The government’s radical public health reforms could stall unless new Health and Wellbeing Boards are given greater legislative clout, localism think tank NLGN warns today. To succeed, the new boards need to be able to influence everything from social care and planning to school immunisations and housing. But NLGN’s new report finds scepticism among councils [...]

Responding to the Queen’s Speech, NLGN Director, Simon Parker, said: “The country is storing up a crisis in the social care system. This is the single biggest cost that local authorities face and demand is rising rapidly. If the government cannot find a way to contain the costs of elderly care, the short term impact [...]

“We welcome the PM’s decision to bring together a new cabinet of mayors to give directly elected city leaders a strong voice in government. But it is important we don’t forget the 12 mayors who already exist across the country. They are pioneers of this model and have vital lessons to share about how to [...]

The new age of austerity risks creating a reclusive society characterised by public affluence and private squalor, localism think tank NLGN warns today. In a provocation paper setting out scenarios for future relationships between councils and the public, the think tank warns that the era of austerity could create ‘me first’ attitudes that cause people [...]

English councils are prepared to use retail bonds to pay for crucial improvements to schools and highways – but only if the price is right. New research from localism think tank NLGN, based on interviews with senior finance officials, shows that the flexibility of retail bonds and the fact that local residents can buy them [...]

NLGN have published a report that revealed London’s boroughs could build a new generation of council houses, avoid disrupting the lives of poorer citizens and save money for the Exchequer in the process. This could allow them to build 9500 new homes for London and save £56m in the process. The costs of housing benefit [...]

NLGN has launched Delivering Distinctiveness a new essay collection edited by Daniel Goodwin, Chief Executive of St Albans City and District Council. The publication explores the future for district authorities and scopes out the potential challenges they might face. The collection is an uncompromising analysis of where the District Councils’ are currently and crafts a [...]

Councils could save vital school and highway projects by looking to a new market in municipal bonds, according to research from localism think tank NLGN. The new Capital Futures report, released today, shows that bond issuances could in some circumstances prove the cheapest option for local authorities trying to promote growth in their areas. Local [...]