What really caused the council funding crisis?
Max Mosley, NIESR, explores the origins of the local government funding crisis and warns the next government will have to act quickly to address it.
Oxford’s workforce issues a ‘significant risk’
10/04/2024 High staff turnover and difficulty recruiting at Oxford City Council could affect staff morale, wellbeing and absence and ultimately impact service delivery, a report has found. |
Cyber attack disruption to last weeks
18/03/2024 Leicester City Council expects disruption caused by a recent Cyber attack on the authority to continue until the end of the month. |
14 councils ‘likely’ to issue s114s next year
28/02/2024 More than half of councils are likely to issue a section 114 notice within the next parliament unless funding is reformed, senior local authority figures have warned. |
Warning over suicide prevention fund end
19/02/2024 The Local Government Association (LGA) is urging the Government to extend funding for suicide prevention projects in the Spring Budget. |
Nottingham executive refuses to back budget cuts
14/02/2024 Executive members of cash-strapped Nottingham City Council have refused to recommend a report that sets out £20m in budget cuts. |
Council financial crisis ‘out of control’
31/01/2024 MPs have issued a stark warning on the ‘very real’ prospect of more councils in England ‘effectively going bust’ if the Government does not address a £4bn funding gap. |
Scottish councils face ‘difficult decisions’ on cuts
16/01/2024 ‘Intensifying pressures’ on Scottish local authorities mean they must make difficult decisions on service delivery to remain financially sustainable, a watchdog has said. |
Quarter of Scottish councils fear bankruptcy
13/12/2023 Nearly a quarter of Scottish councils fear they will be unable to balance their budget next year, new research shows. |
Nottingham proposes cutting 550 jobs
13/12/2023 Nottingham City Council has proposed cutting 554 full-time equivalent posts in an attempt to tackle its financial shortfall. |
One in five councils report bankruptcy fears
06/12/2023 A poll of council leaders and chief executives has revealed that one in five think it likely that their chief finance officer will need to issue a Section 114. |
Council looks to address £100m ‘black hole’
01/11/2023 Somerset Council is considering measures, including reducing staffing and cutting services to statutory levels, to cover a £100m funding gap. |
Liverpool looks to significantly improve services
22/09/2023 Liverpool City Council has set out a four-year plan to significantly improve the quality of services in the face of ‘complex’ issues. |
Councils face £3bn funding gap, LGA warns
04/07/2023 Councils in England face a funding gap of almost £3bn over the next two years just to maintain services at their current level, the LGA reveals. |
Cash-strapped Thurrock to hike charges
08/06/2023 Beleaguered Thurrock Council is set to increase charges for its services to help deal with its cash crisis. |
Over 50% of councils set to cut spending on services
07/03/2023 Half of councils are planning to cut spending on services, increase commercial investments or spend their reserves to make ends meet this year, poll reveals. |
Council chiefs warn against ‘devastating’ cuts
27/10/2022 Further cuts to local government funding will mean that councils will only be able to offer the ‘bare minimum’ of local services, county council leaders warn. |
Council warns of 20% cuts to cope with financial crisis
30/06/2022 Oxford City Council has said that they are facing ‘tough choices’ over the coming months due to the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis. |
Council sets up ‘arms-length’ business to deliver key services
03/12/2021 East Suffolk Council is to create a Local Authority Trading Company (LATCo) to help it deliver key council services. |
Power of local government eroded over decades, report concludes
16/04/2021 Local authorities have seen a ‘steady erosion’ of their autonomy by central Government over the last four decades, a new report has concluded. |
Birmingham CC and Capita ‘dissolve’ long-standing partnership
02/08/2019 Birmingham City Council has announced that its 13 year joint venture with Capita has been ‘largely ended’, reportedly saving taxpayers £44m. |
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Councils invited to join design technique scheme
04/06/2019 Councils are being invited to join a scheme to help them use design techniques to improve the services they offer. |
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Council funding system ‘unsustainable’, financial experts warn
29/05/2019 Spending on local services has fallen over the last decade and the funding available to councils will become ‘inadequate’, according to financial experts. |
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Can investing in property pay for services?
23/05/2019 Investing in property to help pay for services is an idea whose time may have passed, says Mark Whitehead |
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Oxfordshire councils to extend joint working arrangements
16/04/2019 Two councils are considering extending their working partnership in a move they hope will trigger a ‘broader conversation’ on local government organisation. |
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Union calls on Brent councillors to bring cleaning services in-house
11/01/2019 The union GMB have thrown their support behind recommendations for Brent Council to bring their cleaning services back in-house. |
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Council revenues unlikely to ‘keep pace’ with demand on services
20/12/2018 Revenues from business rates and council tax will not keep pace with rising costs and demands for services, financial experts have warned. |
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English councils undergoing harshest spending cuts
09/10/2018 English councils have been hit twice as hard by spending cuts compared to their Scottish and Welsh counterparts, according to a study published today. |
Shell is helping power the journey towards a circular paving industry with Shell Bitumen LT R, a new product for roads that uses plastics destined for landfill as part of the additives to make the bitumen.
Effective Energy Group is now offering its support to the 40 Local Authorities who have received a share of the £430m to deliver their projects on the ground by surveying properties and installing measures.
Dougie Belmore explains how one of the main interfaces between you and Bacs is about to change.
