Elections | LocalGov

Rayner to be investigated by police after electoral law accusations

15/04/2024

Police have launched an investigation into whether Labour’s shadow local government secretary Angela Rayner broke electoral law a decade ago after allegations.

LocalGov Elections: Vote reformation

10/04/2024

Jonathan Werran, chief exec, Localis draws inspiration from a popular podcast on the Reformation to ponder the question of just how local are our politics.

Labour set out plan to ‘breathe new life’ into high streets

10/04/2024

Labour has announced a five-point plan that it argues could ‘breathe new life’ into high streets.

Khan pledges to build 6,000 ‘rent control’ homes

05/04/2024

London mayor Sadiq Khan will today commit to building homes with capped rents as part of his bid for re-election next month.

Council chiefs receive cyber espionage warnings

04/04/2024

Council chiefs have been warned their email accounts, phones and computers will ‘almost certainly’ be targets for ‘cyber espionage’ before elections.

What this year’s election could mean for housing

03/04/2024

Jonathan Pearson, director at Residentially, looks at what the coming election could mean for the future of affordable housing in the UK.

Parties draw battlelines for local elections

28/03/2024

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has given a speech in Dudley today following campaign launches by the Conservatives and Lib Dems.

Elections on cyber alert

26/03/2024

Ministers have warned this year’s local and national elections are 'not business as usual’ – as councils prepare to tackle threats to voting security.

'Victorian era' electoral registration failing voters, MPs warn

21/03/2024

The electoral registration system, which governs local elections in England, is ‘neither effective nor efficient’ and is disenfranchising millions, MPs warn.

EXCLUSIVE: No pay offer until after local elections

14/03/2024

Local government employers will not make a pay offer until after the upcoming local elections in May, The MJ understands.

Long-serving council leader to step down

12/03/2024

Sutton council leader Ruth Dombey, one of the longest-serving council leaders in the UK, has announced her intentions to step down.

Prospective councillors told to campaign for MP

04/03/2024

Tory councillors in North Northamptonshire have been told they must do 30 sessions of canvassing if they want to stand in the upcoming local elections.

Union urges prospective MPs to back national care service

21/02/2024

Election candidates in the forthcoming general election are being urged to support the creation of a new national care service in England.

Voter ID legal challenge launched

19/02/2024

A legal challenge has been mounted against the Government over voter ID requirements for elections.

South Yorkshire mayoral election on the cards

09/02/2024

A mayoral election could take place in South Yorkshire this year after it was confirmed that PCC responsibilities will be moved to the regional leader.

Officer warning over street votes

06/02/2024

Council officers have issued a scathing response to plans for street-level planning votes – dismissing the idea as a costly ‘proliferation of polls’.

First North Yorkshire mayoral election to cost £2m

17/01/2024

The election of the first mayor of a new York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority is set to cost £2.2m, a council report has revealed.

2024: an epochal year of change and transition

12/01/2024

Jonathan Werran, chief executive, Localis looks at what is coming down the tracks for local government in the year ahead.

Alarm sounded on cyber threat to local elections

21/12/2023

Ministers have written to councils to warn of attempted foreign interference in next year’s elections.

Peter Bone MP loses seat after bullying accusations

20/12/2023

A petition managed by North Northamptonshire Council has seen over 13% of voters in the constituency of Wellingborough call for the removal of Peter Bone MP.

Peers urge Government to improve voter ID requirements

19/12/2023

The Government has been urged to consider adding additional forms of identification to the list of documents that are accepted during elections.

Implementing the new voter ID requirement

18/12/2023

Baroness Drake, chair of the House of Lords Constitution Committee, discusses how implementation of the new voter ID requirement could be improved.

Minister shrugs off election concerns

06/12/2023

Fears that pressures on elections officials will leave them overwhelmed at the next election have been dismissed by local government minister Simon Hoare.

Norfolk devolution schedule delayed

04/12/2023

Norfolk’s level 3 devolution deal is set to be pushed back to 2025.

28 Durham councillors lost in proposed boundary change

04/12/2023

Changes proposed by the Local Government Boundary Commission (LGBC) would see the loss of 28 councillors in County Durham.

Warning of polling day disruption to services

17/11/2023

Frontline council services could be disrupted during elections as staff are drafted in to run polling stations and conduct counts, chief executives warn.

