VE Day: Council duties under the Armed Forces Covenant
As we mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Geoff Wild, Legal & Governance Consultant, looks at the duties of councils under the Armed Forces Covenant.
Trial dates fixed for Liverpool City Council corruption case
28/04/2025 Trial dates have been fixed for two senior officers charged as part of an investigation into Liverpool City Council corruption. |
West Midlands expected to be worst hit by Trump tariffs
07/04/2025 The West Midlands is expected to be the region worst hit by President Donald Trump's 10% tariff on UK exports to the US, a charity has said. |
Councils empowered to auction off leases
04/12/2024 The Government has handed councils new powers to tackle the empty shop scourge and revitalise high streets. |
Rural transport schemes win £1.2m
06/11/2024 Eight small businesses from across the UK have won a share of £1.2m to improve transport in rural areas. |
South Yorkshire mayor welcomes £1.5bn nuclear factory decision
20/09/2024 The mayor of South Yorkshire has welcomed the news that South Yorkshire is set to become the new home of a planned £1.5bn Small Modular Reactor (SMR) factory. |
Man United joins regeneration drive
10/09/2024 Manchester United has joined forces with Trafford Council and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to maximise regeneration opportunities. |
Council to support businesses after racist attacks
06/08/2024 Belfast City Council has agreed to financially assist business owners struck by ‘racist criminal attacks’ during disorder at the weekend. |
Council uncovers fraud cases worth £3.6m
29/07/2024 Stoke-on-Trent City Council's corporate fraud team uncovered more than 140 cases of fraud in 2023-24, saving residents about £3.6m. |
Robotic ‘shark’ to clean up Leeds waterways
05/07/2024 An aquatic robot has been launched to collect litter from Leeds’ waterways, inspired by the open-mouthed feeding technique of a whale shark. |
Companies banned from performing butt lifts after hospitalisations
05/07/2024 Brentwood Borough Council has launched an investigation after residents who had undergone a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) were hospitalised. |
Nottingham considers £2 accommodation levy
04/07/2024 Nottingham City Council members are set to consider plans to introduce a nightly £2 levy on accommodation providers. |
‘World-class’ hotel opens at £470m regen site
03/07/2024 Sheffield City Council has hailed its regeneration project for helping to attract ‘world-class brands’ after Radisson Blu opened a new hotel within the site. |
Welsh editors in warning over council tax notice law
11/06/2024 Editors in Wales have issued a warning over the Welsh Government’s plans to stop council tax notices being published in local newspapers. |
Yorkshire Coast BID scrapped after first term
06/06/2024 Food, drink and leisure companies along the Yorkshire coastline have voted against renewing a business improvement district (BID), which has operated for just five years. |
High Court judge in trees ruling
31/05/2024 Councils and developers relying on planning permission exemptions to preservation orders cannot automatically cut down protected trees, High Court rules. |
BT: Too many councils failing to engage
21/05/2024 ‘Too many’ councils are failing to engage with telecoms giant BT as it works to switch customers to digital phone lines, the firm has said. |
Pension funds told to report annually on pooling progress
17/05/2024 Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) funds should report annually on progress against pooling and private equity investments, fresh guidance has said. |
Dorset to host UK’s first coastal ‘tourist tax’
15/05/2024 The first coastal ‘tourist tax’ in the UK is set to be introduced in Dorset after hoteliers in the region voted for the plans. |
Fresh call for Right to Buy restrictions
23/04/2024 Housing experts today called for fresh restrictions on the controversial Right to Buy policy – including a ban on applying it to new builds. |
Struggles continue for scandal-hit council contractor
16/04/2024 A council contractor previously at the centre of a residential care abuse scandal has continued to struggle since it closed the sites. |
Oflog should be handed audit oversight, MPs told
16/04/2024 Oflog should be handed oversight of England’s broken audit regime – a role earmarked for the Financial Reporting Council - accounting experts have told MPs. |
Clark: Tories and Labour unwilling to address SEND crisis
15/04/2024 Labour and the Conservatives have been accused of an ‘unwillingness’ to confront the crisis in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services. |
Proposed law could ease housing emergencies
27/03/2024 Scottish councils may be required to assess the condition of private rented accommodation under a proposed law. |
Leader bullied two senior officers, report finds
15/03/2024 A council leader’s behaviour towards two senior officers amounted to bullying, a report into a code of conduct complaint has found. |
Oflog should consolidate financial results monthly, say accountants
