Spending Review
MPs criticise children's social care progress
MPs have accused the Department for Education (DfE) of still not doing enough to make the quality or finances of children’s social care sustainable.
The problem solvers
Cllr Nickie Aitken says it is time for the sector to stop pleading poverty and start working on solutions to the financial issues ahead.
Government must redesign immigration policy to fill care vacancies - think-tanks
The Government should ‘go back to the drawing board’ to redesign a visa system that encourages overseas workers to fill the 110,000 social care vacancies, a report today has urged.
Sector unites in call for Troubled Families funding
The local government sector has urged the Treasury to continue funding the Troubled Families programme following a glowing report on its impact.
Waiting for Godot and the Social Care Green Paper
Public finances are outperforming expectations, but the post-spring statement briefing from the Institute for Fiscal Studies highlighted the need to sort out taxation and those other topics that did not get into the speech. Heather Jameson reports.
Spending Review launch dependent on securing Brexit deal
Chancellor Philip Hammond has announced he plans to launch a full three-year Spending Review before the summer recess if a Brexit deal is agreed.
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.
Our invaluable work needs to be better understood by the Government
We need to call on those in power to better understand the invaluable work we do in local government and help us deliver creativity without uncertainty, says Tony Kirkham
Certainty in the middle of so much uncertainty
Selby DC is going into its election period in the context of an unprecedented level and variety of uncertainties, says Janet Waggott. But she believes this creates certainty about what local government needs to do despite the challenges.
Call for place-based Spending Review
The Treasury should develop a new national place-based Spending Review, the independent Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) charity has argued.
MPs launch inquiry into local government finance
A new inquiry into local government finance will take place ahead of this year's Spending Review.
Change will be necessary to fix a broken funding system
Compromises along the way will be needed if the sector is to secure the implementation of the fair funding review, says Simon Edwards.
Councils are a good investment
The Local Government Association's #CouncilsCan campaign aimed at influencing the 2019 Spending Review has begun by highlighting the threat to popular - but non-statutory - services if the £8bn funding black hole is not tackled, says Lord Porter.
How does public spending break down?
The latest annual statement from HMRC reveals how little leeway the chancellor has when it comes to planning the next Spending Review, says Mike Burton.
A good plan is more important than ever
In the absence of facts - whatever they may be these days - we need to make assumptions based upon our best professional judgement, says Gary Fielding. 'Never has it felt more important that we have a good plan', he adds.
Charities find children's 'cuts hotspots'
Per capita funding for children’s services has fallen by more than 30% since 2010, with London boroughs suffering the most savage cuts, children’s charities have warned.
May defends 'record' SEND funding
Theresa May has defended her Government’s funding of special educational needs and disability (SEND) as she faces of a chorus of calls for more cash.
How to get back on track
What the chancellor must do in the Spending Review is tell a coherent story; one that allows for the radical and bold change that puts Government on to a sustainable financial pathway, says Rob Whiteman.
Central Government is missing the bigger picture
As manufacturers withdraw from the UK, local government’s task of building the economy and boosting local productivity is becoming a steeper and steeper uphill climb, says Heather Jameson.
Squeezed and broken
Dr Jonathan Carr-West urges local government to make a unified case for greater funding, by seizing the moment in the run-up to the Spending Review