The London Borough of Barnet is developing plans to reduce itself to a tiny strategic core and set up a joint venture company to commission local services
Councils lack the funding and expertise to make adequate preparations against the kinds of floods that devastated some areas in 2007, a survey of local authorities in England shows
The failings of the housing finance system must not be used by local authority landlords as an excuse for poor performance, the head of the new tenants’ watchdog said this week
The light-touch, joined-up Comprehensive Area Assessment regime, headed up by your own personal ‘lead’ is being introduced. Alex Klaushofer maps the progress so far
Local authorities should be given a ‘long-term work and skills budget’ with freedoms and resources to tackle worklessness, an independent review has said
Schools that fail to drastically reduce their carbon emissions could cause councils to lose out under the mandatory carbon trading scheme, a think-tank has warned
Local government has embraced the efficiency programme but wants less red tape, fewer Whitehall targets and better incentives to ensure future efficiency gains are sustainable, according to research
Five council-provided adult social care services remain a ‘priority for improvement’ after receiving poor scores for the sixth year running, the social care watchdog has said
Families at risk of having their homes repossessed are to start receiving help from next week, after 60 councils agreed to fast-track a £200m mortgage rescue scheme brought forward in the Pre-Budget...
Essex County Council has launched a tendering exercise that could result in ‘any or all’ of its services being contracted out to a private firm in a £5.4bn deal.
Local authorities are to receive a total of £101m to help ensure that house building continues during the economic downturn and that the industry is primed for when the economy improves