11/03/2024 The Office for Local Government (Oflog) should consolidate the financial results and position of local authorities on a monthly basis, accountants say. |
Lending rates could spike after audit reset, LGA warns
01/03/2024 Proposals to reset the local audit system and clear the backlog of accounts could drive up the lending rates offered to the sector, councils have warned. |
Regulator calls for 'substantial' planning intervention
26/02/2024 The planning system requires ‘substantial intervention’ by the Government to ensure consistent delivery of new homes, a major study has concluded. |
Thurrock boosted by £500m after sale
26/02/2024 Thurrock Council has received £510m in payments following the sale of Toucan Energy Holdings – the firm that triggered a section 114 notice when it collapsed. |
Levelling up requires ‘meaningful’ devolution, business group says
20/02/2024 Business leaders have called for ‘meaningful decision-making powers’ to be devolved to local authorities to help boost left-behind regions. |
Council probe leads officers to ‘step back’
19/02/2024 Two senior Guildford and Waverley officers have agreed to temporarily ‘step back’ from their roles amid intensifying investigations into housing maintenance contracts. |
Vote planned for first UK coastal tourism tax
19/02/2024 Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole hoteliers will vote on the introduction of a tourist tax as the authority withdraws direct funding amid budget pressures. |
Croydon to wind down Brick by Brick
12/02/2024 Croydon LBC’s mayor is set to give the go-ahead to officially wind down the council’s development firm Brick by Brick. |
Sector should adopt national branding campaign to boost workforce
05/02/2024 Local government should adopt a national branding campaign to recruit and retain staff amid a worsening workforce crisis, the County Councils’ Network has urged. |
West Midlands pilots £24m energy support scheme
16/01/2024 Small businesses across the West Midlands are being offered support to cut their gas and electricity usage. |
Government confirms LEP funding
21/12/2023 Eligible councils will receive ‘up to’ £240,000 in 2024-25 to deliver the functions previously covered by Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), the Government has said. |
Autumn Statement: Business rates measures to be fully funded
22/11/2023 Plans to extend business rates relief will be fully funded for local authorities, the small print of the Autumn Statement has confirmed. |
Land value tax could redistribute billions
09/11/2023 A plan to reform business rates could lead to billions of pounds being redistributed from high land value areas to other parts of the country. |
Manifesto push for statutory economic powers
07/11/2023 The Institute of Economic Development (IED) has launched an ‘agenda for change’ with a continued call for councils to be given statutory duties on economic development. |
Why know your business checks are vital to prevent fraud
06/11/2023 Barley Laing, UK managing director at Melissa, explains know your business checks and how they can help councils avoid the threat of fraud. |
Glasgow clean air bid gets all clear
31/10/2023 A legal challenge to Glasgow's Low Emission Zone (LEZ) from a local business has failed. |
Costain named strategic partner on Bradford's £250m investment plan
30/10/2023 Costain has been reappointed as Bradford Council’s strategic delivery partner, in a contract worth up to £5m with an initial run of two years. |
Bury Market partially closes for RAAC safety checks
27/10/2023 Bury Market’s indoor stalls, which contain Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete, have been closed for safety works. |
London Councils eyes apprenticeship levy devolution
09/10/2023 London Councils has named securing devolution of the apprenticeship levy to its boroughs to fund skills and employment activity as a key short-term priority. |
EXCLUSIVE: Council warning over asylum communication
03/10/2023 ‘Limited’ Home Office communication over asylum – including poor data sharing - continues to stymie efforts to resolve accommodation problems, councils warn. |
Coroner's deadline for council after Rottweiler mauling
02/10/2023 A licensing team has been given until 13 November to respond after being urged to take a ‘more proactive approach’ following a fatal dog attack. |
Empowering local businesses to reach net zero
18/09/2023 Power to Change chief executive Tim Davies-Pugh calls on local councils to empower community business to help achieve their climate goals. |
Council signs deal for Oxford Street revamp
14/09/2023 Westminster City Council has signed a new agreement and approved the next stage of a £90m investment in Oxford Street this week. |
Brum braced for Government intervention
12/09/2023 Birmingham City Council is braced for a wide-ranging Government intervention to help rescue the authority’s bleak finances, and improve political and officer leadership. |
Gove tells councils to resource housing enforcement
11/09/2023 Michael Gove has urged councils to commit to providing their housing enforcement teams with the ‘resources and tool they need to act now’. |
