With today’s agreement of devolution deals for Birmingham and Liverpool city regions, it is full steam ahead for the government’s devolution project. But one question remains to be...
Chancellor George Osborne has struck devolution deals with Birmingham and Liverpool city regions, giving the areas control over infrastructure investment, transport and skills in return for the...
There is a “clear case” for devolution to English counties but the government’s insistence on a mayoral model could cut these areas off from additional powers, an Institute for...
There is little disagreement with the principle of government’s plans for devolution revolution in England. But now that the chancellor has begun putting his money where his mouth is, it looks like...
The Public Accounts Committee has called for greater clarity in the government’s flagship devolution agreements after raising concerns about accountability and scrutiny arrangements in the...
The 2015 Scotland Bill, encompassing the Smith Commission plans for enhanced devolution, completes its Commons passage today, intensifying pressure on Scottish ministers to spell out how they will...
Businesses should be able to self assess the value of their properties as part of further reforms to the business rate system, according to the Local Government Association.
The chancellor’s decision to fully localise business rates signals a shift to a mode of civic entrepreneurialism that will leave local authorities fending for themselves and at the mercy of...
Local public services remain confusing and frustrating for many citizens to access and must be reformed if the government’s devolution drive is to be a success, the Institute for Government has...
Plans to shake up the current business rates appeal process and protect councils from speculative appeals have been published for consultation by local government minister Marcus Jones.
How business rates decentralisation will work needs clarifying – especially for high-need councils – and the chancellor should remember Robert Maxwell when reforming pensions
Chancellor George Osborne has signed devolution agreements with combined authorities in the North East and Tees Valley regions of England that will see both led by directly-elected mayors and nearly...
Full devolution of business rates to local authorities is set to lead to an increase in council debt levels as they look to borrow to invest in business development, Moody’s has concluded.
Integration of health and social care will require significant additional upfront funding to be successful, and the reform is not likely to lead to savings in the short-term, an analysis by CIPFA has...
The government’s plan to let councils in England keep 100% of business rates is set to herald a wide-ranging re-examination of Whitehall support to town halls, the local government minister has...
Credit to George Osborne for the progress made on fiscal devolution by setting out a plan to localise business rates, but this must only be the beginning, not the end.
Scottish Secretary David Mundell has promised that the new fiscal and welfare powers to be devolved under the 2015 Scotland Bill will be “a game-changer.”
District councils must play a key role in forthcoming devolution deals by agreeing to take on a greater share of the cost of local economic development and early intervention projects, a report has...
Local government should be able to take over failing public services from Whitehall through an expansion of existing “right to challenge” powers, a report by the think-tank Respublica has...
Shadow local government secretary Jon Trickett has warned the government’s Spending Review process to negotiate devolution deals may amount to an attack on local democracy.