Questions over plans to manage voter ID

13/11/2023

The chair of the levelling up, housing and communities (LUHC) committee has written to the LUHC department with concerns about managing voter ID in future elections.

Street calls for PCC powers

02/11/2023

West Midlands mayor Andy Street has formally asked the Government to transfer police and crime commissioner (PCC) powers to the mayoralty.

Peterborough leader loses confidence vote

02/11/2023

Peterborough City Council has new political leadership after councillors voted to remove Conservative leader Wayne Fitzgerald.

Confidence vote risks ‘further government intervention’

27/10/2023

The leader of Peterborough City Council has said a confidence motion in him will result in ‘major political instability’ and risks further intervention from the Government.

Starmer promises council funding reform

13/10/2023

The way local government is funded is too short-term and has resulted in local authorities such as Birmingham CC declaring bankruptcy, Sir Keir Starmer says.

Plea to delay online postal vote applications

09/10/2023

Launching online applications for postal and proxy votes later this month should be ‘urgently reconsidered,’ elections officers have said.

Wales to automatically register voters

03/10/2023

The Welsh Government is set to establish automatic voter registration for local government and Senedd elections.

Level up seaside towns or lose power, Conservatives told

19/09/2023

The Conservative Government must level up England’s struggling coastal communities or risk losing 113 seaside seats to Labour, a conservative think tank warns.

Millions missing from electoral register

18/09/2023

An overhaul of data sharing with council elections teams is required, a report by the Electoral Commission has concluded.

Staff warn of general election disruption over voter ID

13/09/2023

Faced with the rollout of voter ID, electoral administrators have said they are not convinced they can deliver a general election before January 2025.

Voter ID law ‘poisoned cure’, MPs say

12/09/2023

The voter ID rule which was brought in to tackle electoral fraud ahead of the 2023 local elections ‘disenfranchises more voters than it protects’, MPs say.

Cyber-attack hit Electoral Commission

08/08/2023

Information held by the Electoral Commission was accessed by 'hostile actors,' the watchdog has revealed.

Croydon elections 'secure' despite 'justified' criticism

08/08/2023

A review of Croydon’s 2022 elections has backed chief executive Katherine Kerswell’s handling of the delayed result but said some criticism was ‘justified’.

Town council urges Nadine Dorries MP to quit

27/07/2023

Flitwick Town Council has called on Nadine Dorries MP to ‘immediately vacate’ her seat to allow for a by-election.

Risk of 'major electoral failure,' officers warn

26/06/2023

Pressure on council teams running elections will only be recognised in the event of a ‘major electoral failure,’ a new report has warned.

Councils raise concerns over disproportionate impact of voter ID

23/06/2023

Councils have raised concerns that problems with new voting identification rules hit some groups harder than others, local government leaders have warned.

Labour blocks Driscoll mayoral bid

05/06/2023

North of Tyne mayor Jamie Driscoll has been blocked by Labour from standing as the party’s mayoral candidate for the proposed North East combined authority.

Voting reforms could ‘erect barriers’ for elderly, charity says

25/05/2023

The introduction of further checks on postal and proxy voting could disenfranchise older people, an elderly persons charity has warned.

New checks on postal and proxy voting announced

24/05/2023

Further checks to ensure there is no fraud when people vote by post or by proxy could soon be introduced, according to the Government.

Northern Ireland branded 'inert' as councils go to polls

18/05/2023

With Northern Ireland's local elections today the region has been branded ‘uncompetitive’ and in need of localised public services due to Stormont stalemate.

Council chiefs in Northern Ireland warn of intimidation

17/05/2023

Council leaders in Northern Ireland have raised concerns about the abuse and intimidation of candidates in this year’s local council election campaign.

One in 100 turned away due to voter ID

16/05/2023

One in 100 were unable to vote up after turning up at polling stations without valid ID, election observers have estimated.

Court case looms after election blunder

16/05/2023

A councillor who gained the most votes at a recent election faces a court case for her seat after a blunder led officials to announce the wrong winner.

Devon council reissues postal votes after admitting mistake

11/05/2023

Postal votes for part of a Devon district have been reissued after East Devon Council admitted a mistake was made in the recent local elections.

