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The article focuses on the strategy of the local authorities in Great Britain in coping with cutbacks. It focuses on the transformation of the local government into a smaller state by moving away from direct service provision, decreasing their financial obligation on large-scale commissioning of services. It discusses several benefits of the local government strategies including reduction of public expenditures, decreasing funding redundancies, and tax reductions.

The article outlines the history of the Local Government Distributive Fund and its distributions to local governments in Illinois from 2006-2014.

The article announces that the New Zealand council teams have until February 10, 2017 to register for the 2017 Management Challenge.

The article focuses on the legislative, political and professional policies used by New Zealand that helps improve the role separation policies for its elected members and chief executives which should be followed by the local government in British Columbia, Canada.

Information about several topics discussed at the Destination 2036, held in Dubbo, New South Wales is presented. Topics include financial viability for the local government sector, reform of local government in New South Wales, and roles and resource sharing partnerships development. The conference featured key participants including Keith Rhoades, Jenny Dowell, and Rochelle Porteous.

In this article the author discusses the fair compensation among local government executives and staff.. He relates on the International City/County Management Association's (ICMA) guidelines in reaffirming public service values such as trust and transparency. He cites several guidelines to determine compensation which include identifying job requirements, evaluating individual qualifications, and seeking legal advice. He adds that effective governance in organization can keep public trust.

The article discusses the strategies of governments to attract big businesses locally and create jobs by offering tax incentives. Corporate president Jeff Finkle explains the fundamental law of supply and demand that is often influenced by politicians than by economic developers. Executive director Greg LeRoy reveals that four states have entered into negotiations when chief executive Elon Musk of Tesla Motors Inc. decided to open a battery plant.

The author discusses aspects of governance in major U.S. cities like Chicago in Illinois. He profiles the young African American Kurt Summers, whose background in finance and stellar credentials in banking and management impressed mayor Rahm Emanuel to make him the City Treasurer. The author thinks that local governments depending on state funding must create their own structure for balanced budgets, with the projected revenue growth meeting and surpassing the projected expenditure growth.

The article discusses the move of Chris Collins, Erie County Executive, to improve the political and economic conditions in the county. He aims to manage the county government like a business by implementing the Lean Six Sigma which comprises of business principles that significantly reduce costs and gain revenue. It notes that Erie County in New York was once experienced a significant budget deficit.

The article offers the author's insights on the actions taken by state and local governments to make use of the stimulus package provided by the U.S. government to stimulate the economy. The author enquires whether the states have set up strategies and programs for the economic recovery and development. The author also indicates that the benefiting states and cities that have already set up goals are the ones to prosper quickly, and at the moment can use the said money to accomplish that goal.

The article discusses the advice of the Waikato District Council in New Zealand on policy management in local governments.

A calendar of business events for the U.S. from February 2-5, 2015 is presented which includes the Local Government Management Training, Women's Power Luncheon Series and Van Meter Leadership Series.

The article announces that former chief executive officer of Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Glenn Snelgrove, receives Society of Local Government Managers (SOLGM's) Distinguished Management Award for his outstanding contribution to advancing local government management.

The article offers information on the Planning for an Ageing Population toolkit developed by the New South Wales Government to help local governments become innovative with their planning strategies to prepare for an ageing community. It states that the toolkit uses data from a report forecasting related to issues of the ageing populations. It notes that the toolkit will outline challenges involving local government finances, resources, community services and asset management planning.

The article features New Jersey Governor Chris Christie who plays an active role in local government affairs. It says that Christie persuaded the Legislature to set a two percent limitation on property tax that would be offset for localities through administrative changes that would give fiscal relief. It also states that Christie entered the local level to ratify school budgets, in which he threatened to hold back money from school districts that do not restrict salaries for administrators.

The article focuses on several challenges which local governments in Australia faces due to the global financial crisis including labour force, gender equity and fund cut backs. Local Government Managers Australia Chief Executive John Ravlic states that local governments should ask assistance from the Federal Government for legislation related to funding and climate policy framework. Furthermore, gender equity and the challenges of councils on remote areas are also discussed.

The article offers information on Amendment 4, a ballot initiative dealing with the issue of local land-use plans in Florida. The Amendment 4's goal is to democratize the decision on development and it would require a majority vote in a public referendum before a local government could change a land-use plan. It notes that Florida Hometown Democracy contends that many local governments have allowed developers to do what they pleased, disregarding its effects on Floridian's quality of life.

The article offers information on the Year of the Women in Local Government (YoWiLG) campaign in Australia which aims to increase the awareness on the role of women within the sector.

The article offers an overview of the topic "Leading Through An Economic Storm: Navigating the New Normal in Local Government" to be presented at the Leadership Training Institute seminar in North Palm Harbor, Florida on January 28-30, 2010. It examines the importance of transformative thinking for obtaining prosperity despite the long-term impacts of the current economic downturn. It emphasizes that determining the paths forward needs both understanding the nature and extent of the problems.

The article focuses on the lack of communication among the local agencies in the U.S. It emphasizes that local departments fail to talk with one another in a more formal way and that they seem to exist in their own structure. Accordingly, more money is wasted and the quality of life was lowered. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg contends that the destruction of the barriers that hinder innovation, compromise customer service, and cost taxpayers money is the best approach to bridge the issue.

The article offers information on the topic regarding how to set a maverick like-approach and innovation to the local government that will be tackled at the Leadership Training Institute seminars in San Antonio, Texas on November 10-14, 2009. It notes that the maverick approach and innovations should be introduced for problem solving in local governments. It also cites the way of thinking and leadership approaches of maverick leaders concerning continuous business development.

The article offers news briefs related to the public sector in New Zealand. The Royal Commission on Auckland Governance recommends making Auckland a super city. An issues paper searching public submissions about the law relating to invasion of privacy was released by the Law Commission. The New Zealand RS&T Scorecard by the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology offers information on investment in research.

The article reports that pension plans administered by local governments in the U.S. have good funding strategies than state plans, according to Centre for State and Local Government Excellence's issue on retirement plans. It mentions that local plans have 85% funding ratio, while state plans have only 84%. It says that local plans have 69% annual required contribution compared to 54% of state plans. It notes that they are both well-funded, but are not subject to the same funding requirements.

The article announces that Joe Mareane was appointed county administrator of Tompkins County, New York.