01 Sept 2025Borrowing
The UK Municipal Bonds Agency: Did it Make a Difference?
The UK Municipal Bonds Agency set out to offer local authorities cheaper and more flexible borrowing, but struggled to compete with the PWLB’s simplicity and pricing.
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21 Aug 2025Local Authorities
Preparing for Local Government Reorganisation
Local Government Reorganisation creates major treasury challenges in debt, investments, reserves and operations. Without early planning, risks of disputes, delays and misstatements grow. This insight shares Arlingclose’s best practice for reorganisation, ensuring councils achieve resilient, compliant and sustainable treasury arrangements through a smooth financial transition.
13 Aug 2025Investing
GMCA Ruling Underscores Subsidy Control Risks in Council Lending
GMCA has won a landmark Subsidy Control Act case over two major development loans. Most authorities lack GMCA’s scale or track record, and without independent market evidence as set out in the Statutory Guidance, the same approach could leave your authority exposed.
11 Aug 2025Borrowing
Is Financial Repression Coming Back?
This article examines the potential resurgence of financial repression as a tool for managing high sovereign debt, analysing historical precedents, current policy trends, and risks, while outlining implications for interest rates, banking, fiscal sustainability, and macro-financial forecasting.
06 Aug 2025Borrowing
Medium Term Note Programmes: A Flexible Tool for Borrowing at Scale
A Flexible Tool for Borrowing at Scale
29 Jul 2025Technical
How to Reduce Financial Risk in Major Projects?
Persistently high insolvencies underline elevated risks for councils and corporates involved in lending or investment decisions. Arlingclose provides robust, independent due diligence, combining detailed financial analysis and practical safeguards for better informed decisions and risk mitigation.
21 Jul 2025Local Authorities
What is the 'Graph of Doom'?
The ‘Graph of Doom’ illustrates how rising statutory care costs and constrained council income could eliminate funding for discretionary services. Though not a prediction, it highlights the urgent need to address local government’s long-term structural funding challenges.
17 Jul 2025Economic Updates
How Will Increased Defence Spending Impact the UK Economy?
NATO's new defence spending target of 5% of GDP poses significant fiscal challenges for the UK, highlighting tensions between military ambitions, fiscal rules, and economic realities.
04 Jul 2025Technical
How Do You Apply Capital Receipts to Reduce Your MRP Charge?
Using capital receipts to reduce the Capital Financing Requirement can lower future Minimum Revenue Provision charges, but authorities must apply this approach prudently, consistently, and transparently through their approved MRP policy.