Voter ID led to ‘incidents’ of disenfranchisement

11/05/2023

Young people suffered ‘total disenfranchisement’ when they were turned away at the recent local elections despite having the correct ID, campaign group says.

Local elections ‘well run’ but voter ID concerns remain

05/05/2023

The first local elections requiring residents to show ID were ‘well run’, but the new law prevented some eligible voters from casting their vote.

Voting suspended after Southampton candidate’s death

05/05/2023

Voting was suspended yesterday in the Southampton ward of Coxford after the death of the local candidate, the city council has confirmed.

Results point to big losses for Conservative councils

05/05/2023

Early results from the local elections point to big losses for the Conservatives, with Labour and the Liberal Democrats scooping up victories.

Voter ID rap sequel drops

04/05/2023

South Norfolk Council has released a second rap video to remind residents to take photo ID with them when they vote today.

Voters urged to be patient with polling staff

04/05/2023

Local authority leaders have asked voters to be patient with polling station staff today as they process voter ID changes.

Urban councils call for redistributive funding model

02/05/2023

A network of urban councils has launched a manifesto calling on the Government to end competitive bidding and return to a redistributive council funding model.

Council chief plans voter ID rapping sequel

01/05/2023

Rapping council chief Trevor Holden has revealed he is planning a sequel to his hit track on the need for voter ID at this week’s local elections.

General election offers chance to 'raise awareness of social care'

27/04/2023

The ‘looming general election’ offers an ideal chance to showcase and raise awareness of social care with the public, says the new president of ADASS.

Council chiefs call for civility ahead of elections

24/04/2023

Council leaders have joined forces with the Jo Cox Foundation to call for civility towards candidates and officers running the local elections on 4 May.

One in 10 voters confused over ID rules, poll finds

21/04/2023

Voters are confused over new ID rules just days before they can apply for a certificate to take part in local government elections, researchers have warned.

Tories expect to lose 1,000 seats

17/04/2023

The Conservatives are braced to lose 1,000 council seats in next month’s local elections.

Rapping returning officer drops voter ID track

14/04/2023

South Norfolk Council has dropped a new rap video to remind residents to take photo ID with them when they vote in the upcoming local elections.

MPs to examine voter self-ID

14/04/2023

Self-ID for voters is among issues to be examined by MPs when they question a range of election administrators and campaigners next week.

Labour pledges to revitalise high streets

12/04/2023

Labour will today promote its plan to revitalise ailing high streets through a £700m fund to help small businesses with soaring energy bills.

Minister raps council over pre-election restrictions

06/04/2023

Experts have said pre-election period restrictions are causing misunderstandings after minister rapped a council amid claims it had taken things too far.

Bristol City Council to be run by committees

05/04/2023

Bristol council is set to be run by seven policy committees after the May elections following a referendum which decided to abolish the directly elected mayor.

Confusion over suitable ID ahead of elections

31/03/2023

Local leaders in Merseyside have raised worries that confusion over acceptable ID in elections could exclude some people from voting.

Local elections 'clear indications' of national result

03/01/2023

Local elections in May will give a strong pointer to likely results of a national poll next year, according to a leading analyst.

Council chiefs call for voter ID laws to be delayed

12/12/2022

Local authority leaders have called on the Government to delay the introduction of voter ID requirements until after the local elections in May.

Concern over elections timetable

07/11/2022

Campaigners and elections staff have raised concerns over the deliverability of voter ID at next year’s elections.

Workload warning over voting pilots

11/10/2022

Proposals to introduce automatic voter registration in Wales could cause confusion and add to already heavy workloads, election officers have warned.

Liverpool to lose five councillors in boundary shake-up

08/09/2022

Liverpool is set to lose five councillors as the boundary commission redraws the political map.

EXCLUSIVE: Whitehall risk warning over election reforms

29/04/2022

Whitehall officials have privately admitted councils could be overwhelmed by one of the largest sets of electoral reforms ever seen by local authorities, The MJ understands.

Scottish voters making more use of the single transferable vote

26/04/2022

Voters in Scotland are making increased use of the single transferable vote (STV) in local elections, according to new analysis.

Tories could lose 800 council seats next month, polling reveals

19/04/2022

The Conservatives could lose 800 councillors in next month's local elections, new polling has suggested.

