Income generation

• Council accused of 'putting public money at risk' over shopping centre investment

  A district council has been accused of putting public money at risk in a 35-year deal to lease a shopping centre from a commercial development company.

  

• The scale of council investment in commercial property

  A new study has revealed local authorities have invested £3.8bn in commercial property to save struggling town centres. Dr Steve Norris and Ed Cooke report on the findings.

  

• Councils warn about assessing risk of commercial projects

  Councils are failing to understand the full risk implications when engaging in commercial activities, a new survey has warned.

  

• Councils making £74m a year from garden waste charges

  More than half of UK councils have introduced charges for garden waste collection totalling almost £74m a year, according to new research.

  

• Councils sell off 4,000 public buildings a year, FOI requests reveal

  Local authorities have sold-off thousands of public buildings and spaces to private developers in order to cover the loss of central Government funding, charity finds.

  

• Unleashing our commercial potential

  Ken Lyon explains how Birmingham City Council is harnessing its considerable assets and skills to generate extra income.

  

• Council buys shopping centre for £14.8m

  Bolton Council has completed the purchase of the Crompton Place shopping centre for £14.8m.

  

• Council drops plans to sell 10% of its parks

  Knowsley Council has agreed to drop proposals to sell 10% of the borough’s parks.

  

• Northamptonshire set to sell county hall

  Northamptonshire County Council plans to sell its county hall and sub-let parts of its corporate headquarters to generate extra income.

  

• Council to buy Liverpool Central Shopping Centre

  Liverpool City Council is set to buy Liverpool Central Shopping Centre in a bid to earn £4.3m over the first five years.