An article examined the performance of council tax and housing benefits administration services in England during the period 1993-2011. It said that, under compulsory competitive tendering, the performance of the system had been poor, there had been little improvement under subsequent performance regimes, and it was not until the 'comprehensive performance assessment' framework was introduced that sustained and significant improvements had become evident. It was too early to judge whether these latest trends would be maintained under the coalition government's 'localism' regime.
Source: Peter Murphy, Kirsten Greenhalgh, and Martin Jones, 'Housing and council tax benefits administration in England: a long-term perspective on the performance of the local government delivery system', Local Government Studies, Volume 40 Issue 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Aug
An article examined the persistence and resilience of the form of local government in England.
Source: Peter John, 'The great survivor: the persistence and resilience of English local government', Local Government Studies, Volume 40 Issue 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Aug
An article examined the ongoing ability of local government in England to maintain an ethical framework in addressing fraud, corruption and conflict of interest, in the light of the localism agenda, and legislative and other change.
Source: Alan Doig, 'Roadworks ahead? Addressing fraud, corruption and conflict of interest in English local government', Local Government Studies, Volume 40 Issue 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Aug
The government began a user engagement exercise on proposals to reduce the collections of data relating to local government finance. Views were invited to be submitted by 19 September 2014.
Source: DCLG User Engagement Reductions to Local Government Finance statistical collections, Department for Communities and Local Government
Links: Consultation document
Date: 2014-Aug
The Welsh Government published a Bill designed to: set a framework within which public authorities would seek to ensure the needs of the present were met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (the sustainable development principle); put into place well-being goals (defined in the Bill); set out how the work towards those goals would be demonstrated; put Public Services Boards and local well-being plans on a statutory basis and simplify existing requirements as regards integrated community planning; and establish a Future Generations Commissioner for Wales to advocate for future generations, and to advise and support Welsh public authorities in carrying out their duties under the Bill.
Source: Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Bill, Welsh Government, TSO
Links: Bill | Explanatory notes | Written statement
Date: 2014-Aug
An audit report said that local government funding had been changed in 2010 to give local authorities greater control over spending, and the government now had less information on how funds were being spent. It said that tensions remained where government departments continued to specify policy objectives for grants, despite local priorities now taking precedence for how funding could be spent. In addition, public funding sometimes came through multi-agency, cross local border organizations that did not fit easily with government's reliance on the system of local accountability (such as with local enterprise partnerships). The report recommended that departments should assess whether continuing to fund local authorities through un-ringfenced targeted grants was appropriate in the context of a locally-defined approach to achieving value for money.
Source: Local Government Funding: Assurance to Parliament, HC 174 (Session 2014–15), National Audit Office, TSO
Links: Report | Summary | NAO press release
Date: 2014-Jun
The government began consultation on proposals to make provisions that would affect the new local audit arrangements, following the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014. The consultation would close on 18 July 2014.
Source: Local Audit, Department for Communities and Local Government
Links: Consultation document
Date: 2014-Jun
An audit report in Wales said that scrutiny of decision making in local councils was improving, and there was clear enthusiasm to learn and to improve their approach. However, it said they found it difficult to demonstrate the impact of scrutiny, and council scrutiny was not always fully aligned with other council improvement processes such as external audit, inspection, and review. It said that scrutiny could be improved by better planning, more effective chairing, improvements to the range, quality, and use of information, and more effective engagement with the public and partners.
Source: Good Scrutiny? Good Question! Auditor General for Wales Improvement Study: Scrutiny in local government, Wales Audit Office
Links: Report | WAO press release | Local Government Lawyer article
Date: 2014-May
A briefing report examined changes in the centrally managed spending of local authorities, on items such as costs for councillors, statutory functions, treasury management, audit and inspection, human resources and information technology provision, premises, transport, and general supplies.
Source: Councils' Centrally Managed Spending: Using data from the Value for Money Profiles, February 2014, Audit Commission
Links: Report | Audit Commission press release | Public Finance report
Date: 2014-Feb
The Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 was given Royal assent. The Act provided for the abolition of the Audit Commission for local authorities and the National Health Service in England; changes to the accounting rules, audit procedures, reporting, and publicity requirements for various local and other public authorities; and council tax referendums.
Source: Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014, Department for Communities and Local Government, TSO
Links: Act | Explanatory notes I | Explanatory notes II | DCLG press release
Date: 2014-Feb
A report examined the operation of family information services, a statutory service to provide information, advice and assistance about childcare and other activities of benefit to parents, children and young people. It said that at least 16 local authorities were not providing any childcare brokerage at all, and 53 per cent had cut their outreach services. The report said that budget cuts had led to a reduction in staff and services in 58 per cent of services over the previous 18 months, with 52 per cent planning further cuts or changes to service provision or structure. The report made a range of recommendations, including for greater outreach, online information, and use of social media.
Source: Jill Rutter and Katherine Stocker, The Work of Family Information Services in England 2013/14, Family and Childcare Trust
Links: Report | FCT press release
Date: 2014-Feb
The Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 was given Royal assent. The Act provided for the abolition of the Audit Commission for local authorities and the National Health Service in England; changes to the accounting rules, audit procedures, reporting, and publicity requirements for various local and other public authorities; and council tax referendums.
Source: Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014, Department for Communities and Local Government, TSO
Links: Act | Explanatory notes
Date: 2014-Jan
A report by a committee of MPs said that the performance of the Local Government Ombudsman had improved over the past 12 months, to became more accountable, efficient and transparent. The report said that the government would plan to restructure the organization if it could find parliamentary time, but made four interim recommendations, to: publish the staff survey in full; introduce external review of aspects of its operations; appoint at least one independent board member; and introduce an independent evaluator of complaints to focus on the operation of its systems and services, rather than its decisions.
Source: Further Review of the Work of the Local Government Ombudsman, Fifth Report (Session 2013–14), HC 866, House of Commons Communities and Local Government Select Committee, TSO
Links: Report
Date: 2014-Jan
An article examined the concepts of the local integrity system and the integrity management system, through a qualitative analysis of the integrity frameworks for local government in Great Britain. It discussed ways in which integrity had been developed, led, monitored, and enforced in England and the changes arising from the Localism Act 2011. The article drew comparisons with systems in Wales and Scotland. It was part of a special issue of the journal on global perspectives on integrity.
Source: Michael Macaulay, Chris Newman, and Gary Hickey, 'Towards a model of local integrity systems: the experiences of local government in Great Britain', International Journal of Public Administration, Volume 37 Issue 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Jan