What really caused the council funding crisis?
Max Mosley, NIESR, explores the origins of the local government funding crisis and warns the next government will have to act quickly to address it.
Auditors warned over relief road 'iceberg'
19/04/2024 A councillor has asked Shropshire Council’s external auditor to investigate concerns the North West Relief Road will 'completely bankrupt the council'. |
Council parking income set to top £2bn
10/04/2024 English Councils received nearly £2bn in income from on and off-street parking in 2022-23, but paid out nearly £1bn in running and enforcement costs. |
DfT stalls moving traffic enforcement roll-out
08/04/2024 The Department for Transport (DfT) has shelved the further roll-out of powers for English councils to enforce moving traffic violations. |
Oxfordshire signs first scheme under new 'brownfield fund'
28/03/2024 Oxfordshire County Council is the first local authority to secure project funding through Homes England's Brownfield, Infrastructure and Land (BIL) Fund. |
Norfolk caught in bitter battle over bats
27/03/2024 A council leader has launched an attack on Natural England after the environment watchdog effectively blocked a £274m road scheme due to its impact on bats. |
VolkerFitzpatrick wins £38m Kent viaduct project
26/03/2024 Kent County Council has appointed VolkerFitzpatrick to design and build a highway crossing over a rail line and river near Canterbury. |
DfT hands councils £38m for road safety
22/03/2024 Ministers have announced £38.3m to improve the safety of 17 high risk local roads in England. |
Winners announced on £40m signals cash
21/03/2024 The Department for Transport has published the list of 80 councils sharing £40m to upgrade traffic signals. |
Brabin to take control of West Yorkshire buses
15/03/2024 West Yorkshire mayor Tracy Brabin has confirmed that she will take forward proposals for bus franchising from 2027 onwards. |
£4.7bn local transport cash to support 'smaller cities and towns'
26/02/2024 Local authorities in the North and Midlands have been given a capital boost under a £4.7bn Local Transport Fund, and have a year to prepare plans. |
Ministers did not stop LTNs receiving cash
06/02/2024 Officials have confirmed that the allocation of £200m for cycling and walking excluded low traffic neighbourhoods because no LTN bid matched funding criteria. |
Councils 'have tightened pothole payout criteria'
05/02/2024 Compensation paid by councils for damage caused by potholes has fallen by more than a half, with some giving out ‘next to nothing’. |
Hants seeks to avoid cost risk on £125m scheme
02/02/2024 Hampshire County Council is facing a funding gap on the A326 North Waterside Improvements scheme, if cost increases go beyond a current estimate of £125m. |
TfL hands boroughs another £80m for streets
31/01/2024 Transport for London (TfL) has announced up to £80.4m for boroughs to improve public transport, make walking and cycling safer and create new school streets. |
Councils get new steer on motorbikes in bus lanes
23/01/2024 The Department for Transport (DfT) has updated its guidance for councils on allowing motorcycles to use bus lanes. |
Nine in 10 women cycling in London face abuse
19/01/2024 A new report has highlighted the extent and toxicity of abuse experienced by women cycling in London. |
Kent slammed by councillors over ‘last-minute’ repairs deal
05/01/2024 A extension to Kent CC's highways term maintenance contract with Amey has been criticised as an unacceptable 'last-minute approach to a critical service'. |
Transport planners take on 'hotly contested' parking debate
15/12/2023 A report from the Transport Planning Society argues that current parking practice promotes car use and outlines policy recommendations to lower carbon travel. |
Live Labs Centre of Excellence open for business
08/12/2023 An £8.5m Government-funded research project into building and maintaining roads with low-carbon and recycled materials now open for submissions. |
Brum keeps shtum over funding axe reasons
06/12/2023 Birmingham CC has received a document setting out ministers’ reasons for pulling funding from its £2.7bn highways PFI contract but has refused to disclose it. |
Shell is helping power the journey towards a circular paving industry with Shell Bitumen LT R, a new product for roads that uses plastics destined for landfill as part of the additives to make the bitumen.
Effective Energy Group is now offering its support to the 40 Local Authorities who have received a share of the £430m to deliver their projects on the ground by surveying properties and installing measures.
Dougie Belmore explains how one of the main interfaces between you and Bacs is about to change.
