{{Short description|Body for local government in England}} {{Use British English|date=June 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox government agency | agency_name = Office for Local Government | type = Department | logo = Oflog logo.svg | logo_width = 180px | logo_caption = | seal = | seal_width = | seal_caption = | formed = {{start date and age|2023|07|04}} | preceding1 = | dissolved = {{start date and age|2024|12|16}} | superseding = | headquarters = 2 Marsham Street, London, England | employees = | website = {{URL|https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/office-for-local-government}} | footnotes = | chief1_name = | chief4_name = | chief4_position = | chief5_name = | chief5_position = | chief6_name = | chief6_position = | chief7_name = | chief7_position = | chief8_name = | chief8_position = | chief9_name = | chief9_position = | parent_department = Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government }}
The '''Office for Local Government''' ('''Oflog''') was a body responsible for assessing and improving the performance of local government in England.
Oflog was established in July 2023 by the Conservative Sunak government<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 July 2023 |title=Office for Local Government: Understanding and supporting local government performance |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/office-for-local-government-understanding-and-supporting-local-government-performance#:~:text=The%20Oflog%20policy%20document%20sets,its%20scope%20and%20future%20functions. |access-date=18 December 2024 |website=GOV.UK |publisher=Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities }}</ref> following a string of local authority bankruptcies, in order to collect statistics on local performance.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sandford |first=Mark |url=https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7240/CBP-7240.pdf |title=Local audit and accountability in England |date=20 February 2024 |publisher=House of Commons Library |pages=9}}</ref> The body answered to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. In February 2024 the minister responsible, Michael Gove, set out Oflog's priorities for the financial year 2024–2025 and invited Oflog to publish a corporate plan for 2024 to 2027.<ref>Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, [https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65ce43a2e1bdec001132221e/SoS_DLUHC_to_Chief_Executive__Oflog_-_Remit.pdf Office for Local Government – strategic remit for 2024 to 2027 and priorities for 2024 to 2025], published 15 February 2024, accessed 7 June 2024</ref>
From June 2024, Oflog had no chair following the departure of interim chair Lord Morse in advance of the 2024 United Kingdom general election.<ref name="lcg1">{{Cite web |last=Boakye |first=Kwame |date=3 June 2024 |title=General election has paused Oflog work |url=https://www.lgcplus.com/politics/governance-and-structure/general-election-has-paused-oflog-work-03-06-2024/ |access-date=6 June 2024 |website=Local Government Chronicle }}</ref> In that month, following the release of a dataset on local government performance, ''The Times'' published an article ranking local authorities;<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ellson |first=Andrew |date=6 June 2024 |title=Worst-performing councils in England revealed — where does yours rank? |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/worst-council-england-uk-nottingham-xkpb5jzmz |access-date=6 June 2024 |website=The Times }}</ref> This led to criticism of Oflog for its failure to provide sufficient information on usage of the statistics,<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 May 2024 |title=Council leader slams 'total nonsense' data in The Times authorities ranking |url=https://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/24306628.council-leader-slams-oflog-data-used-times-ranking/ |access-date=6 June 2024 |website=Wiltshire Times }}</ref> with some calling for a "reset" following the 2024 election.<ref name="lcg1" />
Oflog was abolished by the Labour Starmer government on 16 December 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 December 2024 |title=Closure of the Office for Local Government (Oflog) |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/closure-of-the-office-for-local-government-oflog |access-date=18 December 2024 |website=GOV.UK |publisher=Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government }}</ref> Jim McMahon, Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution, wrote that the government had "an urgent priority to fix the local audit system, which was not part of Oflog's remit", and said "Oflog was hampered with a vague and broad remit that risked duplication of functions performed elsewhere".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hoult |first=Philip |date=16 December 2024 |title=Government shutters Office for Local Government |url=https://www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk/governance/396-governance-news/59475-government-shutters-office-for-local-government |access-date=18 December 2024 |website=Local Government Lawyer }}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{official website|https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/office-for-local-government}}
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Category:Local government in England Category:Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government