The Government’s new General Power of Competence for local authorities will only work successfully if councils are given clear legal freedom according to the New Local Government Network. In a new report the think tank urges the Government to abolish the ultra vires principle – in place to ensure that councils do not stray beyond [...]

In a new report the New Local Government Network (NLGN) suggests setting a longer time horizon for the closure of the Local Government Pension Schemes’ (LGPS) historic deficit, which would in turn enable councils to use the money to protect front-line services. Local authorities are encouraged to decide, through consultation with communities, whether it is [...]

Announcement builds upon NLGN ideas to reward positive behaviour with tax discounts . Government plans to offer council tax incentives for house building have been welcomed by the New Local Government Network (NLGN). The think tank has previously advocated financial incentives to encourage planning development and welcomed the Government decision “to use the carrot and [...]

Independent think tank the New Local Government Network (NLGN) has announced the appointment of Simon Parker as its new Director. Mr Parker joins NLGN from the Institute for Government where he is a Fellow. He was previously Head of Public Services for the think tank Demos and has worked on public services policy for the [...]

With investment in public building projects decreasing by 50% over the next four years, a new report recommends using the Local Government Pension Fund (LGPF), municipal bonds and council reserves to plug the shortfall. The New Local Government Network (NLGN) report, Capital Momentum: financing options for locally driven capital investment, argues that new funding strategies [...]

In the wake of the Coalition Government’s decision to scrap the Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA), NLGN is today calling for remaining inspection regimes to be slimmed down and for local citizens to play a greater role in driving up standards. It also called for greater responsibility for local government in improving its own performance. Publishing [...]

Analysing figures from the recent Budget, NLGN is predicting that this could leave councils with a funding reduction of over £12 billion, which could lead to services being cut or charges for local services increasing.

Responding to the announcement from Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg on the Regional Growth Fund and the announcement on Local Enterprise Partnerships in this morning’s letter to councils and business leaders from Secretaries of State Eric Pickles and Vince Cable, Anna Turley, Acting Director of the New Local Government Network said: ‘NLGN wholeheartedly endorses and [...]