Education Secretary writes to councils over ‘Phantom NEETs’

02/07/2026

Councils are being put on notice by the Education Secretary, who is writing to every council setting out expectations for tracking vulnerable teenagers.

Think tank calls for more devolution and digitisation to fix public services

Council receives £7.1m health and social care integration boost

Housebuilding falls in half of England's council areas

Union calls for fully-funded teacher pay offer

Low allowances a barrier to new councillors

LGA warning over council intervention metrics

Oxford CC slams Oxfordshire's Thames Valley devolution veto

Council stays ‘vigilant’ amid rise in Wimbledon e-bike use

Politics and Policy

Council seeks High Court injunction over unauthorised flags

Slough BC ‘disappointed’ by decision over green belt data centre

Essex council chief demands urgent LGR talks with minister

Suspended Tory councillor considers legal action over ‘defamatory’ remarks

Human Resources

Staffordshire County Council moves to dismantle EDI programmes

Brighton faces 'unquantifiable' liability over equal pay claims

Councils alter bin collections during heatwave

EXCLUSIVE: Chiefs lobby Government over severance payment threshold

Finance

Councils given green light to refund CIL errors

Mayor announces £500k cash injection to boost al fresco dining

'Fiscal devolution to be more likely with Burnham as PM'

Sheffield CC’s finances ‘stronger but still fragile’, report says

Transformation

BT fined £24k after Cumberland Council street works prosecution

New AI tool could help councils flag risks in social housing

Almost one in three voters saw ‘deepfake’ AI content of candidates ahead of local elections

Stoke-on-Trent explores AI solutions to prevent resident debt

Health and Social Care

Havering adult social care rated 'requires improvement'

Mayor launches London's first ever heat plan as record temperatures strike

MPs push for SEND amendments to Health Bill

Poor housing costs NHS £1.5bn annually, report reveals

Public Property

Phased repair could be on the cards for Hammersmith Bridge

New board seeks to restore health of community arts space

Mayoral Development Zone proposed to drive Leeds regeneration

Half-built Peterborough hotel sold as council writes off millions

Analysis

Beyond the Leisure Centre: How to make the case for active wellbeing investment

This special report from LocalGov and Alliance Leisure makes the case for repositioning council leisure provision as prevention infrastructure.

Opinion

Devolution and putting place first

The real lesson of Andy Burnham's Makerfield success, argues Dr Jonathan Carr-West, is that place – not personality – is the key to Britain's future.

Most Popular News

Fresh asylum homelessness spike warning

Liverpool City Region launches first anti-racism strategy

Staffordshire County Council moves to dismantle EDI programmes

Suffolk CC to push on with LGR legal challenge

Government publishes social cohesion action plan

New Products

Safeguarding Children - the AAT Way

MSL enhances hygiene auditing with air quality testing for Awaab’s Law compliance

Cadcorp launches Mapestry

Bolton Council Upgrades 120+ School Crossings with Smart CMS Control by Lucy Zodion

NEC CONTRACTS HAS GONE DIGITAL: PAPERLESS, TO GIVE YOU MORE

Vent-Axia Delivers Social Housing a Smart Ventilation Solution Ahead of Awaab’s Law

New remotely lockable cabinet will help manage medication for people with mental health issues

Case Studies

Cornwall’s Coastal Heritage Lighting Upgraded with Acrospire Lanterns

Acrospire Delivers Durable Handrail Lighting Upgrade for Historical Landmark Jacob’s Ladder

Acrospire Delivers Seamless Heritage Lighting Upgrade on Bath’s North Parade Bridge

Acrospire Delivers Retrofit Lighting for Newbridge’s Joe Calzaghe Footbridge

Acrospire Delivers PIR-Controlled Lighting at Ruislip Lido Car Park

Spennymoor Market Place and Consett Middle Street revitalised using Thorn Lighting’s Thor Lanterns and Customisable Gobo Projectors

Acrospire Partners with Bath & North East Somerset Council to Illuminate Historic Film Location with LED Upgrade

Company Anouncements

Acrospire promotes LED retrofit for structurally viable lighting assets

Vent-Axia Welcomes the Future Homes Standard as Competency Takes Centre Stage

Apricorn Becomes First and Only Hardware-Encrypted USB Storage Device Manufacturer to Achieve AS9100 Certification

AAT helps Councils step up to address children’s social care

CU Phosco Approved as a Crown Commercial Service Supplier

Acrospire triumphs at the 2025 HEA Awards with Sustainable Project of the Year

TRT Lighting retrofit helps Lincolnshire County Council cut street lighting energy use by over 65%

Graduate (Highways)

£29,719 - £31,691

Start your career with Derbyshire Highways Derbyshire

Recuriter: Derbyshire County Council

Prison Senior Social Worker and/or AMHP

£42,839 - £50,269

Wakefield has 2 prisons within its borders, HMP Wakefield and HMP/YOI New Hall. Wakefield, West Yorkshire

Recuriter: Wakefield Council

Political Assistant

Grade 7 £30,024 - £33,699 pro rata (pay award pending)

We are seeking a highly motivated and politically astute Political Assistant to support the Liberal Democrat Group within Durham County Council. This Durham

Recuriter: Durham County Council