Finance & Assets

Although most New Year’s Resolutions are unlikely to make it past February, the new financial year brings about the opportunity for local authorities to commit to changes much longer term.

Emma Riding is currently the Service Director – Financial Management (Deputy S151 Officer) at Peterborough City Council where she has been instrumental in the council’s financial improvement journey and implemented a refreshed approach to financial management. Emma has a passion for Local government finance, with extensive knowledge and hands-on experience of the challenges being faced…

We explore whether a shift towards a more commercially minded approach to ensure local authorities are making best use of these assets, could yield significant benefits, reduce cost exposure and enhance the supply of TA.

It’s clear that while upper-tier authorities grapple with the challenge of Adults and Children’s social care; a critical challenge for Unitary, Districts and Boroughs is the huge weight of discharging their homelessness obligations by providing immediate emergency accommodation and temporary accommodation.  

Once the dust has settled, it will be essential to plan for regular progress reviews to ensure success. How are former LEP functions delivering against the local vision agreed in planning for integration? 

There is the opportunity for residual funding from LEP integration to be safeguarded and reallocated to support future economic development initiatives. However, making a compelling case for ringfencing this funding is essential in the context of the many other local authority funding pressures and priorities.

A well-prepared business case is the cornerstone of successful project implementation. However, navigating the intricacies of business case preparation can be challenging, and common pitfalls can undermine and derail the decision-making process.

This is a pivotal year for local government when considering the development and delivery of an economic strategy. History shows that first movers have an advantage and establishing priorities shaped by local businesses and communities will give confidence to the market.

How through working collaboratively to identify solutions and opportunities for innovation, it is possible to address the issues of quality and supply in safe accommodation.

Reflecting on what we have heard at our recent roundtable ‘The Future of LEPs’, we collated our top tips for how to safeguard the voice of the local business community in future arrangements.