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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.