Lords vote against plans for photo ID for voters

08/04/2022

The Government has been defeated by Lords over plans to introduce mandatory photo ID for voters.

Elections at 'risk of failure'

24/01/2022

A deluge of reforms to elections is putting the system at risk of failure, officials have warned.

City council votes to overhaul electoral system

20/01/2022

Derby City Council councillors have approved proposals to change the electoral system so that members are elected once every four years.

MPs call for voter ID plans to be halted

13/12/2021

The Government's voter ID plans should be paused to determine if the measures are 'fit for purpose', MPs have warned.

Four Welsh councils to pilot flexible voting schemes

09/11/2021

Four councils in Wales will allow people to vote before polling day in next May’s local government elections as part of a pilot scheme.

Welsh Government makes final decision on boundary changes

18/10/2021

The biggest ever changes to electoral boundaries in Welsh local government have been confirmed.

It’s now or never for modern democracy

14/10/2021

The electoral landscape is now ‘more crowded than ever’, while council resources have been ground down, says Laura Lock – and she warns that professionals do not have limitless capacity.

Mayoral elections to be 'first past the post'

16/09/2021

The Government has announced the 'first past the post' electoral system will be used for all local mayoral and police and crime commissioner elections.

High turnout in May’s elections despite COVID-19

14/09/2021

May’s elections were well-run and there was no decline in turnout despite the pandemic, new research shows.

Labour under pressure to commit to voting reform

14/09/2021

The party is set to debate adopting Proportional Representation (PR) for General Elections at its annual conference.

Voter ID law must be 'necessary and proportionate' warn MPs

02/09/2021

The Government must explain why a new law to make voter ID mandatory is both necessary and proportionate, MPs have said today.

Democracy under threat: Elections Bill’s risk to people with additional needs

03/08/2021

Dr Mark Brookes discusses why measures to introduce voter ID could affect voter participation for those with learning disabilities.

Welsh government proposes placing polling stations in colleges

03/08/2021

People in Wales may soon be able to vote for their local representatives as they go about their weekly shop or finish their lessons.

Report calls for 'sweeping reform' of electoral system

12/07/2021

A full review of electoral funding and legislative changes are needed to avoid electoral failure in the UK, a new report has argued.

Elections Bill introduced in Parliament

06/07/2021

Councils must be properly funded and given ample time to prepare for the 'significant' changes proposed for election rules in the UK, the Electoral Commission has warned.

Four out of ten people without ID will not apply for free voter cards, campaigners warn

02/07/2021

Four out of ten people without photo ID are unlikely to apply for a free elector card from their local council, according to the results of a new survey.

Commissioners appointed at Liverpool City Council

10/06/2021

Surrey CC’s chief executive Joanna Killian will be part of the team of independent commissioners who will oversee improvements at Liverpool City Council, local government secretary Robert Jenrick has announced today.

Free voter cards to be issued by councils under new bill

27/05/2021

Councils will be required to provide free voter cards for people without the correct identification under the Government’s voter ID plans.

Civil society groups denounce voter ID plans as ‘dangerous distraction’

14/05/2021

Leading UK civil society groups have united to challenge plans to block those without ID from voting.

Queen's Speech: No social care solution in sight

11/05/2021

The Queen’s Speech has said proposals on social care reform will be brought forward – but it fell short of a commitment to legislation in this Parliament.

Queen's Speech: Controversial voter ID plans roll forward

11/05/2021

Voter ID is expected to be introduced by May 2023 after the Government pledged to introduce legislation to ‘ensure the integrity of elections’.

Local elections 2021: Counties buck the Tory trend

09/05/2021

County councils have bucked the trend of Conservative success in the local election on Thursday, with a mixed picture for the party.

Local elections 2021: Voters back mayors in referendums

09/05/2021

Tower Hamlets and Newham LBC have both voted to keep the post of directly elected mayor in referendums run alongside the local elections.

Welsh elections 2021: Labour stays in power

08/05/2021

Welsh Labour are set to retain control of the Welsh Government, taking half of the seats on the second day of counting.

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Banning urban pesticide use

RSPB and PAN are working on a letter from local councillors calling on the Government to introduce a national ban on urban pesticide use. Find out more below.
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