Which councils will go bust next?

25 February 2021Municipal Financeliquidity, LOBOs, local governmentNick Dunbar

UK councils are at the front line of the pandemic, but financial mismanagement is adding to their woes. Risky Finance has compiled a list of English authorities mostly likely to be on the receiving end of a government bailout.

UK local authority debt in six charts

20 March 2017Municipal Financeinterest rates, LOBOs, local governmentNick Dunbar

Dozens of UK councils are paying a significant proportion of tax revenues in debt interest payments, and the burden is worsened by record low interest rates

Newham’s cracked crystal ball

10 November 2015Municipal FinanceBarclays, interest rate risk, LOBOs, local government, municipal finance, Newham councilNick Dunbar

Between July 2007 and November 2008, Newham council entered into 10 range LOBO loans with Barclays worth a total of £238.5 million. New information on the council’s controversial loan portfolio shows the impact of its relationship with Barclays, raising questions about risk management decisions.