A couple of unexpectedly big bits of news have emanated from England’s local councils recently. An estate regeneration scheme in the London Borough of Haringey has become the latest front in Labour’s forever war; while Tory-run Northamptonshire council has literally run out of money.

So, it’s time to get into the weeds and talk about what’s gone wrong. To do that I’m joined once again by the journalist and local government analyst Emma Burnell. We talk about the budgetary problems facing England’s councils; why the sector has lost so much of the expertise it once had; and why Northamptonshire almost certainly won’t be the last council to fall over.

We also talk about the row in Haringey – and why it isn’t really about what everyone keeps saying it’s about.

Skylines is the podcast from the New Statesman's cities site, CityMetric. It's hosted by Jonn Elledge.

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