The Audit Commission has highlighted some areas in which council landlord services are performing badly, pointing out where there is room for improvement.

Tenants residing in Rutland council-managed properties are receiving a “poor service” from their landlords, according to the report, particularly with regard to the speed of repairs and vacant property turnaround times. (more…)

Local authorities in Scotland will receive core funding of £8.7 billion for the coming financial year, it has been announced.

Tom McCabe, minister for finance and public service reform, told the Scottish Executive that the sum represents an increase of £396 million compared to the previous tax year, which equates to annual funding growth of nearly five per cent. (more…)

A group of building and planning stakeholders has called for the gap between the private and the public sectors to be closed.

The unique consortium’s report, entitled ‘Future Planners: Propositions for the next age of planning’, suggests that bridging this gap and using resources from both sectors is the only way in which the profession can prosper. (more…)

Details were unveiled today of a new international challenge for house builders to help create zero-carbon and low-carbon communities.

Ruth Kelly, communities secretary, launched the scheme, which will be run by English Partnerships. Developers will be called upon to help create these flagship communities though a number of methods. (more…)

The Local Government Association (LGA) has warned that English cities are failing to keep pace with their counterparts in the EU and the US because of Whitehall’s local stranglehold.

In order to keep pace with other urban centres around the world, English cities need to become more productive and competitive, according to a new report entitled Prosperous Communities II. (more…)