Adult Social Care and Health

The Adult Social Care and Health information stream provides guidance on the financial, legislative and policy-led aspects of the social services function. The information stream contains detailed guidance on specific adult client groups, exploring the particular needs of these groups as well as the local authority’s role and responsibilities. The content also identifies key issues which impact on all areas of social services such as performance and regulation, funding, charging and emerging policies.

Asset Management

The Asset Management information stream is a guide to implementing effective asset management and capital investment planning in the public sector. It is aimed at practitioners involved in asset management across local authorities.

Budgeting

The Budgeting information stream provides a comprehensive guide to all aspects of budgetary management in the public services. The information stream identifies the key budgetary principles and core practical objectives of good budgetary management, and identifies the main types of budget and models operating in the public sector. Guidance is included on planning and preparation, presentation, management and control of the budget.

Capital

The Capital information stream is a detailed guide for all those involved in ensuring local authorities have the use of sufficient capital assets to deliver their responsibilities in an efficient, effective and economic manner, and in a way that provides proper accounting and accountability. The information stream provides strategic and executive guidance on the development and application of a capital finance strategy, the procurement and management of assets, and the financing of capital expenditure within the prudential framework.

Charging

Charging covers current charging policy and practice within local government in the UK, examining the scope for using charging policies across a wide range of services. Charging for services is a financial option where local authorities enjoy a high level of discretion. In addition to generating income at a time of financial constraint, it can be used as a strategic tool to direct resources and services to those most in need.

Children's Services

The Children's Services information stream provides an introduction to children's services finance. The information stream outlines the legislative background, best practice and financial requirements behind the education, social care and health services that make up children’s services. It is divided into sections which reflect the main areas of activity and responsibility within children’s services, with cross references to other relevant chapters within TISonline and links to key documents on external websites.

Counter Fraud

The Counter Fraud

information stream identifies the main areas where local authorities face significant losses due to fraudulent activity and provides guidance to help prevent, detect and tackle fraud. With fraud losses of at least £2.1bn at local government level, it is money that local authorities can ill afford to lose.

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Education VAT

The Education VAT information stream provides VAT practitioners with guidance on the basic principles of VAT as it impacts on the education sector and brings together advice and guidance on those issues which provide special difficulty.

Environmental Services

The Environmental Services information stream provides guidance on the financial, legislative and practical aspects of the environmental and regulatory services provided by local authorities. The information stream covers traditional activity areas such as environmental health, waste management and trading standards as well as evolving issues including sustainability, the "cleaner, safer, greener" agenda and climate change. The information stream explores the extent of local authorities’ roles and responsibilities in each area, with accessible coverage of some of the more technical and scientific aspects inherent to environmental services.

Financial Management and Corporate Governance

The Financial Management and Corporate Governance information stream highlights the main features of financial administration in the UK and seeks to provide an understanding of the main features of 'governance'. The information stream deals with core public service issues and concepts in respect of financial functions, strategy, control, standards and ethics, and stewardship.

Government Grants and Business Rates Retention

The Government Grants and Business Rates Retention information stream provides an evolving record of the main features of the local government funding system for England and Wales. It explains how the current 50% business rates retention system operates, covers the main specific grants, and provides context on how the funding system has developed.

Guide to the Council Tax England

The Guide to the Council Tax England is a comprehensive, in-depth, practical guide to the administration of the council tax, which has been the principal system for collecting local taxation since its introduction in 1992. The guide includes annotated legislation and commentary, decisions of valuation tribunals, a summary of relevant case law and a comprehensive library of all the Statutory Instruments passed since 1992.

Guide to the Council Tax Wales

The Guide to the Council Tax Wales is a comprehensive, in-depth, practical guide to the administration of the council tax, which has been the principal system for collecting local taxation since its introduction in 1992. The guide includes annotated legislation and commentary, decisions of valuation tribunals, a summary of relevant case law and a comprehensive library of all the Statutory Instruments passed since 1992.

Human Resources and ICT

The HR and ICT information stream offers a wide range of guidance on human resources and ICT governance and services. It is intended to be a reference guide for financial staff and administrators in local government and the wider public sector. The stream covers core employee and data issues applicable to all organisations as well as subjects of particular relevance to the public sector, such as workforce planning, training and pensions.

ICT and Business Transformation

The ICT and Business Transformation information stream provides an overview of the role of ICT within organisations from a practical perspective, and is aimed at financial managers and other users of ICT. As well as providing a non-technical overview of ICT infrastructure, applications and management, the information stream covers strategic and governance issues and looks at the role of ICT in supporting business transformation. The stream includes example policy documents, case studies, a glossary of common technical terms and a directory of ICT websites.

Insurance

The Insurance information stream examines insurance as one method of transferring risk within an organisation and outlines the different types of insurance available. The stream also provides detailed practical guidance on insurance administration and claims handling, recommended practice in a number of service areas and interpretation of legislation and links to further sources of guidance and information.

Internal Audit

The Internal Audit information stream provides practical guidance on all core aspects of internal audit, highlighting best practice in audit management and the implementation of auditing standards. The information stream highlights key audit concepts and introduces practical techniques and approaches. The information stream further seeks to provide coverage of internal audit matters specific to particular sectors, and identifies current issues and developments affecting the entire audit profession.

