The project will involve reviewing the DCSF’s financial management arrangements against the public sector best practice CIPFA Financial Management Model.  A key aspect of the project will be to define the characteristics of the effective finance function, to assist the DCSF in the consideration of its future finance operating model. … More

LG Futures will be working with the DWP to review its financial management arrangements against the public sector best practice CIPFA Financial Management Model.  LG Futures’ role will include: undertaking a comprehensive electronic survey to seek stakeholder views; conducting interviews with key officials; providing external verification/moderation of ‘scores’ arising from… More

The briefing provides comparative analysis of the impact of the 2010/11 local government finance settlement, including formula grant transfers and specific grants.

Following submission of Invitations to Tender, LG Futures has been appointed to the Audit Commission’s Policy, Research and Studies Framework.  LG Futures are on three of the framework lots in relation to Financial Research, Analysis and Advice; Analytical Services; and Training Services.

The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), through its Expert Panel for Local Governance Research, has commissioned LG Futures to undertake a Peer Review of its methodology for estimating take-up of Small Business Rate Relief.

To complement ongoing work with Southampton CC to identify significant cost savings, LG Futures will be developing a comprehensive suite of business metrics to assist in performance managing all council services.  A range of financial, activity, customer, staff and performance data will be combined to develop these indicators into bespoke… More

The research will take place in the context of the publication of the Government’s July 2009 Green Paper on Social Care; “Shaping the Future of Care Together”.  The paper presents the principles for a new National Care Service and includes three alternative funding models in relation to a potential new… More

Camden are in the process of a wide-ranging review of their finance services and have identified the importance of ensuring that both finance professionals and budget/service managers receive appropriate tailored training to support and up-skill them in financial management. LG Futures will be working with Camden over the coming months… More

The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), through the Department’s Expert Panel for Local Governance Research, has commissioned LG Futures to prepare an impact assessment of changes to legislation concerning local authority mutual insurance arrangements. The work will be used to inform future government policy around this issue.

The research follows on from previous work undertaken in relation to Diploma costs and funding at Key Stage 4. The research will focus upon: the level of Diploma delivery costs and transport costs in 2008-09 and 2009-10 and the potential costs to 2013; and what represents best practice in delivery,… More

LG Futures will be undertaking with the council on a financial review to identify the potential scope for savings, in the light of the expected reductions in public sector funding from 2011/12.  The review will utilise specific benchmarking and budget analysis/cost driver tools developed by LG Futures.

LG Futures has been appointed by a range of authorities to undertake cost benchmarking reviews.  The reviews use models developed by LG Futures in identifying the scope for potential savings, with work haing been commissioned by Blaby DC, Slough BC, Warrington BC and LB Barking and Dagenham

Neil Wilcox,  Director of Funding and Research, has been appointed to CLG’s Local Governance Research Unit Expert Panel. The Panel comprises 18 key individuals with expertise on a range of topics relating to local government and local governance.  It is being established to provide external peer review, broad academic input… More

The review will assess Central Bedfordshire’s arrangements in relation to pupil place planning and develop best practice guidance.

LG Futures will be working with the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) on a feasibility study for the Department for Work and Pensions in relation to the Right to Control (RtC) for disabled people, which will allow individuals to make decisions about how best to use the money available… More

The benchmarking exercise will compare Rotherham to its nearest neighbours for all council services, with more detailed anlaysis to take place in relation to adults’ and older people’s social care functions.

Research will take place into, ‘Enabling capital investment by London local government’.  The objectives of the research are to: identify potential barriers to capital investment by London boroughs and ways in which these could be mitigated or overcome; identify potential measures that central government could introduce in order to enable… More

The work will assist in identifying any methodological issues within the current local government finance system that potentially disadvantage the council; and will provide an independent view of potential approaches that could be followed to make the council’s case in relation to potential under-counting of its population.

The review of land charges will be used to inform appropriate land charge fees under the most recent Regulations and the review of company accounts will assess the financial viability of companies bidding for the council’s waste collection contract.

