REPORT WARNS THAT DCLG IS COMPLACENT OVER COMMERCIAL RISKS COUNCILS FACE
- 18 Nov
A report by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), has warned that the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has been "complacent" over the risk councils face from increasing commercial activities to yield income.
Inside Housing gave an account of the committee's report, thus:
"The department does not have good enough information to understand the scale and nature of authorities' commercial activities or which authorities are placing themselves at greatest risk and it does not use the information it does have to give it a cumulative picture of risks and pressures across the sector."
According to the committee:
- The DCLG suggested these activities are majorly an extension of long-standing activities and not necessarily more risky
- Authorities are aware that new risks come from councils developing houses for market rent
- Councils may not have the commercial skills and experience required amongst both members and officers
- If commercial decisions fail, council taxpayers will eventually pay the billl and other council services will be under threat
- DCLG and the Treasury have not been able to explain why councils' investments on deposits are now at record levels
- Investments on deposits grew to £26.1bn in 2015-16, compared to £18.5bn in 2010-11
The PAC has also asked the DCLG to send it an update - on how it is intensifying it understanding of council's commercial activities, with a particular focus on risk- by summer 2017.
What do you think?
Please tweet comments @suppsolutions
Related articles
- 26 Apr
LABOUR PARTY MADE SOME POLICY ANNOUNCEMENTS ON THE NHS TO ADDRESS STAFFING SHORTAGES IN ENGLAND
Labour made some policy announcements on the NHS to address staffing shortages in England, that had become a "threat to patients". However, according to the Conservatives, Labour's economic policies...
- 15 Nov
HOMELESSNESS CHARITY (SHELTER) APPEALS FOR FUNDING TO HELP THE HOMELESS THIS CHRISTMAS
Shelter is appealing to the public to help meet the demand due to the following:In order to remedy this situation:Director of Plan A at M&S, Mike Barry, said:"This year marks Shelter's 50th...
- 30 Sep
COUNCIL DECIDES TO BUILD ITS CARE HOME TO GET BETTER VALUE FOR MONEY
Here are details about the process:According to reports by Daily Echo, Cabinet portfolio holder for adult services, Cllr Karen Rampton, said:"One of the council's priorities is promoting the health...
- 12 Sep
TRANSPARENCY WITH LAND OWNERSHIP IN SCOTLAND
Ministers are seeking for opinions on proposals for a register of controlling interests in landowners and tenants; for clarity on who controls landowners and tenants of land in...
- 15 Jul
NEW CABINET APPOINTMENTS
According to reports by 24Dash, the Director of Policy and External Affairs at the National Housing Federation, Gill Payne said:"We welcome the appointment of Sajid Javid as Secretary of State for...
- 22 Aug
‘Domestic Violence Policy' now in place with all Welsh social landlords.
Back in May 2014 the Welsh housing minister, Carl Sargeant, threatened to stop funding social landlords that did not have a clear strategy in place to tackle domestic violence. According to a report...
Responding to the DWP Consultation: Housing Benefit Reform - Supported Housing "It was well-run, in a good location, and very useful. I've only one suggestion; as the session went on it would perhaps have been useful for bullet points of general agreement about what should be in the sector response to be displayed and added to as the session went on, maybe on a flip chart. Regarding your response paper, I particularly like the answer you give to question 9. In fact the general: "if it ain't broke don't fix it" response could be pushed harder." M.P. - Adref Ltd
