Hart

08/26 Hart bolsters LGR reserve as costs rise

06/26 Hampshire prepares to launch LGR challenge on basis of ‘flawed’ financial analysis

12/25 Worcestershire commits to forestry strategy

09/25 Hampshire four-unitary model could save between £64m and £92m a year

07/25 ICAEW and CIPFA merger moves closer with signing of new agreement

07/25 Hart District Council adopts digital finance platform to cut costs

07/25 How to diversify your portfolio with trade finance

07/25 Local audit crisis causes NAO to once again disclaim government’s accounts

06/25 Examining behavioural biases in the investment-grade credit market

06/25 ‘A positive step but there will be losers’: further reaction to the Fair Funding Review

05/25 Cheshire East confident EFS will be short-term bridge to longer-term financial sustainability

04/25 Government’s 16 commitments and £49m funding designed to ‘fix the broken audit system’

04/25 Finance experts ask parliamentary committee: what is local government fundamentally for?

04/25 EFS is ‘bad government’ and reorganisation is a ‘distraction’, parliamentary committee hears

03/25 High time for the pension industry to support defence in Europe and the UK

01/25 Housing budgets could ‘collapse’ at two-thirds of councils, finds survey

12/24 Government proposes end to IFRS 9 statutory override from 2025/26

12/24 New audit oversight and coordination body will ‘simplify and drive change’

12/24 Scottish Budget reaction: a failure to ‘engage with the scale’ of councils’ financial challenges

12/24 LGPS consultation sparks debate on power shift and pool governance

10/24 Results revealed: Treasury Investment & Current Affairs Survey 2024

10/24 Luton council lodges formal complaint against EY

10/24 Andy Brown joins Surrey as executive director of finances and s151

09/24 Local government seeing ‘downward trend’ in treasury investments with focus squarely on cash, Room151 survey finds

08/24 Get Britain building again: housing associations key to Labour’s promise

08/24 Municipal Missions Manifesto: A new dawn for local government has broken, has it not? – Alison Ring

07/24 Government action to address local audit backlog outlined in Parliament

06/24 Good governance and data-driven risk management needed “now more than ever”, says CIPFA

06/24 Private Markets Forum II: new challenges, new strategies

05/24 Put public sector at heart of election manifestos, parties told

05/24 Windsor and Maidenhead seeks financial support to relieve ‘untenable’ short-term position

05/24 Lambeth’s exceptional financial support request granted by government

04/24 ‘Limited’ Oflog would ‘make perfect sense’ as audit system leader

03/24 LATIF North in review: charting a future course

02/24 Owen Mapley appointed as CIPFA chief executive

02/24 Medway requests £30.8m in exceptional financial support over two years to avoid s114

01/24 Housing151 conference draws near seeking solutions to timely topics

12/23 2023 in review: 12 of Room151’s best blogs

12/23 2023 in review: the best stories in local government finance

12/23 DLUHC issues Best Value Notices at Runnymede and Eastleigh

12/23 ‘Unthinkable’ settlement ‘falls short’ of needs and leaves authorities ‘bitterly disappointed’

12/23 Provisional local government settlement offers 6.5% funding increase but “fails to ease” long-term crisis

12/23 Alison Ring: setting a new direction for local authority accounts

11/23 ICAEW calls for ‘urgent action’ on funding pots bidding and the audit crisis

11/23 Concern raised over reliability of data and expertise of council-run firm providing financial services

10/23 Results revealed: Treasury Investment & Current Affairs Survey 2023

10/23 LPPI’s Richard Tomlinson on Mansion House and investing in private markets

09/23 CIPFA CEO Rob Whiteman to retire next year

09/23 Job Alert: London Treasury – Treasury Analyst

08/23 Michael Hudson interview: ‘my focus is on the customer journey, experience and outcome’

07/23 Commissioners to begin stepping back from Sandwell Council – but more work on finances needed

07/23 Arlingclose implicates “too late and too weak” regulators in slew of section 114 notices

07/23 DLUHC to implement its new proposals to clear audit backlog by year-end

07/23 Southampton begins ‘informal discussions’ with government over finances; ‘external challenge’ and ‘urgent action’ needed to avoid s114

07/23 Alison Ring: the spotlight on local audit is also shining on the accounts

06/23 New secured deposit service gives councils access to repo market

06/23 ‘Closer working’ talks between CIPFA and ICAEW facing ‘challenges’

05/23 Nathan Elvery: the warning signs of financial failure

04/23 Limiting your exposure to banking casualties

12/22 Where are the analysts to read local authority accounts?

