Chris Buss: A 151’s lessons from 2020 and hopes for the New Year
Chris Buss on the lessons for section 151 officers have learned in 2020 and what they might hope in the New Year. “So, this is Christmas and what have you[…]
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May 18, 2022
May 12, 2022
Chris Buss on the lessons for section 151 officers have learned in 2020 and what they might hope in the New Year. “So, this is Christmas and what have you[…]
More than ever councils need an early settlement as well as certainty over the support they can expect from Whitehall over pandemic costs, writes Chris Buss.
Some elements of the press have painted a bleak picture of pension schemes at London boroughs. Chris Buss argues that the funds are in “good hands”. One of the periodic[…]
Now that the dust has settled after the General Election and we have at least some prospect of a “strong and stable” government, what can local government wish for in[…]
Councils need to maintain healthy reserves despite increased funding for councils through last week’s Spending Review, says Chris Buss. One of the advantages of not being a serving section 151[…]
The government’s consultation document on reforms to local government funding left more questions than answers, says Chris Buss. Back in December the Government issued its consultation document on local government[…]
Chris Buss suggests four ways to stimulate the building of council housing. Earlier in the year the government issued a Green Paper on social housing; since then the world has[…]
Initially, Chris Buss wasn’t the biggest fan of the UK Municipal Bonds Agency. But changed circumstances mean he now thinks it is a win-win for local government I have, as[…]
CIPFA’s consultation on a new index ranking the financial resilience of English councils has just closed. Chris Buss argues the proposals as they stand could have unforeseen consequences. When working[…]
Pooling is well under way but there remains outstanding issues for some. Chris Buss argues funds should be allowed to shop around pools to find the best investment products. When[…]
Treasury to restrict PWLB loans to councils at risk of non-repayment: The Treasury has released new guidance that restricts local authorities’ access to Public Works Loan Board (PWLB) advances if there is a “more than negligible risk” of a council’s… dlvr.it/SQhLTV pic.twitter.com/vBsS7xMJdb
Mixed reaction to proposed government intervention powers: There has been a mixed reaction to the government’s legislative plans to strengthen its intervention powers over local authority finances. The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill has proposed… dlvr.it/SQhLMB pic.twitter.com/50foWxpPGs
Post-Brexit struggles for national and local government regulators. @LGAcomms @NAOorguk Click the link below to read 🔻🔻 room151.co.uk/brief/lga-call… #Brexit #government pic.twitter.com/s3c8ySGy5G
CIPFA: a question of transparency: Roman Haluszczak’s campaign for publication of the independent report into the collapse of CIPFA’s London Counter Fraud Hub has been rejected again by the institute. He is now calling for[...] dlvr.it/SQgC5V pic.twitter.com/08fWsHFF4g
Back to the future for the PWLB: The Public Works Loan Board is tightening its lending criteria to ensure that loans will be repaid by local government borrowers. But, asks Peter Findlay, shouldn’t they have been doing[...] dlvr.it/SQcmmm pic.twitter.com/bVv4fe0Xlv
Great piece from Peter Findlay on the PWLB’s tightening of its lending criteria. He raises some pointed questions for the Treasury and explains why the ‘casino council’ characterisation was simplistic and inaccurate. #PWLB #localgov room151.co.uk/treasury/back-…
The Queen's speech highlighted the need for accelerating UK infrastructure investment into levelling up projects and cutting emissions. @UKInfraBank #QueensSpeech #ClimateAction #emissions Click the link below to read 🔻🔻 room151.co.uk/brief/bill-wil… pic.twitter.com/hFmF2veVIa
Huge funding heading to the @WestMids_CA from @landg. @andy4wm #LevellingUp #netzero #regeneration Click the link below to read 🔻🔻 room151.co.uk/brief/wmca-sig… pic.twitter.com/ajhZhia6mx
LGPS governance, Cagney and Lacey style: What regulatory response can be expected following the publication of the Good Governance project’s Phase 3 report and the closure of the Single Code of Practice consultation? Susan Black offers[...] dlvr.it/SQbfXf pic.twitter.com/xwqHOEu2AP
More evidence of the importance of emerging markets in the journey to net-zero. @BordertoCoast @BrunelPP @northernlgps @EAPensionFund @WYPF_LGPS Click the link below to read 🔻🔻 #LGPS #NetZero #NetZeroCarbon #EmergingMarkets room151.co.uk/brief/400bn-pe… pic.twitter.com/qCm0EGxzLn
‘Urgent consultation’ issued in response to continuing audit delays: CIPFA and the Local Authority Scotland Accounts Advisory Committee (LASAAC) have announced another “urgent consultation” to consider proposals to address the latest issue that has led… dlvr.it/SQJ0kV pic.twitter.com/s6vw0bnGXO
Bags of capacity – now to housing delivery: HRAs have been freed up and councils are starting to invest, but some remain cautious, writes Steve Partridge. He suggests that a minimum of £10bn of additional borrowing could be[...] dlvr.it/SQDvxk pic.twitter.com/yZmoWzHv6U
Bags of capacity – now to housing delivery room151.co.uk/treasury/bags-…