The government’s controversial ‘nudge unit’, which develops ways to encourage individuals to make better life choices, is to be turned into a standalone business.
The government has confirmed that the plans developed by the four ‘whole place’ Community Budget pilots across England will be implemented from next month.
The number of people working in local government has fallen by almost 400,000, or 14%, since the coalition took office in 2010, the GMB union said today.
Four out of ten councils in England are planning to raise their council tax from April, despite the offer of a government freeze grant, a CIPFA survey has revealed.
Public sector job losses are set to be 300,000 higher by the end of 2017/18 than currently predicted, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies’ annual analysis of the government’s spending plans.
Councils in England will have their spending power cut by an average 1.7% next year, in a finance settlement billed a ‘bargain for local authorities’ by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles.
Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles has accused some councils of scaremongering about funding cuts after it was revealed that town hall reserves have risen by more than a third in the past five...
Local authorities have begun to show ‘signs of financial stress’, with more than one in ten ‘not well placed’ to stay within budget in 2012/13, the Audit Commission has warned.
Auditors have qualified the Whole of Government Accounts for the second consecutive year due to ‘significant issues’ with the quality and consistency of the data used in the financial statements.
Town halls in England are to be offered funding for a third successive council tax freeze next year but the amount available to each authority has been cut, Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles...
The government will provide further financial backing to the £14.5bn London Crossrail rail project by guaranteeing the private funding used to purchase trains for the new line, Chief Secretary to the...
More than a third of council leaders and chief executives believe all local services could be outsourced to alternative providers, according to a survey.
A decision on how long-term care is funded in England will not be taken until the next Spending Review, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley confirmed today.
Many local authority services are ‘obvious candidates’ for being taken over by employee-owned firms, the government taskforce on public service mutuals said today.
The Audit Commission today announced the firms that will take over its in-house audit work from 2012/13, with Grant Thornton winning the largest number of contracts.
Finance directors’ fears are mounting over how their councils will be able to run services effectively and balance their books in the medium term, a CIPFA survey reveals.
Eric Pickles has warned local government finance officers that they risk getting involved in politics if they recommend a council tax rise in their areas.
The chief executive of one of the councils chosen to run a whole-place Community Budget pilot has warned that the scheme involving his local authority will not go ahead unless a ‘sustainable’ plan...
Councils should make their accounts more understandable and accessible by reducing ‘clutter’ and using summary financial statements to communicate with councillors and residents, according to the...