The man who fixes broken councils
The council fixer Max Caller on England’s local government crisis.
ByCouncils
What does the North East devolution deal mean for the region?
Labour candidate Kim McGuinness, independent Jamie Driscoll, and experts from the region discuss the largest devolution agreement to date.
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Revealed: the £80bn hole in council finances
A new analysis suggests 23 local authorities are on the brink of insolvency.
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Two thirds of councils are on course to miss climate targets
New polling also reveals that more than half of English councils won’t bid for net zero funding because it’s too…
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Bust Britain
As more councils go bankrupt, the nation’s public realm is dying. How did it come to this?
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An insider’s view of Nottingham City Council
A member of the effectively bankrupt local authority on life after a Section 114 notice.
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Waste collection and library services are at risk of severe cutbacks
Ahead of the Budget next week, local authorities have warned Chancellor Jeremy Hunt of extreme cost pressures.
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We need a ten-year plan for local government
After years of underfunding, councils need a coherent strategy for recovery, reset and renewal.
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Local authorities warn they have “little choice” but to raise council tax
A majority of councils across England have revealed they plan to raise bills by almost 5 per cent this year.
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How council funding impacts public health
While focus often falls on the NHS, cuts to local authority budgets have had serious consequences for the UK's healthcare…
By Five solutions to the council finance crisis
Other than a cash injection, how can local leaders save authorities from a wave of bankruptcies?
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English councils are facing an “out-of-control” financial crisis
A new report calls on the government to close the £4bn funding gap, or face a fresh wave of bankruptcies.
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The Research Brief: Why centralised funding is a waste of public money
Your weekly dose of policy thinking.
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Financial pressures are taking a toll on council staff
New polling reveals poor training, accountability and overwork in local authorities.
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Council bankruptcy tracker: authorities under increasing financial strain
Six local authorities have declared bankruptcy since 2021. Spotlight looks at the financial situation at English councils.
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Revolution in the Wirral
Also this week: world-class music in schools, and making space for culture.
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How the local government finance settlement would leave poorer authorities worse off
Conservative MPs are demanding emergency funding in response to devolved finance proposals that penalise poorer councils.
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What does it mean when a council declares bankruptcy?
Local governments across England are worried about their finances, and we should be too.
By Selling off assets won’t stop council bankruptcies
The government hopes someone else will deal with the problem of inadequate local authority funding.
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Exclusive: Half of Conservative councillors think the NHS has worsened since 2010
Forty-eight per cent of Tory local leaders say health services have deteriorated since their party came to power.
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