09/22 Radical mini-budget a ‘huge economic experiment’

08/22 Why good governance is more than words on a page

07/22 Alison Ring: don’t waste the huge effort you put into annual accounts

06/22 Gove at LGA: councils to receive two-year financial settlement

06/22 ICAEW: ‘ARGA needs more powers over local authority financial reporting’

06/22 How local government can benefit from strong audit committees

05/22 Bags of capacity – now to housing delivery

03/22 LGPS pool ‘demonstrates major cost savings’, according to annual report

03/22 Lessons from Ukraine: are defence exclusions ‘responsible’?

02/22 West Devon ‘to declare housing crisis’

01/22 IFRS 16: A lot of effort, but a great opportunity too

12/21 Reasons to be cheerful in a time of major change for local government finance

10/21 An ethical charter for responsible investors

09/21 Exploring the hydrogen spectrum: The future’s white

08/21 Mandatory Prudential Code ‘no substitute’ for effective balance sheet management

07/21 The risks of de-risking LGPS

05/21 Local authorities need to ‘invest in finance teams’

02/21 ‘Better governance and greater transparency’ could help improve financial decision making

02/21 ESGenius: Slashing emissions will fuel green growth for decades

01/21 Extra finance promised by the government receives a broad welcome

01/21 A savvy approach to managing your cash

11/20 Local accounts compiled ‘as if they are destined for the filing cabinet’

05/20 Supreme Court ruling: No charter for LGPS boycotts

02/20 Peterborough plans £7m repeat of controversial capital receipts treatment

02/20 ‘Dangerously low’ reserve levels prompt 8% rates rise

02/20 NAO: Councils’ commercial property activity raises questions over prudential framework

01/20 Preston replaces Sir Merrick Cockell as LPFA chairman

01/20 Prime minister Johnson “impressed” with Spelthorne initiatives

01/20 Whiteman and Dawes receive New Year honours

12/19 CIPFA hopes updated resilience index will strengthen s151s

12/19 Room 151’s top news stories of 2019

12/19 Interview: Doug Heron, CEO, Lothian Pension Fund

11/19 Lack of benefits prompts shared services rethink

11/19 Council finance chiefs favour social enterprises over private sector

11/19 Council tax fraud rises by 22%

11/19 Guidance recommends sale of risky investment properties

11/19 CIPFA launches financial management code for local authorities

11/19 Ministers reject creation of new Audit Commission-style watchdog

10/19 Councils to seek PWLB alternatives to maintain capital programmes

10/19 Bonds agency unveils replacement for ‘joint and several guarantee’

10/19 Financial resilience index revisions set to scrap traffic light indicator on reserves

10/19 Hard choices: how the PWLB rate rise could hit councils’ service budgets

10/19 CIPFA consults on improvements to council accounts

10/19 Councils plead for discount PWLB rate to save housing and regen schemes

10/19 PWLB bombshell: ‘Best day for a long time’ for bonds agency

09/19 Council PWLB borrowing hits record level in August

09/19 Peterborough capital receipts episode prompts prudential framework review

09/19 Collaboration – the key to sustainable regeneration

08/19 Councils urged to protect themselves against money laundering

08/19 MPs: Government must consider alternative to “risky” business rates retention

08/19 Auditors and PSAA slammed after jump in accounts deadline failures

08/19 Minister warned against meaningless local government finance review

07/19 LGPS governance review rejects separation of s151 roles

07/19 Councils seek assurance from new government on local authority funding

07/19 CIPFA reviews transparency of local government accounts

07/19 CIPFA welcomes MPs’ call for greater whistleblower protections

07/19 Audit review raises prospect of new transparency rules for s151s

07/19 CIPFA backs alternative tool for measuring councils’ financial resilience

07/19 Councils reveal fears over funding for services

06/19 Kingston looks to set up company to buy £68m of commercial property

06/19 Council commercial property investment rises again

06/19 Spending Review uncertainty leaves fair funding reforms in balance

06/19 Councils slam ‘misleading’ BBC reserves danger list

05/19 IFS: National debate needed to end ‘muddling along’ approach to council funding

