Local government funding and financial management.
The LGA and the House of Commons Political and Constitutional Reform Select Committee are working in partnership to lead a debate on the benefits of codifying the relationship between central and local government. The code would guarantee councils' legal and financial independence and autonomy to serve their citizens. The Committee's Chair, Graham Allen MP, has…
The Department for Communities and Local Government parliamentary questions session came on the same day as two announcements were made; a rise to £75k in the maximum amount of discount that a tenant can claim when exercising the Right to Buy and a related announcement on the New Buy Scheme, which is a mortgage indemnity…
On Your Radar looks back over the last period, ahead at what could be hitting the headlines and comments on issues relevant to local government that will be influencing the political landscape over the coming months. This edition highlights: • forward planning • future briefings • localism act • council tax • funding opportunities
The National Audit Office has published a value for money report on progress made by Central Government to reduce its costs and expenditure. While central government departments took effective action in 2010-11 to reduce costs they are less well placed to make the long term changes over the four years to 2014-15. This briefing will…
In February, LGiU published research we’ve conducted with local finance officers on the impact and implications of the Local Government Finance Bill. The full results can be found here. Some key findings are: 47% of councils thought they will lose financially through the Bill Only 15% of councils thought they could absorb the 10% cut in council tax…
In its report Reorganising central government bodies, the National Audit Office assesses the effectiveness of the Public Bodies Reform Programme. The Programme, which covers 904 public bodies, proposes the largest restructuring of public bodies in decades. Out of 496 bodies earmarked for merging, substantial reform or outright abolition, the Programme plans to abolish 262. However,…
Ruth Keeling reports on LGC (£) today that “Ministers and councils are in disagreement over who should bear the brunt of a 10% cut in spending when council tax benefits are localised next year”. This squabble is part of the wider debate over the Local Finance Bill – currently making its way through the Commons. Local…
This article was first published on the Guardian’s Local Government Network. As I wrote in my predictions for 2012, councils will find themselves at the forefront of the charge towards recovery this year. Communities secretary Eric Pickles has a plan for this charge; by changing the way local business rates are distributed to incentivise local growth.…
The Brixton Pound (B£) is designed to support Brixton businesses and encourage local trade and production. It’s a complementary currency, working alongside (not replacing) pounds sterling, for use by independent local shops and traders, with a view to maintaining the diversity of the local high street. The B£ is the UK’s first local currency in…
The debate over local government finance has had a relatively low profile but it could effect radical changes to the political geography of this country. We welcome the ambition behind the plans after decades of consultation and debate which has more often than not led to dither and delay. The Government has listened to concerns…