LG Futures will be working with eleven local authorities – six of which were pilots for the new early single years formula, and five of which decided to implement a year before it was mandatory to do so.  Work will take place with the eleven authorities over the period March… More

LG Futures will be working with Mouchel to develop a cost model for Walsall Community Health Trust (the provider arm of Walsall PCT). The model will be based on a number of different data sources to show the costs of activity under the current professional and the new patient level… More

LG Futures will be undertaking a benchmarking exercise against other unitary councils, analysing the current ‘shape’ of the budget against other similar authorities who have been unitary councils for a number of years.   Recommendations about the key strategic issues that will affect the new unitary’s medium term financial plan will… More

Detailed analysis will be undertaken of the impact of the local government finance settlement 2009/10 upon Rutland CC.  The research will cover: a comparison of Rutland’s data against other authorities, an assessment of the possibilities of future changes to the system and a potential lobbying strategy for the council.

An analysis of the economic contribution made to UK public finances by five boroughs within South London – Croydon, Kingston-upon-Thames, Merton, Richmond-upon-Thames and Sutton will be undertaken, together with an assessment of the current level of funding provided to the five boroughs through the local government finance system.

Mark has 18 years experience of working in local authority and, most recently, NHS finance. He has significant knowledge in the financial implications of change management; recently as part of the municipal financial management reform process in South Africa; and previously in England local government reorganisation in 1997. Mark’s specialist… More

The review will consider the City Council’s current and future financial position and will advise on how the City Council could realise financial savings, improve service provision, particularly in the context of examining alternative means of service provision, including shared services.

Independent validation and moderation will be undertaken of the outcomes of HMRC’s financial management review against the ‘CIPFA Financial Management Model’, in order to compare HMRC’s financial management practices and procedures against best practice in the public sector.

The intention of the quality assurance process is to ensure that external assessors are following their stated procedures for undertaking reviews, that the outputs from the review are of a satisfactory standard and an acceptable level of consistency, and that schools and local authorities are content with the process followed… More

Ian is a CIPFA qualified accountant and has over 20 years experience of local government financial management, from accountancy, audit and consultancy perspectives. Whilst at IPF, Ian was responsible for all aspects of finance training and the line management of all full time and associate based trainers.  In addition, Ian… More

This places LG Futures at the forefront of the provision of financial support to councils considering reorganisation.  In Suffolk, LG Futures has been selected to advise the Directors of Finance of the county council and all the district councils in Suffolk in their submission to the Boundary Committee.  LG Futures’… More

Given their relatively recent introduction, the DCSF wishes to further investigate consortia delivery costs; the extent to which switching of students to Diplomas could potentially release resources within schools; the full range of funding available to consortia to fund Diploma delivery; and the way in which such funding is being… More

The review will be undertaken using the ‘CIPFA Financial Management Model’, in order to compare MoJ’s financial management practices and procedures against best practice in the public sector.

The review will focus, in particular, upon: maximising fees and charges income in the context of policy and service objectives; the consideration of introducing new charges/services, using either the discretionary or previous charging powers; ensuring that charging policies are robust and that any subsidy is intentional and transparent; an awareness… More

The project will involve fieldwork with seven local authorities and a selection of Children’s Centre’s in each authority, with the objective of considering the applicability of a national benchmarking system; including Management Information Systems (MIS) requirements, skills requirements and stakeholder views, and identifying options for potentially taking forward the delivery… More

Work will be undertaken over a 12-month period, as part of the development of a single early years formula, examining, in particular: the current mix of provision and the current approach to funding; diversity issues, and how they impact across the County; any sufficiency issues and where they occur; the… More

The review will be undertaken using the ‘CIPFA Financial Management Model’, in order to compare Oxfordshire CC’s financial management practices and procedures against best practice in the public sector.

Lee formerly led IPF’s Financial Management Consultancy in England and will be responsible for assisting in developing LG Futures’ fast-growing Consultancy business, in particular, upon building our central government client base. Lee specialises in best practice financial management, and has extensive experience of applying the CIPFA Financial Management Model, in… More

The new formula will be developed taking account of the views of Northamptonshire CC’s schools, and will distribute around £300m in funding to schools in the county.

