Councils need cash and certainty, LGIU warns
The next prime minister should make an emergency finance settlement with councils to stave off crisis, a think tank has warned. Councils urgently need clarity from whoever replaces Theresa May[…]
Author: Chris Smith
HRA lift isn’t magic fix for housebuilding, say councils
Local authorities say the decision to lift the cap on the Housing Revenue Account isn’t enough for them to deliver on the scale needed to end the housing crisis. According[…]
The future for outsourcing after Barnet formula cracks
Barnet has signalled its outsourcing revolution is being reduced. But is this the return of council provision? Internal reviews are rarely news but the announcement by London Borough of Barnet[…]
Council services hit by failure of funding regime for child asylum-seekers
Anger with the Home Office is growing among local authorities bearing the brunt of funding rules for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. Chris Smith investigates. Local authorities supporting unaccompanied children who are[…]
Manchester bolsters regeneration with £25m for joint venture
Manchester City Council is lending £25m to a development joint venture in which it is a partner, to protect a major regeneration plan. The city has decided to co-fund a[…]
Croydon looks for big returns on bricks and mortar
Croydon Council this week agreed to sell another 61 development sites to its wholly-owned housing company – Room151 explores the sums.
Businesses failing on LEP match funding, MPs told
Private sector firms are not matching public sector funding for local regeneration, senior civil servants have admitted. Two senior civil servants at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government[…]
CIPFA stars shine at awards
The brightest and best in public finance have been recognised at a top awards ceremony. The annual Public Finance Awards saw Bromley Council take the top spot for its work[…]
Crowdfunding could pay for public services, researchers claim
Local authorities could use crowdfunding as an alternative to traditional borrowing, researchers have claimed. A government-backed study by the University of Leeds concluded that online fundraising is a ‘viable and[…]
Spending review holding back planning reforms
Reforms to the fees charged to house builders are being held up by the delayed spending review. MPs on the Public Accounts committee were told that changes aimed at enabling[…]
