Entering the week of the Spending Review announcement, which is on Wednesday 25 November, we have a new crop of briefings.
First of all, we have a pre-briefing setting out what might be in store for local government in the Spending Review. One element that is getting a lot of coverage in the press at the moment is the possibility of ministers taking reserves into account in any future funding allocations.
Another issue getting a lot of coverage is the pressure on local authority budgets and whether this might lead to an authority issuing a section 114 notice. Two authorities – to our knowledge – have placed a freeze on non-essential spending (Buckinghamshire, Somerset). Our briefing note explores how a section 114 notice works, how it is triggered and how an authority might have to respond.
There is also a briefing on the consultation on changes to the business rates appeals process, which was issued a few weeks ago.