Sue Robb of 4Children talks to Julie Laughton and Alison Britton from the Department for Education about the role of childminders in delivering the 30 hours free entitlement.
Councils at risk from service failure, report warns
A small number of councils are at risk of financial or service failure, a report published by accountancy firm Grant Thornton has cautioned.
The report also warned that for the first time ever, one council could even be moved into special measures on financial grounds within the next year.
The report read: “With large funding deficits still looming, service reduction or even failure is becoming a distinct possibility.
“We are finding greater financial uncertainty and risk in councils’ strategic financial plans [across all council types] as they continue to search for alternatives to service reduction, with far fewer options than they have had over the past five years.
“Unless the sector responds even more radically to austerity, demographic pressures and technological change, the future sustainability of a small minority of local authorities will become increasingly challenging.”
The research suggested there was particular concern among councils in the South-West of England, while the majority of chief financial officers conceded that reaching a tipping point was possible.
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Company Focus
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Event Diary
London Build is the UK's largest and leading construction show. Officially awarded the Best Trade Show in the UK. London Build is co-located with the London Build Fire & Security Expo.
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Building Forensics ltd added IAQ following the increased public interest in Indoor Air Quality po
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Hannah Shimko, managing director of the Gift Card and Voucher Association (GCVA), sets out why flexibility and personalisation are key elements of employee benefits schemes in the public sector.