EXCLUSIVE: Housing pressures may push councils into effective bankruptcy
04/09/2023 Rising housing pressures will force some councils to effectively declare bankruptcy, a local authority chief executive with more than 40 years of experience in the sector has warned. |
Fresh calls to raise local housing allowance
23/08/2023 Calls have been made for ministers to increase local housing allowance (LHA) after research revealed 85% of English councils are facing a rise in homelessness. |
Scandal-hit firm reports losses
14/08/2023 A firm at the centre of a residential care abuse scandal has reported operating losses of £5.8m for the year to June 2022. |
Council criticised for failing to investigate noise complaint
09/08/2023 A couple who owns a company in Gloucester have accused the council of costing them business by not investigating their complaint against a noisy neighbour. |
LEP functions to be transferred to upper-tier councils
04/08/2023 The Government has today confirmed it will transfer many Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) functions to upper-tier councils and combined authorities. |
Two in five say officer-member relations are poor
01/08/2023 More than 40% of town hall staff and councillors believe officer-member relations are poor and hinder performance, a new study has found. |
Third of council procurement spending goes to SMEs
31/07/2023 Just over one-third of English local councils’ procurement spending went directly to SMEs in 2022, new analysis shows. |
Warning Birmingham equal pay bill could rise further
26/07/2023 Birmingham City Council’s mammoth equal pay bill could rise further if it fails to meet a tight deadline to fix the issue. |
Newcastle to consult on bringing housing in-house
25/07/2023 Newcastle City Council will consult on bringing its housing services back in-house. |
Hull plans ‘innovative’ box park venue
18/07/2023 Hull CC will consider developing a ‘box park’ site on what is currently waste land, with the aim of attracting visitors to the city centre and creating jobs. |
£150m Derby business park expansion backed by officers
12/07/2023 Planning officers have backed plans to expand a Derby business park at an estimated cost of £150m. |
How to support your local businesses more effectively to safeguard their future
29/06/2023 Destin Solutions has worked with one local authority to help them get to grips with their local business landscape through the smarter use of data. |
Sheffield apologises 'unreservedly' for trees dispute
21/06/2023 Sheffield City Council has apologised ‘unreservedly’ after a report found the authority mishandled a dispute over the felling of thousands of healthy trees. |
'Devastating implications' warning over data threat
30/05/2023 A Government threat to suspend council access to DWP data will have ‘devastating implications’ if Whitehall follows through, an expert has warned. |
Gove approves Teesworks probe
25/05/2023 Local government secretary Michael Gove has given the green light for a probe into Teesworks corruption claims. |
Pension fund managers called to account on climate
22/05/2023 Local government pensions expert has demanded a meeting with fund managers amid concerns about how investment managers use proxy votes at shareholder meetings. |
Audit body in respect call amid tensions
18/05/2023 The organisation responsible for appointing local government auditors has urged ‘everyone to act with appropriate professional respect’ amid tensions. |
Shell hits back after council fund criticism
11/05/2023 British multinational oil and gas firm Shell has defended its plans after criticism by UK local authority pension funds. |
MPs press for council incentives to recover Covid cash
11/05/2023 Councils should keep some money recovered from Covid grants paid in error or due to fraud, MPs have said. |
Cornwall Council’s space centre launches new R&D facility
28/04/2023 The space centre owned by Cornwall Council has opened a new building for businesses developing and launching satellites. |
Birmingham face £40m bill for chaotic IT contract
19/04/2023 Troubled Birmingham City Council’s financial recovery has hit a massive setback after details of a chaotic contract designed to streamline accounts emerged. |
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. |
COVID support prone to ‘error and fraud’
24/03/2023 Support schemes during COVID were prone to fraud and error because of a rushed timetable and a lack of shared plans between local and national government. |
Why a circular economy is good for local government
23/03/2023 Wayne Hubbard, CEO of ReLondon, argues that green measures can save councils money and help local businesses. |
Pension changes could ease recruitment pressure
21/03/2023 Changes to the pension rules could ease the pressure on senior recruitment in local government, sector figures have suggested. |
Dundee workers to strike over outsourcing plan
21/03/2023 More than 300 Dundee City Council workers have voted to strike as they fight plans to outsource services. |
Investigator says 'heads must roll' after Croydon collapse