The key objective of the project is to inform the DCSF’s future policy on FMSiS by identifying: how well FMSiS has been implemented in the secondary schools sector since 2004, and (to the extent that the current roll-out permits) in the primary, middle and special schools sector since 2007; what… More

Through consultation with schools, work will be undertaken to develop a revised HR pricing strategy, including the investigation of potentially moving away from a pupil-led to an activity-led and/or staff based approach for charging for HR services, in order to increase the transparency of charges, provide optimum value for money… More

The projects will involve reviewing existing financial management guidance and processes and recommending improvements, including the development of new guidance, where appropriate.

The key objective of the project is to provide local authorities with supplementary guidance on place planning, which is founded on practical examples of work currently being undertaken in authorities across the country.  This will require a comprehensive review of the work on place planning being undertaken in a sample… More

The key objective of the project is to provide schools with comprehensive, easily accessible guidance which allows them to address the increasing VFM pressures that they will face in the short and medium term.  This will require a comprehensive review of the documentation that currently exists (including guidance which is… More

Following on from LG Futures’ successful national conference on the local government finance settlement, which took place at the Law Society, Chancery Lane on 13 December 2007, LG Futures will be providing a regional conference on 18 December 2007, at West Devon BC, examining specific local government funding issues for… More

LG Futures has been commissioned to provide support to over 140 authorities in analysing the implications of the local government finance settlement, both individually and as part of a joint service.  Briefings will be provided to Cornwall districts; Devon districts; Kent districts; Surrey districts; the South London Partnership and SPARSE… More

LG Futures will be working with Hedra, supporting six pilot local authorities to assist them in developing clear, transparent local formulae to support the changes to funding arrangements for the free nursery entitlement that local authorities will be encouraged to introduce from 2009/10 and will be required to introduce from… More

LB Haringey has commissioned LG Futures to undertake research examining the apparent discrepancies between the borough’s own data sources and the ONS mid-year population figures.

The conference will primarily be aimed at Finance Directors and finance practitioners. Rather than providing generic information on the settlement for a non-finance audience, we will therefore be able to delve into the detail behind the settlement in much greater depth. Our conference will exclusively focus on the settlement from… More

The Chief Executive’s Department, within LB Newham, has commissioned LG Futures to undertake a short project assessing the financial implications for the authority arising from the recently published revised ONS mid-year population estimates.

LG Futures will be working closely with Bedford BC to understand and advise on their financial business case, which they are due to put to Government in October 2007. Bedford BC has been placed on the approved list of authorities who the Government is minded to put forward for unitary… More

South Buckinghamshire DC have engaged LG Futures to provide detailed analysis and briefings concerning the forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review 2007 and the Provisional Settlement 2008/09.

LG Futures will provide regular updates and briefings on local government funding issues to nine Kent districts over the remainder of the financial year. This arrangement builds upon the existing arrangement that LG Futures has with Surrey district councils.

LG Futures will be working with Hedra for the DCSF to examine how formula funding could potentially be allocated for practical and applied learning for 14-16 year olds from 2008/09. The project will specifically focus upon funding for the new specialised diplomas, the first five lines of which will be… More

LG Futures will be working with Hedra and Northamptonshire CC to produce a robust activity-led funding model which distributes over £300m in funding to schools in the county every year. The model will ensure affordability for the County and will be capable of being updated in a transparent manner in… More

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has commissioned LG Futures to undertake desk-based research in an attempt to ascertain why the population estimates for the Royal Borough appear to be inaccurate; and whether the newly introduced ONS methodology for calculating mid-year population estimates will improve the current situation.

