Title

NAO: Children's residential care market failing
NATIONAL AUDIT OFFICE

NAO: Children's residential care market failing

By William Eichler | 12 September 2025

Residential care for looked-after children is costing councils more than ever, but many youngsters are being placed in settings that fail to meet their needs, the National Audit Office (NAO) has wa...

FINANCE

Council pressures have 'increased significantly', says OBR

By Dan Peters | 09 July 2025

Councils face ‘growing risks to their financial sustainability’, the UK’s official forecaster has...

PLANNING

Call for strengthening oversight of developer contributions system

By William Eichler | 06 June 2025

Weaknesses in the developer contributions system intended to fund affordable housing and local in...

IMMIGRATION

The impacts and risks of immigration and skills policies

By Oliver Lodge | 05 June 2025

Closer collaboration across Government departments and local authorities is vital to securing the...

CHILDREN'S SERVICES

Auditors call for action on delays to children's care cases

By William Eichler | 21 May 2025

The proportion of children who are subject to care proceedings who have had to wait over a year t...

GOVERNANCE

The importance of ensuring good governance

By Abdool Kara | 11 May 2025

Abdool Kara says: 'It’s worth considering how to achieve good governance in the challenging conte...

HOUSING

Stepping up to the housing challenge

By Martin Ford | 15 April 2025

With the Government intent on ramping up housebuilding figures, the delivery of accompanying infr...

FINANCE

Policy action needed to solve financial challenges

By Martin Ford | 08 April 2025

Radical short-term fixes followed by changes in policy are required to shore-up local government ...

GOVERNANCE

Why good annual reporting matters

By Steven Corbishley | 19 March 2025

Steven Corbishley says high-quality financial reporting not only supports accountability, it buil...

NATIONAL AUDIT OFFICE

A new standards regime will be a good thing overall

By Abdool Kara | 13 March 2025

It looks likely that the Government will take forward the work of the Committee for Standards in ...

FINANCE

Promoting prevention

By Ann McGauran | 28 February 2025

A new report from the National Audit Office on local government financial sustainability doubles ...

frederica-diamanta

Director of People

£108,697 - £117,998

As a leader at Lancashire County Council, you’ll join an authority with real scale, courageous ambition and deep pride in place. Apply for this job

Lancashire County Council

Director of Strategy and Transformation

£108,697 - £117,998

As a leader at Lancashire County Council, you’ll join an authority with real scale, courageous ambition and deep pride in place. Apply for this job

Lancashire County Council

Highway Design and Construction Manager

Grade N, scp50 £62,443 to scp53 £65,663 per annum, plus essential car user allowance

We embrace AI to enhance our operations and to innovate our services. Apply for this job

Bolton Council

frederica-diamanta

Director of People

£108,697 - £117,998

As a leader at Lancashire County Council, you’ll join an authority with real scale, courageous ambition and deep pride in place. Apply for this job

Lancashire County Council

Director of Strategy and Transformation

£108,697 - £117,998

As a leader at Lancashire County Council, you’ll join an authority with real scale, courageous ambition and deep pride in place. Apply for this job

Lancashire County Council

Highway Design and Construction Manager

Grade N, scp50 £62,443 to scp53 £65,663 per annum, plus essential car user allowance

We embrace AI to enhance our operations and to innovate our services. Apply for this job

Bolton Council