Smart budgeting: Integrating financial and strategic planning for outcomes

Posted on: 2 December 2014
By: mackene
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A new report from the New Local Government Network recommends radical changes to the way local government approaches the budgeting process.

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Public financial institutions and the low-carbon transition: Five case studies on low-carbon infrastructure and project investment 

Posted on: 17 November 2014
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Public financial institutions (PFIs) are well-positioned to act as a key leverage point for governments’ efforts to mobilise private investment in low-carbon projects and infrastructure. This study, published by the OECD, identifies the tools, instruments and approaches used by five PFIs to directly support and scale-up domestic private sector investment in sustainable transport, energy-efficiency and renewable energy in OECD countries. Between 2010-2012, these five institutions, Group Caisse des Dépôts in France, KfW Bankengruppe in Germany, the UK Green Investment Bank, the European Investment Bank, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, have provided over 100 billion euros of equity investment and financing for energy efficiency, renewable energy and sustainable transport projects. They use both traditional and innovative approaches to link low-carbon projects with finance through enhancing access to capital; facilitating risk reduction and sharing; improving the capacity of market actors; and shaping broader market practices and conditions.

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Real Estate Gazette

Posted on: 12 November 2014
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The latest issue of DLA Piper’s Real Estate Finance examines the key drivers for international real estate finance.

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Guide on EU funding for the tourism sector (2014-2020)

Posted on: 3 November 2014
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This guide focuses on the most important EU programmes for the tourism sector3, around practical questions: type of tourism-related actions eligible for funding; type and level of funding; who can apply and how to apply. It also points at concrete examples of what has been funded under previous programmes, as a possible source of inspiration. The guide will be periodically revised to provide more recent examples of funded actions and updated information on the new programmes.

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Guide on EU funding for the tourism sector (2014-2020)

Posted on: 16 October 2014
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This guide focuses on the most important EU programmes for the tourism sector3, around practical questions: type of tourism-related actions eligible for funding; type and level of funding; who can apply and how to apply. It also points at concrete examples of what has been funded under previous programmes, as a possible source of inspiration. The guide will be periodically revised to provide more recent examples of funded actions and updated information on the new programmes. Conceived as an entry point to specialised websites, this guide contains many internet links.

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Help to Buy equity loans

Posted on: 18 June 2014
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The House of Commons Committee of Public Accounts has published the outcome of its inquiry into Help to Buy equity loans. The Committee argues that the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) commited £10bn of taxpayers money to fund the Help to Buy programme without first assessing whether the massive outlay represented value for money. It also suggests that the DCLG ‘does not understand the overall impact of its housing strategy and the combined effectiveness of its different initiatives’, which include the New Homes Bonus scheme through which local authorities receive non-ring-fenced payments for every home added to the council tax register.

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Funding housing and local growth: how a British investment bank can help

Posted on: 6 June 2014
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The Smith Institute has published a report calling for a bank jointly owned by central and local government to support urban extensions. The think tank researched state investment in banks across western Europe, and concluded that a similar system could help combat the shortage of housing in the UK.

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Local transport expenditure: Who decides?

Posted on: 3 June 2014
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Changes to the way money is allocated for major transport projects could ‘disadvantage the regions’ according to a report from the House of Commons Transport Committee.

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Local Growth Fund (Housing Infrastructure): prospectus

Posted on: 24 April 2014
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This prospectus sets out the detail on how to access the £50 million part of the Local Growth Fund in 2015 to 2016. The Fund is designed to help speed up and restart housing developments between 250 and 1499 units that have slowed down or stalled. It aims to support housing schemes which are important for local growth and meet local priorities.

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After the Council Tax: Impacts of property tax reform on people, places and house prices

Posted on: 13 March 2014
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This study, published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, investigates alternatives to the current Council Tax system, and assesses the costs and benefits of introducing a system of national property taxation. Four different systems are assessed: the existing Council Tax system, a revalued Council Tax system, a national property tax based on a fixed percentage of property values, and a progressive national property tax based on a higher percentage on the whole of property values over certain thresholds.

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