United Kingdom Archives – Decentralization Net

Property tax in Europe: a changing landscape

July 8, 2026 LPS Alliance

Property taxation has long been one of the cornerstones of local public finance. Across Europe, however, property tax systems are undergoing profound change as governments seek to improve revenue performance, modernize valuation systems, strengthen local […]

Local government finances during the “Great Recession”

March 26, 2018 LPS Alliance

This report–written by Professor Harold (Hal) Wolman for the German Marshall Fund of the United States –examines how national government policy, and particularly national grant systems, affected local governments during the “Great Recession” and its […]

Accountability and Transparency in English Local Government: Moving from ‘Matching Parts’ to ‘Awkward Couple’?

August 29, 2015 LPS Alliance

Although excessive transparency and accountability demands can have a counterproductive effect on organisational performance (Bovens, 2005), longstanding hierarchical accountability structures to ensure financial conformance in English local government continue to endure. Interestingly however, the previously […]