05/19 CIPFA chief calls for ministers to lose Fair Funding Review role

05/19 Spending watchdog probes council borrowing for property investment

05/19 CIPFA stars shine at awards

04/19 Mutual launches to compete in insurance market

04/19 Partners at loggerheads over Birmingham PFI deal

04/19 Neo-Chartalists or Neo-Charlatans? A dive into modern monetary theory

04/19 Internal audit principles published

04/19 Right to Buy scheme costs outweigh benefits, says CIH

03/19 Lord Porter: ‘Insane’ for all councils to have a director-level CFO

03/19 Senior council officers voice doubts over retail investment exposure

03/19 Councils isolating CFOs risk failure, warns new CIPFA code

03/19 IFS says local income tax could boost council coffers

03/19 CIPFA cautions on currency hedging

03/19 Wales council tax rises average 6.5%

03/19 Capital idea: Putting asset sales into a local context

03/19 Band D council taxes up by 4.5%

01/19 Delays cause Northampton audit bill to balloon

01/19 Spelthorne rejects claims of auditor concerns about its investments

01/19 Cut and dry: New guidance will help councils streamline accounts

01/19 CIPFA issues guidance on streamlining accounts

12/18 Rob Whiteman: Far-reaching reporting changes

12/18 CIPFA launches risk guide for local government pension schemes

11/18 Triumph of common sense: unlocking dormant charity funds

11/18 Guidance counselling: addressing the commercial property borrowing craze

11/18 Commercial property investment: The need for new guidance

11/18 Show and tell: 10 best practices in public sector financial planning

10/18 Arlingclose launches system for rating local authority creditworthiness

10/18 Budget 2018 – a stepping stone to a truly 21st century Spending Review?

10/18 Newham financial health check identifies control weaknesses

10/18 Councils detect or prevent £302m of fraud

10/18 District Councils Network urges government to extend Right to Buy spending time limit

10/18 Northamptonshire appoints new s151

10/18 Thinking cap – What does the scrapping of the HRA cap mean for finance directors?

08/18 Spelthorne nears £1bn in borrowing for property acquisitions

08/18 Rebecca McCaffry: Local authorities must transform to survive

07/18 CIPFA announces new president

07/18 Jonathan Bunt: Sacrifices needed to launch large-scale housing developments

07/18 CIPFA unveils proposed financial resilience criteria

06/18 Newham calls on CIPFA for financial health check

05/18 LPGS pools urged to sign up to transparency code

05/18 Board moves to end auditor confusion over LOBOs

05/18 Councils combine to establish mutual insurance company

04/18 Final guidance revealed for application of IFRS 9

03/18 Treasurers see Brexit undermining financial sustainability

02/18 Government eases reporting burden of revised investment code

02/18 Local government leaders call for IFRS9 statutory override

01/18 News Roundup: MPs target housing borrowing cap, living wage challenge, Lambeth lends £300m, GMPF homes

01/18 Aylesbury closes standalone company in the face of competition

01/18 Peter Worth: Happy New Year – IFRS 9 is coming

11/17 News Roundup: Policies ‘conflict’ over property investment, industrial strategy role, EU structural funds

11/17 Expert warns to begin preparation now for IFRS 16 lease accounting standard

11/17 CIPFA reveals biggest fraud threats

11/17 Chancellor’s crackdown on property acquisition expected to hit councils investing beyond their borders

11/17 Council investors race to lobby IFRS9 panel as arcane reg threatens ‘perverse outcomes’

10/17 Report calls for bolstered s151 role for LEPs

10/17 Bob Swarup: The only certainty for investments is uncertainty

10/17 Spelthorne returns to PWLB for £48m acquisition

10/17 Reversal of social rents policy puts housing development back on the agenda

08/17 IFRS9 to have ‘real impact on local authority finances’

08/17 Lancs merger of s151 and CEO roles sparks accountability row

07/17 News roundup: Borrowing to increase cash needs, Newham’s transformation savings, residents audit Lambeth, CIPFA’s ethics update

07/17 Expert predicts central government could intervene to stop commercial property investment

07/17 News roundup: LGPS pool’s global infrastructure fund, business rates to ditch RPI plan, £1bn spent on property

06/17 LGA changes tack on business rates retention

06/17 Local government doubles spending on property and land

05/17 News round-up: Brexit’s ‘big impact’ on councils, social care funding, bottle deposit scheme

05/17 Commission says Brexit could mean reform and a boost for local government

04/17 Welsh local government reform needs new body of 151 officers

04/17 Executive pay is the governance target for LAPFF

04/17 Reading council leader survives vote over auditor’s governance concerns

04/17 News round-up: Surrey’s property strategy slammed, Post-Brexit immigration curbs, LGPS academy concerns

03/17 News round-up: Brexit role for councils, LGPS monitoring contract, road repairs and council tax rises

03/17 Inter-authority lending rockets by £1bn

03/17 Commercialisation drives review of Prudential Code

03/17 News round-up: Infrastructure model trial, highest council tax rises, Capita treasury services sale

03/17 Spring Budget: Compensation on the way to quell business rates anger

03/17 Spring Budget: Social care funding pledge meets with scepticism

03/17 News round-up: Glasgow’s TIF plan, calls for new watchdog, Cornwall’s settlement ‘disappointment’, business rates events

02/17 Easing impact of revaluation could undermine business rates devolution

02/17 New borrowing powers needed to speed up development

02/17 Housing strategy reveals funding boost for planning departments

01/17 Regulator urged to drop MiFID II portfolio threshold

01/17 Northants s151 hits back at Daventry’s call for government intervention

01/17 News round-up: Call for social care agreement, MiFID II objections, housing fund winners, development funds