Local authorities in England are struggling to cope with higher demands and cost pressures, according to a report from the National Audit Office out today.
After a period of growth, are council reserves beginning to dip into the danger zone? PF’s Emily Twinch looks at where the pressures are and what is behind them.
Councils must remember keeping ‘reasonable’ levels of rainy day reserves are vital in helping them stay afloat during these times of financial constraint, says CIPFA's Rob Whiteman....
The latest analysis of Scottish local government finances has shown that education and social work accounted for the bulk of council spending last financial year.
Councils spent £104m repairing potholes last year and a further £3.1m in payouts for damages caused to vehicles by potholes, according to industry research.
This week Essex Council became the first county council to start selling lottery tickets to raise money for ‘good causes’ in its communities.On Wednesday we published advice from the...
Today Essex Council starts selling lottery tickets to raise money for 'good causes' in its communities. It is the first county council to set up a lottery in a growing trend of local...
Matt Leach explains how a Big Lottery funded initiative to improve local areas is forging a new relationship between councils and communities, which could define the future for local...
Birmingham City Council is set for a £49m overspend in the current financial year and faces “a mammoth task” to balance its 2017-18 budget, the latest report from the improvement panel overseeing the...
Oxfordshire council is to consider options to become a unitary authority in a review that will examine whether reorganisation could help reduce costs and protect services.
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...
Council adoption services are to be merged into regional bodies so children can be matched with potential adopters more quickly, David Cameron has announced today.
Cuts to social care budgets in local government are putting extra pressure on NHS services, according to over 80% of heath service finance directors who responded to a King’s Fund poll.
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.
It will be challenging for local authorities to implement the National Living Wage rate within the funding constraints of the government’s 1% cap on public sector pay increases, the Resolution...
The summer Budget heralded the beginning of a new round of reform for the Local Government Pension Scheme. Funds are now working together in an effort to become masters of their own destiny
The extent to which voters trust Westminster politicians to make spending decisions for their area falls away with increasing distance from London, a poll for CIPFA has found.