County Councils Network

• Union blasts Somerset CC for ‘financial incompetence’

  A union has accused Somerset County Council of ‘financial incompetence’ after the authority proposed staff take two days of unpaid leave.

  

• Basic ‘core offer’ of local services could become norm, county councillors warn

  County councils are warning the basic ‘core offer’ of local services could become the norm unless the Government provides councils with additional resources.

  

• Un-costed care cap would be ‘catastrophic’, county council chiefs warn

  The introduction of an un-costed cap on social care would have ‘catastrophic’ consequences for local services, county council leaders have warned.

  

• Counties call for pre-spending review cash injection

  Nearly one in five county council leaders are ‘not confident’ they can deliver a balanced budget nest year without extra funding, a new survey has revealed.

  

• Call for counties to have greater role in planning

  County councils should have a larger role in planning to help meet the housing crisis, according to the findings of two reports published today.

  

• Free school transport schemes at risk in county areas

  County councils have warned they are struggling to fund free school transport schemes as it costs ten times more in county areas than neighbouring cities.

  

• Counties call for urgent action to tackle overspends on special education

  County councils have warned they are in the ‘unsustainable’ position of having to shift schools money towards supporting children with special educational needs to meet statutory duties.

  

• Rural counties suffer from low broadband speeds

  A new study has revealed that over two-thirds of England’s counties have lower than average broadband speeds.

  

• Javid backs single unitary council in Buckinghamshire

  Local government secretary Sajid Javid has backed a single unitary council for Buckinghamshire.

  

• Reorganisation in counties must be based on evidence

  Reorganisation may be part of the future of local government in two–tier counties, but it will only deliver long-term sustainability if it is built around evidence, not short-term fixes, argues James Maker.