An English council could sell off some of its offices for redevelopment after flexible working arrangements and years of staff cuts left them surplus to requirements.
Cambridgeshire County Council has hinted that a function room intended to host full council meetings at a new £18m office could restrict disabled access and put members' personal safety at risk....
Extra cash will help councils revive their town centres, but targeting it effectively – not least on improving the built environment – is crucial for sustained success, says Nigel Wilcock.
Liverpool City Council has capacity challenges in many of its corporate services including finance, puttng improvement plans at risk, according to government-appointed commissioners.
The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham used Public Works Loan Board funding to increase its housing stock, with help from an authority-owned company.
Joseph Holmes, executive director of resources at West Berkshire Council, explains his authority’s plans to save £200,000 a year by closing two of its offices and encouraging hybrid working.
A unitary authority has unveiled plans to spend more than £100m on slashing its office space by three quarters, enabled by a rise in home working following Covid-19.
A Home Counties council is set to close of two of its offices and pay staff working from home a bonus of £150 a year under plans expected to save it up to £200,000 a year.
An investment company set up to buy commercial property on behalf of two councils has suffered cumulative losses of more than £12.5m since it launched four years ago.
Tom Kiernan, associate at law firm Dentons, says a landmark Supreme Court appeal on alleged business rates avoidance is good news for local authorities.
Reading Borough Council has scrapped plans to add to its commercial property portfolio due to Covid-19 and changes to Public Works Loan Board lending rules.
Leicestershire County Council says it could raise £18m of revenue each year to fund services after agreeing an £89m expansion of its commercial property portfolio.
Covid-19 could mean big changes to the future of office working, presenting public bodies with opportunities to reduce costs and raise income, says John Burgess.
