Spiralling inflation has pushed up the cost of borrowing while the high-profile failure of some councils that took on large amounts of debt has increased scrutiny of council investments. In this episode of The Local Authority, the podcast from Local Government Chronicle, we want to explore how councils are approaching funding of regeneration in this environment and whether attitudes to commercialisation in local government have changed. Joining Sarah Calkin this month is Sarah Norman, chief executive at Barnsley MBC; Rob Whiteman, chief executive at CIPFA and Tracy Bingham, strategic director (corporate resources) at South Derbyshire DC.  The episode is available for streaming on all podcast platforms now.

For the past decade, the government’s preferred model of devolution has been to combined authorities with directly elected mayors. However, more than five years on from the election of the first metro mayors, there is ongoing resistance from councils to adopting this model. In this episode of The Local Authority, a podcast from Local Government Chronicle, we explore what is behind this resistance and how the model is working in those places where it already exists. Joining LGC editor Sarah Calkin this month is Professor Carolyn Wilkins, fellow at Birmingham Leadership Institute and former chief executive of Oldham MBC; Cllr Anna Smith (Lab), former leader of Cambridge City Council and deputy mayor of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority and Paul Swinney, director of policy and research at Centre for Cities. The episode is available for streaming on all platforms now. 

Many officers start their careers as specialists in their field, such as finance, law, social care or planning, but the nature of their job changes as they are promoted to roles that see them working closely with elected politicians and facing public scrutiny. In this episode of The Local Authority, a podcast from Local Government Chronicle, we explore how the sector can better support officers moving into more senior positions. Joining LGC deputy editor Martin George are Joanne Roney, chief executive of Manchester City Council; Bruce McDonald, leader of Elmbridge BC, and Deborah Evans, chief executive of Lawyers in Local Government. Available on all platforms now. 

May’s elections saw more than 80 councils change political control with an increase in the number of councils under no overall control. Often this can mean the councillors involved in forming an administration are doing so for the first time; sometimes they can also be relatively new councillors who are still getting to grips with how the council works or forming a coalition with political opponents. In this episode of The Local Authority, we’ll explore how to best support newly elected members, and ensure the success of councils with minority or coalition administrations. Joining LGC deputy editor Martin George are William Benson, chief executive of Tunbridge Wells BC; Cllr Liz Leffman (Lib Dem), leader of Oxfordshire CC and Cllr Abi Brown (Con), chair of the Local Government Association’s innovation and improvement board and former leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

 For the fourth year in a row the government has handed councils a single year finance settlement, albeit with some indication of what to expect for the following year. After more than a decade of funding restraint and in the face of high inflation, the uncertainty of single year budgets adds to councils’ challenges in planning services. In this episode of The Local Authority, LGC, along with our partners TPXimpact, wanted to explore how councils are managing these circumstances. Joining LGC editor Sarah Calkin this month is Patrick Melia, chief executive at Sunderland City Council; Cllr Peter Marland (Lab), leader of Milton Keynes Council and Joanne Pitt, head of policy at the Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy. Available on all podcast platforms now.