Section 25The severe pressure on local government budgets now means section 151 officers confront a tricky call on whether they can make a judgement on the robustness of estimates and the adequacy of reserves.
There surely can never have been a more challenging and stressful time to be a section 151 officer in a local authority. Nothing is exactly as it seems. Years of austerity mean that the room for manoeuvre in budgets is small. Add to that the unusual circumstances of what looks as if it will be the whole of the 2020-21 financial year, and the fact that the government has only been able to provide a one-year settlement, and longer term financial planning is nigh impossible.
But as budgets are strained to breaking point, a new i
...Sponsored article: Lauren Sewell of Tradition examines the prospects for long-term borrowing as Brexit settles and vaccines are deployed against Covid-19.
Sponsored article: Gavin Haywood of Federated Hermes looks at the integration of ESG in Federated Hermes’ money market funds.
Sponsored article: William Davies of Columbia Threadneedle looks at the factors affecting investments this year—Covid, Brexit and the US election result.
Sponsored article: Brian Buck from Morgan Stanley Investment Management Global Liquidity looks at the “unique challenge” for cash management strategies. As investors assess the ongoing impact of the pandemic on[…]
Sponsored article: Fraser Mackay of Barclays examines the financial pressures which continue to pose challenges for council treasurers in 2021. While the launch of the UK’s Covid-19 vaccination programme promises[…]
Sponsored article: Caroline Hedges from Aviva Investors examines the need for active cash management to achieve a higher than average return. Last year saw the already mountainous pile of negative-yielding[…]
James Athey of Aberdeen Standard Investments gives his interest rate outlook for 2021 and examines the factors that explain why making high conviction forecasts will be more challenging than usual. […]
Sponsored article: Nick Edwardson of Aegon Asset Management looks at the assets that provide the “most attractive opportunities”. We believe that asset allocation is the primary driver of investment returns[…]
Sponsored article: George Crowdy from Royal London Asset Management looks at the sectors providing opportunities for sustainable investment. Throughout much of 2020, we talked about why sustainable investing has thrived[…]
Sponsored article: CCLA’s Amy Browne examines the importance of investing in mental health in the workplace. We are living through a public health emergency in more ways than one. Physical[…]
