Analysis

• CIL: A golden opportunity?

  Kirk Taylor argues that local authorities are failing to fully capitalise on investment opportunities to improve local infrastructure.

  

• Dealing with large-scale abuse claims, part 2

  In part two of a review of claims against Local Authority Social Services Departments, Kella Bowers and Andrew Ellis consider types of claims and defences.

  

• Time to support our ‘non-statutory’ economic development practitioners

  Economic development practitioners should be provided with the right skills in order to ensure success of interventions, argues Suzanne Malcolm.

  

• Councils to boost revenues collection with real-time intelligence

  Find out why authorities are investing in innovative new technology that provides up to date intelligence that sits alongside their own data, helping them make more informed decisions on recovery and forecasting.

  

• Making life easier for care leavers

  Local authorities have been urged to make care leavers exempt from paying council tax until the age of 25. Tom Redfearn explains why.

  

• Local government told to boost reserves

  Should councils ignore government pressure to trim down their cash reserves? Sam Clayden investigates.

  

• A radical rethink of emergency plans

  Local government is examining its approach to emergency planning following a string of horrific incidents, as Mark Whitehead finds out.

  

• Dealing with large-scale abuse claims

  In the first of a two part review of claims against local authority social services departments, Kella Bowers and Andrew Ellis consider the effects of claims alleging a failure to protect children from child sexual exploitation and abuse in care.

  

• The next steps for shared services

  Shared services growth is promising but councils must truly integrate to deliver major savings, argues Jason Laroche.

  

• Disabilities in a time of austerity

  Are councils really complicit in the humans rights violation of disabled people? William Eichler investigates.