Spending Review
Central-local relations at 'all-time low' - study
The relationship between Whitehall and councils has broken down, with local leaders feeling ‘disrespected and marginalised,’ according to a think-tank behind a major new report published today.
Keep making the investment case for prevention
John O'Brien says that whether we end up with a one year Spending Review or a longer one, it's important to make the wider investment case for preventative services programmes such as Troubled Families.
Redressing the balance
Localis’s report Hitting reset – a case for local leadership puts the argument for a complete transfer of powers from Whitehall to the local state. Ann McGauran reports
Press pause on fair funding review
Crippled by austerity and uncertainty, councils are financially paralysed and facing failure. Heather Jameson says it's time to press pause on the fair funding review until central government decides on the amount of cash for local government.
Whiteman calls for fair funding review delay
The fair funding review should be delayed until after the Spending Review, finance expert Rob Whiteman has suggested.
Cut business rates, claims Treasury's Truss
Business rates should be cut to support the private sector, chief secretary to the Treasury, Liz Truss, told a Smith Square debate last night.
The cost of uncertainty
Duncan Whitfield is craving certainty as he prepares the details of a 2020/21 budget – with his most optimistic assumptions leaving him needing to make spending cuts ‘almost as extreme as those back in 2011/12’.
'Endangered' district councils in uncertainty warning
‘Considerable uncertainty’ around funding from 2020/21 is having a ‘direct negative impact’ on ‘endangered’ district councils.
How much is enough?
If the inquiry into local government funding can establish councils need funding not only to meet their statutory requirements but also to meet the needs of their residents this could be a major step forward, argues Tony Kirkham
Call for greater focus on culture change in integration drive
Huge cultural and behavioural differences between health and care need more consideration, consultancy Impower has urged.
The Government must develop a rural strategy
Rural areas are being left behind while the Government focuses on Brexit - and evidence in the Lords Rural Economy Committee report highlights the devastating impact of this, says Graham Biggs
Select committee chair urges scrapping of social care Green Paper
A senior backbencher has called for the social care Green Paper to be scrapped.
Local government must lead the way on change
Britain post-Brexit won't be a mythical land like Game of Thrones, says Heather Jameson. But there will be much to do. Why wait for Whitehall to come up with the answers when so many solutions lie at a local level?
Pooling funds is a better use of resources
Jill Penn is moving to a new finance role at the Office of Police and Crime Commissioner for Norfolk. She says what we do impacts on the same residents, so working together is better than arguing about the proportion of the cash you're getting.
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
Councils' role in asylum system to be bolstered
Plans are being drawn up that will give councils more of a say in where asylum seekers are accommodated.
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.
Why the Public Value Framework matters
Ben Odams asks if the Public Value Framework, released the same day as the Spring Statement, could be the rebooted version of 2010’s Total Place agenda.
Uncertainty 'unacceptable' for council budget planners
Financial uncertainty in local government has reached an ‘unacceptable’ level, it has been claimed.
Kara: Financial sustainability about more than just money
The key ingredients of financial sustainability have been outlined by a senior sector figure speaking at The MJ’s Future Forum.