The challenges of local government reorganisation
Guy Clifton, director, Local Government Value for Money, Grant Thornton UK LLP looks at reorganisation lessons from recently established unitary councils.
Knowsley named Local Authority of the Year
21/06/2024 Knowsley MBC has been named Local Authority of the Year in The MJ’s coveted annual awards. |
Nationwide local government recruitment campaign planned
29/04/2024 Ministers have agreed to fund the roll-out of a national publicity campaign promoting the attractions of working for local government. |
Blow to council hopes for cash boost
23/04/2024 The prospect of extra cash for councils has faded further with the latest public finance figures showing the UK borrowed more than expected last month. |
Manchester leads list for local government in New Year honours
02/01/2024 The chief executives of both Manchester City Council and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority have been recognised in the New Year Honours List. |
Fund to go to town centre 'champions'
19/12/2023 New guidance for the government’s £1.1bn ‘long term plan for towns’ has confirmed the boards in charge of spending the cash should be led by a local independent chair who will act as a ‘champion’ for the town. |
Autumn Statement: Unprotected departments face further cuts
22/11/2023 So-called ‘unprotected’ Whitehall departments face further budget tightening despite a pledge in the Autumn Statement to increase public sector productivity. |
Spending settlement is 'no longer enough', says CIPFA
17/10/2022 The scale of the Government’s challenge to curb spending against a backdrop of soaring demand has been laid bare by a report examining key public services. |
Abolition of social care levy survives Budget bonfire
17/10/2022 The abolition of the health and care levy is now the only major part of the discredited mini-Budget to survive after new Chancellor Jeremy Hunt today junked most of the other tax cuts in a dramatic announcement. |
ONS: Public sector pay 'lags behind' private sector
16/08/2022 Public sector pay rises continue to lag well behind the private sector according to latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). |
Inflation set to wipe out 40% of public spending growth
10/08/2022 Higher inflation is set to wipe out 40% of the planned growth in public sector funding over the next three years leading to a £44bn shortfall, according to a study by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS). |
Four in 10 trust councils, survey finds
13/07/2022 Just four out of 10 UK residents trust local government compared to 80% who trust the NHS, according to an inaugural survey of attitudes to public services. |
North-South self-funding split revealed
07/07/2022 The South East has the highest proportion of self-funders in community care services and the North East the lowest, according to the Office for National Statistics. |
Greg Clark to return as local government secretary
06/07/2022 Former local government secretary Greg Clark has been appointed to replace sacked levelling up secretary Michael Gove. |
Scots councils face four years of cuts
01/06/2022 Scottish councils face four years of cuts under Spending Review plans outlined by Scotland’s finance minister Kate Forbes. |
Queen's Speech: Levelling up bill unveiled for planning reform
10/05/2022 The Queen’s Speech has confirmed a levelling up Bill will include legislation on planning and regeneration reform. |
IFS reveals scope of Universal Credit
08/11/2021 Budget changes to Universal Credit mean families with well above-average earnings and even paying 40% rates of tax could be entitled to the benefit, according to an Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) report. |
MJ Awards shortlist revealed
06/07/2021 More than 120 trailblazing local authority projects, teams and individuals have been shortlisted for The MJ Local Government Achievement Awards 2021. |
Health spending rises by record quarter
01/06/2021 Spending on taxpayer-funded health services rose by a record 25% to £220bn last year as the NHS battled with pandemic costs, according to latest estimates from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). |
Levelling up is 'meaningless' without devo, say Lords
20/05/2021 The Government’s ‘levelling up’ agenda is meaningless without more devolution to councils and investment in local public services says a report from the House of Lords. |
Devolution White Paper to be replaced by levelling up proposals
04/05/2021 A levelling up White Paper will replace the long-awaited policy document on devolution and local recovery. |
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.
