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Councils continue to struggle with budget constraints, some driven to see central government help. However, there may other ways to confront financial shortfalls. We are now entering the period when[…]
Stephen Fitzgerald argues it is untenable to protect services, as budgets severely strained, at the cost of sustainable finances. Of the entire public sector local government has experienced the greatest[…]
While finance professional are expected to have a solid grasp of detail and process, Stephen Fitzgerald argues that for senior officers, it’s strategic thinking that makes the difference. A principal[…]
Used wisely, interim staff can add significant value to councils’ service delivery. But a recent court case shows that Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) needs to apply new tax[…]
Squeezing more funds out of central government is not the easiest task in the world. Stephen Fitzgerald describes how you can improve your chances. One of the most important of[…]
The recent section 114 notice has highlighted the pressures faced by finance departments. Stephen Fitzgerald argues that teams emerging from transformation need the right prorities: from putting objectives before process[…]
Previous articles I have posted on Room 151 have dealt with strategies and behaviours that local authorities can apply in setting their budgets; but this is only part of the[…]
Readers may recall that I explored the issues associated with the changes to the treatment of intermediaries in IR35 some four months ago. Well despite the complaints from the interim[…]
Downward. That’s the direction in which the funding for local government continues even though the recent budget provided more money for adult social care. It’s this trend which prompted my[…]
HMRC’s approach to IR35 and interim managers may be aimed at resolving a tax disparity but Stephen Fitzgerald argues it ignores market economics. IR35, the strangely named tax rule now[…]
