digging deep for much-needed reserves
The latest Association of Directors of Adult Social Services spring survey shows a steep increase in the number of councils digging into their reserves to fund cost pressures. Ann McGauran reports.
