Caitlin Webb

England

Chief Reporter at Local Government Chronicle

Chief Reporter for @lgcplus Chair for @2ndChanceMedway Views are my own - especially the good ones.

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Articles

Rachael Wardell: 'Why I jumped from regulation to children's social care' | Local Government Chronicle (LGC)

2 weeks ago | lgcplus.com | Caitlin Webb

ADCS’s new president Rachael Wardell tells LGC why an ‘inadequate’ Ofsted inspection sparked her move from regulator to director of children's services and why addressing child poverty does not need to mean increasing funding for councilsA desire to “fix things” in children’s social care motivated Rachael Wardell’s career path, including her latest move to become the new president of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS).
Government plans business rate baseline reset

2 weeks ago | lgcplus.com | Caitlin Webb

The government is planning to reset the business tax rates retention system after 13 years and is seeking views from experts on the best way to do it. In a consultation, , it stated: "The resetting of business rates baselines in 2026-27 is crucial to this government’s aims to ensure funding is targeted where it is needed most and restoring the balance between aligning funding with need and rewarding business rates growth".
First combined authority integrated settlements unveiled

2 weeks ago | lgcplus.com | Caitlin Webb

The government has this afternoon published details of the first integrated settlements for the West Midlands and Greater Manchester CAs.The total quantum of funding for West Midlands is set at £388.6m for 2025-26, which is around £155 per capita. While Greater Manchester's is £630m, which is around £220 per capita.
NAO chief warns of ‘moral hazard’ in writing off Woking’s debt

2 weeks ago | lgcplus.com | Caitlin Webb

Using exceptional financial support to address recurring overspends “can't be a sustainable solution” but writing off debt for Woking BC would be a “moral hazard”, the National Audit Office’s comptroller Gareth Davies told MPs today. Mr Davies was appearing before the Commons' housing, communities and local government committee for its inquiry into financial sustainability.
Government to consider Hampshire reorg extension

2 weeks ago | lgcplus.com | Caitlin Webb

The government has said it will "consider" an extension for Hampshire & the Solent local authorities to finalise their reorganisation plans. In their interim plans, the 15 councils in Hampshire & the Solent requested an extension to “allow sufficient time for the appropriate statutory mechanism to be delivered" if the preferred option requires the need for a boundary change. All two tier areas had until 21 March to submit interim plans for reorganisation.
Reorganisation map: How discussions are progressing

3 weeks ago | lgcplus.com | Kirsty Weakley |Caitlin Webb |Mark Smulian |Andrew Vaux

All 21 two-tier areas had been asked to send in progress reports explaining what progress they have been made since the government said they must bring forward proposals for new unitary authorities. So far there is little consensus about the best way ahead, and most areas those where all councils have agreed on one submission have done so by incorporating multiple options within that document or none at all. LGC looks at how many submissions have been made and how many options are still in play.
Spelthorne flags 'inaccuracies' in best value report

3 weeks ago | lgcplus.com | Caitlin Webb

The latest best value inspection report into Spelthorne BC contained "misunderstandings", according to the council. Spelthorne BC leader Joanne Sexton (Ind) has now written to the local government minister Jim McMahon outlining these issues as part of the council's response to plans to appoint commissioners.
Mayors: 'Be bold' and 'look at the bigger picture'

3 weeks ago | lgcplus.com | Caitlin Webb

After this May's elections there will be four new faces around the table at the Council of the Nations and Regions, LGC asked existing mayors what their advice would be. Whatever the outcome of the mayoral elections in May, there will be four new leaders of combined authorities, with two areas voting for the role for the first time.
Transport directors hope pothole data leads to higher funding

4 weeks ago | lgcplus.com | Caitlin Webb

Transport directors hope submitting potholes data will give the Department for Transport evidence to "argue the case" for greater funding for road maintenance. The government has promised to withhold highways maintenance funding from local authorities that fail to publish annual progress reports on the number of potholes that have been filled.
OBR flags council finances as 'substantial risk'

4 weeks ago | lgcplus.com | Caitlin Webb

Yesterday's OBR forecast has highlighted how an increase in exceptional financial support shows "pressures on local authority finances remain a substantial risk to the public spending forecast". The government granted 29 local authorities the ability to use capitalisation directions, allowing them to use revenue from asset sales or borrow from the Public Works Loan Board through EFS in 2025-26.