Untie The Ropes
Local democracy bill gets royal assent
The Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill receives royal assent
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Key Tory policy gets first airing
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Ministers table mutual insurance amendment
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NLGN urges Tory clarity over funding
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Councils plan LAML Supreme Court bid
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LGA wants details of projects on hold
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Appeal could force service outsourcing
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Legal doubts hit council's bank plans
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Denham sceptical over wellbeing need
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Denham to discuss wellbeing crisis
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David Cameron reinforces LGC campaign
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Senior figures demand wellbeing action
Constitutional Reform News
Minister gives go ahead to council cull plan
Edwin Poots says plans to whittle down Northern Ireland councils to just 11 should go ahead
Scrutiny has to be properly funded
LGC calls for ministers to recognise that significant increases in resources are needed for councils’ scrutiny functions
Stoke outlines plans for member cull
Stoke-on-Trent City Council unveils plans to cut its councillor headcount by four
LGA wants details of projects on hold
The Local Government Association calls for evidence from councils with innovative projects stuck in the starting blocks
Regional strategies consultation launched
Proposals on how regions should prepare new style Regional Strategies and new local authority Leaders Boards are published for consultation
Expenses in the news
Essex leader faces expenses probe
Essex CC leader Lord Hanningfield’s expenses are being investigated by the police, according to reports
David Cameron urges spending transparency
David Cameron calls on councils to publish complete details of their expenditure to herald a new era of transparency
Minister moves - after just 10 days
Sarah McCarthy-Fry leaves the Department for Communities & Local Government after just 10 days in the post
Shahid Malik to be investigated again
Communities minister Shahid Malik is to have his expenses claims investigated for a second time
Blears regrets timing of resignation
Hazel Blears confesses to regret over the timing of her resignation on the eve of local and European elections
Analysis & Opinion
'Total Place power' an option
Whatever happens to Total Place, councils need a sound legal footing on which to build innovative partnerships and unlock substantial savings
Time for change
The pace of change in the retail world means a new approach to the high streets is needed, says Retail Week’s Tim Danaher
Thinking about numbers
Local government should be almost 15% more efficient than in 2004. How much further can this efficiency go?
We are hopeful the law will be changed
The search to save money while protecting frontline services makes the need for a broad interpretation of the so-called wellbeing power even more critical
Forging a different quality of relationship with citizens
If local authorities are to improve or even maintain service outcomes in the coming period of austerity they will have to forge a different quality of relationship with citizens
More help now for low-income households
Older low-income households with long-term care needs often find themselves in a funding gap: too asset-rich to get council support but too income-poor to pay for care services