Leisure and Cultural Services

The Leisure and Cultural Services information stream addresses the legislative, strategic and financial background to the provision of leisure and cultural services by local authorities, keeping abreast of best practice and current policy agendas. The information stream covers the main areas of service, including culture and heritage, libraries, sport and recreation, open spaces and tourism. For each service area, the information stream sets out the key legislation and the operational and management issues.

Local Authorities and Similar Bodies VAT

The Local Authorities and Similar Bodies VAT information stream provides VAT practitioners with guidance on the basic principles of VAT as it impacts on Section 33 bodies and brings together advice and guidance on those issues which provide special difficulty.

Local Authority Accounting

The Local Authority Accounting information stream brings together CIPFA codes and statements on local authority accounting, defining best practice and setting out the framework within which these requirements and recommendations should be applied. The resource brings together the principal codes, including the Code of Practice on Local Authority Accounting in the United Kingdom, the Service Reporting Code of Practice, the Prudential Code and the Treasury Management Code of Practice. Other relevant guidance is reproduced including the full text of CIPFA’s Local Authority Accounting Panel (LAAP) Bulletins.

Local Authority Housing

This Local Authority Housing information stream provides comprehensive guidance on housing finance, aimed at finance practitioners and housing management practitioners in local government. The information stream covers both the landlord role and the strategic enabling role of local housing authorities, as well as alternative delivery arrangements such as PFI and ALMOs. It provides practical guidance on this specialist area, covering housing management, rents, service charges, and issues such as homelessness and regeneration. It explains the housing subsidy system and covers management of the Housing Revenue Account and capital finance. The information stream also highlights new and emerging issues.

Local Taxation

The Local Taxation information stream is an extensive guide to the administration of council tax and national non-domestic rates (NNDR), the principal systems of local taxation in England and Wales. The information stream sets out the technical formulae and accounting arrangements relating to the financial administration of local taxation, as well as related commentary and legislative developments. For both council tax and NNDR systems, the guidance covers valuation, appeals, liability, exemption, discounts and reliefs, billing and collection (including data protection issues for council tax), enforcement and accounting arrangements.

PAYE and National Insurance

The PAYE and National Insurance information stream provides practitioners with guidance on the basic principles of PAYE/NI as it impacts on public service bodies, bringing together advice and guidance on more than 60 topics that present special difficulty. The Real Time Information (RTI) regime commenced on 6 April 2013, and all companies have been required to operate RTI since October 2013. Under RTI, employers are required to submit details to HMRC each time they make a payment to an employee, at the time the payment is made. Detailed guidance concerning RTI may be accessed via the HMRC website.

Pensions

This Pensions information stream is a comprehensive guide to the local government pension scheme. Aimed at practitioners involved in managing the scheme, it is also a valuable resource for all those requiring knowledge and an understanding of the scheme. The information stream provides an overview of the main aspects of the LGPS, defining the roles, responsibilities and processes, which ensure the funds and the scheme are managed effectively. The stream further looks at governance requirements and key considerations in respect of scheme administration, accounting, audit, risk and fund valuation. Written and updated by a leading expert in the field, the information stream is supported by an editorial board of experienced practitioners.

Planning

The Planning information stream aims to help those who work with and within local authority town planning and building control services. It is intended to increase the understanding of where the services fit into the broader picture of planning and how to meet wider central government and local community objectives. The Planning Officers' Society and LABC are pleased to endorse and promote the planning information stream as accepted good practice in promoting public engagement and good financial management in the planning system. It provides a concise overview of the legislative framework and the key processes underpinning the services. It also seeks to provide guidance to practitioners and to assist them in managing effective service delivery.

Procurement

The Procurement information stream seeks to encourage a corporate approach to the management of public sector bodies’ purchasing processes, assisting all those involved in the procurement of goods, works and services. However, it is primarily for use by those who come from or operate in a public sector financial management role. In light of the increasingly tight financial framework emphasising efficiency and continuous improvement within which public service organisations are expected to work, this information stream promotes the adoption of corporate procurement strategies and robust practices to achieve best whole-life value for money in the most sustainable and effective manner. The information stream has recently been updated to reflect the implementation of The Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

Public Health

The Public Health information stream is aimed primarily at finance and public health professionals in local authorities, but also at a wider audience of those working in public health in other organisations with an interest in the financial aspects of the public health system. The stream outlines the background to the current design of the public health system in England and provides information, data and analysis on the sources of funding. It also offers analysis of the ringfenced grant to local authorities, and of budgets and outturn data at a national level, along with links to information from Public Health England and other sources.

Risk Management

The Risk Management information stream outlines the major issues to consider when developing an integrated risk management framework. The discipline of risk management promotes innovation in support of strategic objectives and service delivery; opening the door to the possibility of taking risks to achieve positive outcomes. Proper risk assessment enables you to make informed decisions about the challenges and risks that you want to take on, and can help you to target your resources to achieve the best possible results.

Transport

The Transport information stream identifies key areas in local authority transport provision, as well as the wider strategic frameworks, and offers guidance on implementing central government policy. The information stream explores the financial implications of public transport and explores the social and environmental impacts of transport schemes.

Treasury Management

The Treasury Management information stream is a comprehensive guide to the investment of local authority funds, debt management and treasury management practices. Treasury Management aims to give you an understanding of the strategy behind treasury management, including key concepts such as performance measurement. It also explains the legislative and regulatory background that underpins the treasury management function. The information stream also addresses subjects such as corporate governance, trust funds and training, and is being expanded to include accounting for investments.