24/02/2023 An independent report into the reasons for the financial collapse of Croydon LBC that has finally been officially published has said ‘heads must roll’. |
Auditor calls for national changes after public interest report
01/02/2023 External auditor Grant Thornton has called for national changes after cataloguing a ‘toxic’ culture and ‘dysfunctional environment’ at Cheshire East Council. |
Council launches net zero tourism network
26/01/2023 A new network has been launched to promote collaborative, climate-friendly tourism in East Devon, the local council has announced. |
Plans floated to tackle secure children's home shortage
21/11/2022 Plans have been floated for a secure children’s home that could be used by councils across London. |
Think-tank urges litter and fly-tipping crackdown
07/11/2022 Councils should be required to use outsourced firms if they fail to enforce litter and fly-tipping laws, a think-tank has suggested. |
Warning of £75m audit fee increase
03/10/2022 Experts have warned councils could be hit by a £75m increase to their audit fees as details of the next five-year procurement were announced. |
Four councils to move away from joint waste contract
30/09/2022 Four councils that came together in a bid to provide improved and more cost-effective environmental services are expected to move away from joint commissioning. |
Nandy pledges to boost council housing
26/09/2022 Shadow levelling up secretary Lisa Nandy this week vowed to end the political ‘vandalism’ of UK social housing stock. |
Number of local business incubators double
06/09/2022 Business incubator and accelerator programmes in local areas have nearly doubled in number over the last five years, a new study reveals. |
Rural businesses to receive £110m boost
05/09/2022 Businesses across rural England are set to benefit from a £110m cash injection to boost productivity and create job opportunities in the countryside. |
Thousands of businesses still waiting for COVID relief funds
30/08/2022 Thousands of businesses promised business rates relief through the £1.5bn COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund (CARF) are still waiting to receive council support. |
Skyrocketing energy bills threaten local pubs
24/08/2022 Local pubs are under threat from rising energy bills and the impact the cost of living crisis has had on customers, independent brewers warn the Chancellor. |
Councils support small businesses with over £21bn COVID support
23/08/2022 Local authorities have allocated £21.3bn in COVID support grants to small businesses, a new report has revealed. |
Clark warning over 'risky commercial practices'
22/08/2022 Communities secretary Greg Clark has warned ‘some local authorities are engaging in risky commercial practices’. |
Delivering social change through early payment
09/08/2022 Anthony Persse, CEO, Optimum Finance & Saltare, looks at how local authorities can help deliver societal change through the early payment of suppliers. |
Call for new PM to boost role of LEPs
08/08/2022 The next PM must better support small businesses through Local Enterprise Partnerships if the UK is to ride the forthcoming recession, business leaders warn. |
Council warns planning rules threaten London’s ‘premier shopping district’
27/07/2022 Westminster CC has warned that London’s status as a globally recognised shopping destination is under threat from planning regulations. |
Government urged to scale up levelling up
18/07/2022 The Government is focusing on the right issues as part of its levelling up agenda but needs to dramatically scale up investment and effort, according to the Institute for Government (IfG) think-tank. |
Early intervention cuts trigger crisis interventions
18/07/2022 Councils, young people and families are trapped in a ‘vicious cycle’ due to the halving of investment in early intervention over the last decade, the largest children’s charities have warned. |
LGA Conference: Sector should consider offering four-day week
29/06/2022 Councils may have to consider offering a four-day week in order to attract the staff desperately needed by the sector, a workshop at the Local Government Association’s (LGA) annual conference has heard. |
Five high streets join pilot to boost local business
13/06/2022 Five high streets have been chosen to join a pilot scheme aimed at supporting local businesses and reviving town centres. |
Councils urged to boost local digital skills
06/06/2022 Councils urged to do more to help small businesses with digital training as evidence suggests businesses are struggling with the social media revolution. |
New anti-Putin powers given to councils
26/05/2022 Councils have been handed powers to terminate commercial relationships with firms that have ‘strong links’ to Vladimir Putin’s ‘murderous regime’. |
Council offers support to data analysis businesses
19/05/2022 Milton Keynes Council is offering businesses who are operating in the field of data analysis the opportunity to join a business acceleration programme. |
City council invites businesses to test-drive electric vans
29/04/2022 Nottingham City Council is inviting businesses to test-drive a new electric van before taking a fully-funded one-month trial. |