LG Futures will be providing a full critique of the way in which the Audit Commission assesses value for money in local government as part of the Comprehensive Performance Assessment process. The remit will be to understand how the Audit Commission arrives at judgments, to identify where there are weaknesses… More

LG Futures exhibited for the first time at CIPFA Conference, held from 12-14 June 2007. A considerable number of authorities expressed interest in LG Futures’ offering, with the Conference providing an opportunity for LG Futures to both meet with existing local authority clients and also make a number of new… More

LG Futures will be undertaking an assessment of the City of Westminster’s population data in light of the new Office for National Statistics (ONS) methodology for calculating mid-year population estimates. The research will focus on the ‘unique’ characteristics of the City and consider whether the revised ONS methodology take such… More

LG Futures has been appointed by the South East County Leaders Group to undertake a major project to evaluate overall differences in funding levels, cost pressures and demands between the South East and other regions of the country for all public spending, with a particular focus upon local government and… More

LB Tower Hamlets has renewed the existing drawdown consultancy agreement with LG Futures. As part of the contract, a set number of consultancy days have been agreed over the next 12 months, whereby officers at LB Tower Hamlets can call on LG Futures to undertake work on specific projects or… More

Slough BC has agreed to extend LG Futures’ financial management support contract for another year. LG Futures’ Consultants will work directly to the Council’s Strategic Director of Finance and Property, supporting the overall revenue budget process 2008/09, the Council’s ongoing population lobbying campaign, providing technical briefings on local government funding… More

LG Futures will provide regular updates and briefings on local government funding issues to 10 Surrey district councils over the next 12 months. Adrian Jenkins, Director of Financial and Service Planning said, “We are very pleased to be working with the Surrey districts in this innovative way. The joint provision… More

LG Futures has been appointed by Nexus (the Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive), on behalf of the 6 English Passenger Transport Executives, to investigate potential options for the distribution of £212m funding for the 2008 Concessionary Travel Scheme for the Elderly and Disabled in England.

LG Futures has been commissioned by LB Redbridge to assist the borough in lobbying for change to the current Area Cost Adjustment (ACA) within the local government funding system.

The LGA’s High Ethnicity Authorities’ Special Interest Group (HEASIG) has extended its contract with LG Futures for a further 12 months (until April 2008). LG Futures will continue to provide administrative support for the group and act as a high-level resource on technical funding issues. LG Futures has been providing… More

LG Futures will be providing LB Hounslow with expertise and support in relation to the use of Office of National Statistics data in the local government funding system and its impact on the borough’s funding.

The new website provides details of LG Futures’ latest services and the range of projects that LG Futures has been assisting clients with, since it was established 2 years ago. LG Futures would welcome feedback on our services, so please feel free to get in touch at info@lgfutures.co.uk

LG Futures is undertaking a review of the local government funding system, since 2002/03, assessing the impact of methodology changes on Surrey CC.

LG Futures will be working with Hedra for the DfES to examine the costs of the free early education entitlement for 3 and 4 year olds. The key objectives of the project are to identify the costs across different authorities, different providers and different geographic locations, of delivering childcare to… More

LG Futures will be working with Pendle and Burnley Councils as part of their bid for unitary status to be submitted to the Department for Communities by 25 January 2007. LG Futures will be focusing upon the County Council budget element of the proposed new authority and the costs of… More

LG Futures will be examining the financial impact on the County Council of a successful bid for unitary status by Norwich CC. In particular, LG Futures will be examining the likely funding baseline for 2006/07, the effect on capping and specific grants and the effects of the proposed local authority… More

LG Futures will be examining the financial impact if a potential merger of Fire authorities was to take place.

LG Futures has launched a briefing service covering major government policy and funding announcements and assessing their implications for local authorities. The service includes the option of tailored support for individual authorities, looking at their figures in detail, in addition to providing generics briefings on announcements.

In the near future,… More

LG Futures will be examining the financial impact if a potential merger of Fire authorities was to take place.

