Research & Publications: Insight for local government finance

Papers and documents from think tanks, government departments and professional bodies.

Institute for Fiscal Studies
6 March 2015
Budget Briefing Note: Sharpest cut to local government spending in poorer areas
According to the IFS: “The spending power of local authorities in England has been cut substantially during this parliament. We find that local authorities’ spending per person has been cut by 23.4% in real terms between 2009–10 and 2014–15, using a comparable definition of net spending on services over time by single-tier and county councils.”
Read the full report here.

Institute for Public Policy Research
19 February 2015
Developing resilient local economies: Good practice among local enterprise partnerships
This report examines case studies of good practice among local enterprise partnerships (LEPs).
IPPR says: “LEPs were established to drive the government’s growth agenda at the local level, but they have the freedom and opportunity to play a greater role by developing growth plans that address both narrow concepts of productivity growth and wider issues of local economic resilience – that is, making sure that their areas’ economies are strong enough to withstand both local and global economic shocks in future.
“However, only a handful of LEPs have taken advantage of this freedom by adopting more innovative and forward-thinking approaches.”
Click here to find the report.

The Audit Commission
17 February 2015
Data Quality Matters
The Audit Commission says this report examines past work of the commission and its appointed auditors in relation to data quality.
It says: “Good quality data is an important part of robust governance and arrangements to secure value for money. Poor quality data can lead to flawed decision making and wasted resources, and can leave vulnerable people at risk.”
It adds: “Given the Commission’s imminent closure, this report reinforces the enduring importance of our Standards for better quality data, summarises our past data quality work, draws out key messages and highlights learning points for future consideration of arrangements to assure data quality by those responsible for governance in audited bodies.”
Read the report here.

The Local Government Association
16 February 2015
The LGA’s Budget 2015 Submission
“The LGA’s Budget 2015 Submission calls on the government to protect public services, in particular adult social care funding, and inject a further £1 billion per annum into roads maintenance, while also devolving powers and funding to the local level.
“Local government will have dealt with a 40 per cent real terms reduction in core government grant funding by April 2016. This report says local government has received a greater reduction in funding than the rest of the public sector and therefore should not be subject to further cuts in this year’s Budget.”
Click here for the full document.

County Councils Network
6 February 2015
Consultation Response – Proposed flexibilities for local authorities in forming combined authorities and economic partnership groups
This document comes in response to DCLG’s consultation on combined authorities. The County Councils Netowork is in broadly in favour of the proposals but adds a note of warning.
It says:  “… CCN note that the proposals constitute relatively narrow considerations around the governance and processes of CAs/EPBs. We must not lose sight of the bigger picture, promoting economic growth and enabling efficient and effective services. The value of the governance arrangements is in their ability to ensure appropriate economic areas have the functions, powers and budgets needed to maximise growth and support services.”
Click here to find the document.

CIPFA
February
Creating Services in a collaborative environment
CIPFA says: “Research shows that new collaborations and shared services often fail to focus on their core fundamental and driving purpose – providing services to individual customers – leading to disappointment and ultimately to failure.
“Too often, it appears that such developments, whether it is designing a new organisational structure, developing new capabilities or innovating, focus on process and structure rather than on the most important component – people.
“Perhaps it is time to take an alternative view of the elements that lead to success when creating and launching new collaborations and shared services; one that takes as its main focus the people on the receiving end.”
Read more here.

Photo (cropped): Thomas Jaehnel, Flickr