Councils let down by funding system
The local government funding reforms announced on 28 November are welcome.
group leaders
Ministers don’t get it on National Insurance
My preliminary discussions with council leaders over recent weeks, ahead of February budget setting, continually brings to bear the reality of the Labour Government’s seismic increase to employer National Insurance contributions.
Don’t lose the ‘local’ in local government
As first was going to press, we were awaiting a delayed white paper on devolution. The Government’s intentions may be to decentralise power, but I am concerned that some of its proposals will undermine local democracy, rather than empower it.
Devolve to councils as they are
We are in tempestuous times, with UK Government announcements expected in a white paper on devolution, local government reform, and the provisional finance settlement – all in the week before Christmas.
A government that ‘gets it’
Like many local government leaders, I watched carefully the first Labour Budget in more than 14 years and the first Budget ever delivered by a woman.
Expect seismic increase in EHCPs
The first Budget for any government is an opportunity to sell their agenda for the course of a Parliament.
Local government ‘remains on life support’
The first Labour Government Budget since 2009 has met with a mixed response among Liberal Democrats in local authorities.
Budget delivers extra bill for employers
It was fantastic to meet so many of you at the LGA’s annual conference, with a record number of Independent Group members attending.
Caring for care leavers
National Care Leavers’ Week finished earlier this month, with councils around the country lighting up civic buildings in blue in support and recognition of their care leavers.
The art of the economically possible
Our Labour Government has the unenviable task of balancing what it would wish to do with what is economically possible.