Dan Peters
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.
CIPFA index 'must be forward-looking'
The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) must double down on efforts to include indicators that are forward-looking in its financial resilience index, a senior sector figure has suggested.
Jenrick to check councils' borrowing bids
New local government secretary Robert Jenrick will take a fresh look at councils excessively borrowing for commercial reasons, The MJ understands.
Commissioners urge NAO to monitor auditor powers
The National Audit Office (NAO) should monitor auditors’ use of additional powers and use this to produce a report to help identify sector-wide risks and issues, the Government-appointed commissioners overseeing under-fire Northamptonshire CC (NCC) have urged.
MHCLG security review after knife attack
Security will be reviewed across the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) estate after one of the department’s officials suffered a knife attack.
Treasury renews support for Northern Powerhouse
The Treasury has renewed support for the Northern Powerhouse project as it makes rebalancing the economy one of its core objectives.
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‘Indicative numbers’ for the amount councils will receive in 2020/21 will not be published before next month’s Spending Review, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has admitted after it missed a self-imposed deadline.
EXCLUSIVE: Jenrick pledges to improve Brexit communications
New local government secretary Robert Jenrick has promised to make communication from Whitehall on Brexit more streamlined and clearer than in the past, The MJ understands.
Tourism levy meeting call
Core Cities has called for a meeting with new culture secretary Nicky Morgan and her ministers to discuss the idea of a hotel room levy.
Language change for DToC
The term ‘delayed transfers of care [DToC] beds’ should be scrapped to ‘support a greater focus on people,’ health and social care representatives have said.
Local audit at a 'crossroads'
Local audit is at a ‘crossroads’ and needs to provide ‘better assurance and more impact for the public,’ Grant Thornton has said.
Red card shown to traffic light rating
Controversial plans to issue a traffic light rating for every councils’ financial sustainability have finally been ditched following an outcry from the sector.
Number of delayed audit opinions rockets
The number of delayed audit opinions in local government has risen sharply this year, according to figures compiled by the body responsible for appointing auditors.
Councils forge ahead with clear-up after flooding
Staff at England's largest council have started work to repair the flood damage that closed roads and deluged homes.
One in five fail to keep schools deficit below 1%
One in five councils with education responsibilities have failed to keep their dedicated schools grant (DSG) deficit below 1% of the total, The MJ can reveal.
EXCLUSIVE: Two LEPs still do not have legal personality
Two local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) have been granted extensions due to ‘exceptional circumstances’ after failing to adopt legal personalities before the April deadline, The MJ has learnt.
Road to recovery
Dan Peters assesses the options available to local authorities as many begin to struggle with schools grant deficit recovery plans.
Jenrick excluded from daily Brexit committee
Concerns have been raised about Marsham Street’s influence on Brexit matters in Whitehall.
Capita urged to make pension improvements
Barnet Labour councillors have urged outsourcing firm Capita to make improvements to the authority’s pension scheme after thousands of mistakes were found.
EXCLUSIVE: Charity Commission to intervene in £2.4bn rates dispute
Charity Commission experts will be called on to help the High Court settle the long-running legal dispute between councils and NHS trusts over rates relief.