Spending Review
Liverpool warns of 'perilous financial situation'
Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson has warned the council’s ‘perilous financial situation’ means it faces the ‘worst crisis since the Second World War’.
Jenrick: Spending Round puts sector on 'more sustainable footing'
The Spending Round has put local government on a ‘far stronger and more sustainable footing for the future,’ communities secretary Robert Jenrick has told The MJ.
Identify children before crisis point
Anne Longfield says that while an extra £1bn for adult and children's services has to be welcome, it will do no more than plug some gaps and leave the systemic problem unaddressed.
Short-term funding does not make for long-term solutions
The chancellor's Spending Round may have brought some respite for local authorities, but there is still no long-term solution, says SIGOMA chair Sir Stephen Houghton.
A journey starts with a single step
Places like North Yorkshire have never been well funded by governments, according to Richard Webb. He says we will need to see the final departmental settlement detail of the spending round announcements, but at first look the news is very welcome.
Scrap the cap on council tax
Ian Miller issues a call to arms to give councils freedom over council tax rises to truly 'turn the page on austerity'.
Sajid’s spending no closer to fixing our broken sector
Normal rules no longer apply under the present Government, Heather Jameson writes, but the local government finance system remains broken.
Fair funding review and 75% retention delayed
The fair funding review and 75% business rates retention will be delayed until 2021/22, local government secretary Robert Jenrick has confirmed.
London Councils lays out its funding priorities ahead of the spending round
In the run up to the spending round, London Councils sets out its priorities for the capital, including an above inflation increase in local government funding next year and additional investment to close the gap in children's social care funding.
£5.2bn and counting
The Local Government Association (LGA) will argue the sector faces a £5.2bn funding gap in 2020/21 despite believing the figure is an underestimate, The MJ understands.
Districts are still waiting for those funding assurances
The opening of the Treasury's purse since the new Prime Minister came into office may augur well for district councils and the rest of local government, says Ian Miller.
Appointment of new Treasury ministers bodes well for the sector
Chairman-elect of the County Councils Network David Williams reviews the organisation's key asks in its Five-Point Plan for Local Government - and says Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid's new roles in the Treasury are good news for councils.
Unprecedented joint Spending Review bid floated
An unprecedented joint bid could be made to next year’s Spending Review by Core Cities, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and Homes England.
Councils face more funding uncertainty
‘Indicative numbers’ for the amount councils will receive in 2020/21 will not be published before next month’s Spending Review, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has admitted after it missed a self-imposed deadline.
Give councils the powers, funding and tools they need to deliver
James Jamieson has a message for Boris Johnson: Give us the powers, freedoms, flexibilities and funding and we will deliver your post-Brexit vision that transforms this country for the better.
Uncertainty does not bode well for the settlement
Michael Burton says 'the prosaic matter of local government finance seems to be taking a back seat'. Will new chief secretary to the Treasury Rishi Sunak finally be able to deliver on his February promise 'to get more certainty'?
Chancellor announces fast-tracked Spending Review
The Government will rush through a one-year Spending Review to help prepare for Brexit.
Road to recovery
Dan Peters assesses the options available to local authorities as many begin to struggle with schools grant deficit recovery plans.
Will this shifty approach to spending be the pattern?
What was interesting about the recent NHS £1.8bn capital spending pledge by Boris Johnson was how quickly it was exposed, says Michael Burton.
Are we shooting for the moon?
Cumbria CC’s deputy leader Cllr Peter Thornton makes the case for fair funding and fairer investment – to help unlock the inherent strength and potential of the UK’s rural areas.