News Roundup: Devolution requests, Birmingham grant, culture budgets, local government summit
0Councils submit devolution requests
The government should devolve £60bn of central government spending to local areas over the next five years, according to the Local Government Association. The LGA was speaking in advance of this week’s deadline for cities and counties to submit proposals for devolution. Among the proposals, Liverpool City Council is demanding to be able to retain 100% of its business rates.
Birmingham scoops transformation cash
Birmingham City Council has been awarded a grant of £4.37m to support is efforts to transform services and corporate governance. The Department for Communities and Local Government has made the award to help the council deliver the recommendations of its improvement plan. Last year a report by the then DCLG permanent secretary Bob Kerslake branded the city council dysfunctional.
Big cuts to arts and culture budgets
Local authorities have cut spending on the arts and culture by £161m in the past year, according to the Museums Association. Figures uncovered by the body said that councils cut their budgets for museums and theatres by 5.7% and that total local authority funding for culture has fallen by 23% over the last five years.
ACCA to hold local government summit
ACCA is holding its third annual local government summit in London on 15 October. The theme of the event is “taming transformation” and the keynote speaker will be Helen Brand, chief executive of ACCA. Other topics under discussion will include zero-based budgeting, using the finance function to transform your organisation’s culture and dealing with multiple change projects. Tickets can be booked at http://tinyurl.com/mpypz2h
