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News

Scottish councils 'should be given control of their finances'Scotland's 32 unitary authorities should be merged into just 19, given full control over their own finances and encouraged to install directly elected mayors, according to Reform Scotland. 22 May 2012
Childcare should be freed from councils, says MPNurseries and children's centres should be able to take on 'academy status' and be freed from local authority control, according to a Conservative MP. 21 May 2012
Councils slam Whitehall's retention of ratesWhitehall's decision to claw back half of the localised business rates collected by English councils 'falls well short' of giving them freedom and lacks ambition, according to town halls. 21 May 2012
Children's lives to be focus of Scots' inspectionsThe Scottish Care Inspectorate is to spearhead a strategic assessment of care services for children over the coming year, under plans published today in the latest local government inspection timetable. 16 May 2012

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Editor's choice

Clegg confirms localisation of business ratesCouncils will be allowed to retain business rates raised in their area following the Local Government Resource Review, Nick Clegg has announced.

Features

The victims' voiceLast summer's riots inflicted untold misery on individuals and businesses across England. But the views and concerns of those who suffered are now being heard loud and clear thanks to the work of Darra Singh's independent panel 01 May 2012
Bottom of the classDavid Cameron's attack on public services in Wales hit a raw nerve. For evidence is mounting that Welsh collaboration gets poorer results than English competition, argues Malcolm Prowle 01 April 2012
Stringing us along?Ministers talk the talk on local financial freedoms. But without the right to vary both taxation and service levels, town halls will remain at the mercy of Whitehall 01 April 2012

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Local government finance vacancies

Oxfordshire County Council: Principal Auditor
£34,549- £37,206 (Career grade £38,042 -...

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Opinion

Opinion

... on local government

Scots' skills shortage
Don Peebles
Emergency exit
Andrew Jepp
After May 3: the democratic deficit
John Tizard
What a performance
Barry Quirk
Queen's Speech: Don't forget local government
Andy Sawford

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