A fresh dispute is emerging over the way business rates should be distributed among councils ahead of the shake-up of the local government finance system.
Opposition ministers have made fresh criticisms of provisions in the Localism Bill after it started its report stage in the House of Commons.
Londons South Bank and Trafford Park in Manchester are among eight areas that will act as pilots for new business-led neighbourhood plans, the government will announce this week.
Eight business groups in English urban areas are to trial the governments plan to allow businesses to lead the local planning process.
Waste management and street cleaning are not the most glamorous of political issues. But, as every councillor knows, that doesn’t stop them carrying serious political weight since, for many local residents and businesses, they are the most visible council-provided service they receive.
Councils’ assurance that they can safeguard their key services has improved significantly in recent months, LGC’s latest confidence survey has found.
Council chiefs are pinning their hopes on Baroness Hanhams ministerial group to revive the community budgets programme, after its slow progress sparked strong criticism from a senior council figure last week
Council chiefs are pinning their hopes on Baroness Hanhams ministerial group to revive the community budgets programme, after its slow progress sparked strong criticism from a senior council figure last week.
The government has recently put forward its vision for a new approach to public service provision, giving private firms, voluntary and community groups and local organisations the chance to bid more widely for public service contracts.
Perhaps Localis will be the Prince Charming that the reform of local government finance has been waiting for!