Future Local Lab
Local Government Explained
Local Elections England: 2026
Essential reading: Local government finance
The financial crisis and decades of uncertainty over local government funding mean that the pressure on local government budgets is unrelenting. It is a notoriously complex system and will take time to understand properly; as a new councillor, your first opportunity to get to grips with council finances may be through serving on a scrutiny committee.
We have picked out a few items from our huge library of local government content that we hope will provide you with inspiration, ideas or just food for thought and make you want to delve deeper into the LGIU’s local government resources.
LGIU Training: Local Government Finance Essentials (England)
Online | 17 July: Demystify the complex world of council finance. You will learn how the council receives its funding, how the council plans, manages and reports its spending and consider how councillors can effectively engage with the financial decision-making processes. LGIU members receive a 25% discount on all training. Book a place.
2025 State of Local Government Finance in England
Each year, the Local Democracy Research Centre conducts a survey of council leaders, chief executives, cabinet members for finance and senior finance officers to find out how councils are managing and responding to a fiscal environment that has become ever more challenging. The 2025 survey results.
Discover more LGIU resources – from in-depth policy briefings to guest articles to training – on local government finance. Go to the topic page.
Image: GordonBellPhotography via istock
Keep up to date
If you are from an LGIU member organisation then sign up to access all your member benefits. Opt for ‘The essential resources’ update – it’s a key part of your council/organisation membership.
