REORGANISATION

Spring of hope

By Jonathan Carr-West | 19 March 2025

Discussions around reorganisation must go beyond merely redrawing boundaries to avoid dashing gro...

FINANCE

Section 114 fears for new unitary

By Joe Lepper | 10 March 2025

A unitary formed two years ago faces a £190m budget gap within the next four years amid section 1...

IMPROVEMENT

Back to the basics

By Dan Peters | 12 February 2025

Croydon LBC's chief executive Katherine Kerswell talks to Dan Peters about the council's positive...

FINANCE

Barnet issues s114 over unauthorised payments

By Martin Ford | 24 January 2025

Barnet LBC has issued a section 114 notice over ‘unlawful’ payments to and from the council’s pen...

FINANCE

Local authorities ask for permission to raise council tax above referendum threshold

By Dan Peters | 20 January 2025

More councils have pleaded with ministers to increase their council tax above the 5% referendum l...

LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION

Special educational needs statutory override is 'abomination'

By Martin Ford | 09 January 2025

Accountancy alone will not be enough to end the ‘abomination’ of statutory overrides for special ...

IMPROVEMENT

Peers praise 'effective and visible' Croydon leadership

By Dan Peters | 07 January 2025

POLITICS

Starmer 'acutely aware' of SEND risk

By Dan Peters | 23 December 2024

Prime Minister Keir Starmer is ‘acutely aware’ that demand and market failure across special educ...

FINANCE

'Budgetary pressures' force plea to Government

By Emily Twinch | 16 December 2024

Councillors at Labour-led Cheshire East Council have agreed to ask the Government for two more ye...

FINANCE

Windsor and Maidenhead wants 25% council tax increase amid section 114 warning

By Dan Peters | 11 December 2024

Cash-strapped Windsor & Maidenhead BC has warned a section 114 notice is ‘almost inevitable’ if i...