Local government funding and financial management.
What are the overall legal and best practice requirements for local government finance and budgeting, and their potential application in light of Covid-19? This briefing has been updated in the light of the new funding package for councils announced on the 2 July 2020.
NSW councils amalgamated in 2016 were subject to a ‘rates freeze’ limiting increases and delaying harmonisation of rating systems. This briefing describes some of the background and challenges to the rates harmonisation process for amalgamated councils in NSW, and to identifies potential strategies to address these.
Earlier this year, North Ayrshire Council launched its Community Wealth Building Strategy, becoming the first Council in Scotland to adopt this bold and radical economic approach. Councillor Joe Cullinane, Leader of North Ayrshire Council, tells us how it works and how he hopes it can make a difference to communities.
This briefing examines the financial implications of the Covid-19 pandemic on Scotland’s public services, based largely on evidence presented to the Finance and Constitution Committee’s inquiry into the impact of Covid-19 on the public finances and the Fiscal Framework.
The lessons learnt following the previous recession can help local and national government manage the economic and social recovery from Covid-19.
So far, the government has provided over £5 billion of extra funding to local authorities to help cope with the Covid-19 pandemic, but is it enough? This round up summarises the main funding allocations and looks at the shortfalls that unfortunately are becoming all too apparent.
Local government is under pressure to minimise rate increases during this pandemic. This briefing explores rate capping/pegging on Victorian and NSW local governments, and how Covid-19 may result in government policy changes.
The NAO report ‘Local authority investment in commercial property’ explores the rapid increase in local authority investment in commercial property in recent years, the main reasons for that investment and the risks that may ensue.
The external auditors to the 31 Irish local authorities are known as the Local Government Audit Service, whose functions include producing Annual Financial Statements and undertaking Value for Money Audits. This briefing examines some of the key findings of the VFM report produced by the LGAS in December 2018.
The focus of this briefing is the impact that COVID-19 restrictions introduced by the federal and state governments have had on local government service provision, how local government is supporting their local economies, and how they are dealing with the financial challenges in the short- and long-term.