LG Futures has been selected by the London Boroughs of Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark to provide expertise and support in relation to the use of Office of National Statistics data in the local government funding system. The contract was jointly procured by the three boroughs and is scheduled to run… More

The Local Government Association has engaged LG Futures to provide advice on a wide range of topics surrounding the question of “variable waste charging” (VWC) – a proposal that would result in some or all households paying separately for their waste collection. The final report will be used by the… More

LG Futures has been engaged by the LB Croydon to provide technical and other financial advice to support its new ‘Fair Deal for Croydon’ campaign. LG Futures’ Consultants will be working closely with LB Croydon’s Finance Department, examining the current local government finance system and highlighting possible areas of concern… More

LG Futures has been awarded a contract by the Association of London Government to develop a proposal for an alternative regional fees model under the Licensing Act 2003. During the three-month project, LG Futures will examine data submitted by London boroughs to the Independent Fees Review Panel (IFRP), undertake in-depth… More

The LGA’s High Ethnicity Authorities’ Special Interest Group (HEASIG) has extended its contract with LG Futures for a further 12 months (until April 2007). LG Futures will continue to provide administrative support for the group and act as a high-level resource on technical funding issues.

LG Futures will be assisting several London Boroughs and Unitary authorities analysing the implications of the new local government funding system that will be introduced from April 2006. A new ‘complex’ four-block funding model is to be used, which represents a significant departure from the previous funding system.

LG Futures… More

LG Futures has recently commenced training for local authority service managers and finance staff on carrying out robust option appraisals.

Adrian Jenkins, Director of Financial and Service Planning, said:

“The need for robust option appraisal has received increased prominence in recent years, particularly with the introduction of the Prudential Framework… More

LG Futures has been engaged by the West London Alliance (comprising the London Boroughs of Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon and Hounslow) to provide an assessment of the current local government funding system and its impact on WLA members.

LB Tower Hamlets has entered into a drawdown consultancy agreement with LG Futures. As part of the contract, a set number of consultancy days has been agreed over the next 7 months, whereby officers at LB Tower Hamlets can call on LG Futures to undertake work on specific projects or… More

The LB Havering has commissioned LG Futures to undertake research examining benefit take-up levels across the borough. The research is intended to feed into the borough’s ongoing ‘Benefits Data Project’, which seeks to maximise the level of funding received through the annual local government finance settlement by encouraging all eligible… More

LG Futures will be working with Hedra plc, the largest independent consultancy working primarily for the public sector in the UK, on a project commissioned by the DfES to investigate the effective use of resources in secondary schools.

Jude Ranasinghe, Director of Consultancy and Training said:

“We are delighted to… More

LG Futures will be assisting the Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Authority in considering options for the distribution of Government funding for Concessionary Fares.

The intention of the research is to produce workable options for distributing resources from 2006/07, which better match the potential distribution of costs of providing concessionary… More

LG Futures will be working with LB Southwark to review their Housing Revenue Account budgets as part of their commitment to meet the Decent Homes Standard 2010.  The project will examine how efficiencies could potentially be achieved within the HRA, either through reducing expenditure or generating additional income, in order… More

Slough BC has agreed to extend LG Futures’ financial management support contract for another year. LG Futures’ Consultants will work directly to the Council’s Strategic Director of Finance and Property, supporting the overall revenue budget process 2007/08, the Council’s ongoing population lobbying campaign and providing technical briefings on local government… More

The LGA’s High Ethnicity Authorities’ Special Interest Group (HEASIG) has asked LG Futures to act as ‘Secretariat’ to the Group for a further 12 months (until April 2006). LG Futures will be providing administrative support and will also act as a high-level resource on technical funding issues.

LG Futures will be working with Nottingham CC to examine the funding implications of the DfES proposals to ring-fence schools’ funding.  LG Futures will be modelling how the new regime is likely to operate at both the national and local levels. In particular, LG Futures will be identifying how the… More

As part of its contribution towards the ongoing ’Balance of Funding’ debate between central and local government, the Association of London Government (ALG) has commissioned LG Futures to undertake independent research to explore the scope for Minor Local Taxes across local government, with a particular focus upon taxes applicable to… More

Adrian Jenkins, Jude Ranasinghe and Neil Wilcox have established LG Futures, a new company dedicated to providing financial and management consulting services to the public sector.

Between them, LG Futures’ Directors have around 30 years’ experience of working at senior levels within local authority finance.

The company aims to deliver… More