The local outcomes framework has finally landed. After the failed experiment with the Office for Local Government (which The MJ discovered cost more than £8m), a different approach was outlined in the call for feedback in July. At that point it was going to be called the ‘local government outcomes framework'.
We'd been told in July that the final framework would be ‘published ahead of the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement to inform business planning' but it didn't emerge until 9 February when the final settlement was published. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) seems also to have missed the target of ‘early 2026' for the online tool. The most recent announcement says only the Government ‘intends to launch a digital tool in 2026' but it won't happen during this year's pre-election period. December, anyone?
