Democracy under threat: Elections Bill’s risk to people with additional needs
Dr Mark Brookes discusses why measures to introduce voter ID could affect voter participation for those with learning disabilities.
Call to make virtual councils meetings permanent
01/07/2021 Councils should be given the freedom to hold remote meetings permanently in the future, the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has argued. |
Councillors back call for social care priority in Government
25/06/2021 More than nine in 10 councillors have called on the Government to give greater priority and funding to social care, according to a new poll. |
Councillors receive 'profound' apology for bullying allegations
05/05/2021 Attleborough Town Council has issued a 'profound and unreserved' apology to two councillors that were falsely accused of bullying and harassment. |
Only a third of local election candidates are women
04/05/2021 New research has shown that only a third of candidates in the English local elections are women, leading to concerns about a lack of gender equality in local government. |
Scotland has some of least local councils in Europe, says campaign group
04/05/2021 Scotland has some of the least local councils in Europe and is lagging behind England in terms of voter representation per councillor, new research has found. |
Local councils complain about poor banking services
30/04/2021 The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has warned it has received a groundswell of complaints about poor banking services across England. |
Council housing chief resigns after anonymous Twitter account was exposed
18/02/2021 The cabinet member for housing at Southwark Council has resigned after it emerged he was not 'transparent' about a Twitter account he managed. |
Councillors warn standardised collections will result in waste and recycling charges
09/02/2021 Residents may be forced to carry the cost of introducing standardised waste and recycling collections in England, a survey of local councillors has warned. |
Councillors urged to become 'cancer champions'
04/02/2021 A network of Councillor Cancer Champions teams have been launched to help local communities stay healthy. |
Former councillor jailed for electoral fraud
21/01/2021 A former councillor has been jailed and ordered to pay Redbridge Council more than £28,000 after committing electoral fraud. |
Coventry's leaders condemn violence in America
08/01/2021 Coventry City Council and its opposition party have distanced themselves from a tweet by an independent councillor, voicing support for Donald Trump. |
Leader of Merthyr Tydfil Council suspended for seven months
05/01/2021 The leader of Merthyr Tydfil Council has been suspended for seven months after he breached its code of conduct. |
A third of councillors ‘not confident’ about meeting net zero targets
14/12/2020 One in three councillors are not confident their council can meet net zero targets, a new poll has found. |
Thousands of councillors call for rethink on planning reforms
10/12/2020 Over 2,000 councillors have called on the Government to rethink its planning proposals, warning the changes will lead to an ‘unacceptable loss’ of local democracy and scrutiny. |
Councillors of the year revealed
27/11/2020 Cllr Tom Beattie of Corby Borough Council has been named council leader of the year in the 2020 Cllr Awards. |
Luton Council unable to take action against councillors breaching lockdown rules
13/10/2020 Luton council has expressed its ‘disappointment’ after it was unable to formally sanction three councillors who broke coronavirus lockdown rules in July. |
BCP Council leader announces ‘cabinet plus’
07/10/2020 The leader of BCP Council has announced a ‘cabinet plus’ approach to decision-making and policy development for the local authority. |
Northumberland County Council appoints new leadership
24/09/2020 Cllr Glen Sanderson has been voted in as the new leader of Northumberland County Council, after the former leader lost a vote of no confidence. |
Croydon would have issued s114 'in normal circumstances'
17/09/2020 Croydon LBC’s £49m total net forecast general fund overspend means it would have had to have issued a Section 114 notice in ‘normal circumstances,’ senior councillors have heard. |
Sector surprise at COVID marshal scheme
09/09/2020 Local government has been blindsided by Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s announcement that an army of COVID marshals will enforce tough new rules. |
Leader of Northumberland Council is deposed
03/09/2020 The leader of a scandal-hit council compared to North Korea has been deposed after a vote of no confidence at a fiery meeting. |
Key workers urged to stand as local councillors
27/08/2020 Labour has urged key workers to stand as councillors in next year's local elections. |
Council chief calls for prompt investigation into councillors’ lockdown breach
14/08/2020 The chief executive of Luton Council has called for a quick investigation and decision after three councillors broke lockdown restrictions to attend a garden party. |
Local government associations pledge to tackle abuse of councillors
10/08/2020 The UK's four local government associations have pledged to work together to tackle the rise in abuse targeted at elected members. |
Councils urged to tackle corruption in the planning process
03/08/2020 Councils across England need to improve the way they manage the risk of corruption in the planning process, Transparency International UK has warned. |
Ministers to receive Somerset unitary business case
31/07/2020 A business case for a single Somerset unitary has been sent to communities secretary Robert Jenrick and local government minister Simon Clarke. |
Councillors in south east reject metro mayors, says poll
28/07/2020 Seven out of ten councillors in the South East of England are against plans for metro mayors, a poll has revealed. |
Reorganisation will deter potential councillors, report warns
24/07/2020 Local government unitary reorganisation will slash the number of councillors and deter many from standing for election, a report for the District Councils’ Network (DCN) has warned. |
LGA split over worker bonus
26/05/2020 A cross-party agreement that the Local Government Association (LGA) would lobby for a coronavirus payment to staff was ditched after senior councillors blocked the move, The MJ can reveal. |
Councillors show support for remote planning consultations
23/04/2020 Nearly two-thirds of councillors are concerned about the impact Covid-19 will have on planning applications, a new survey has revealed. |
Councils given power to hold meetings remotely
03/04/2020 Local authorities will be allowed to hold public meetings remotely by video or telephone, under new powers introduced today. |
Video conferencing first at council meeting
02/04/2020 A council used software to help decide key planning applications in what is believed to be the first meeting of its kind in the country. |
Gateshead to look at bring housing back in-house
30/03/2020 Gateshead MBC is to formally consult on proposals to bring its housing services back in-house. |
Council elects new leader to help battle COVID-19
25/03/2020 Kingston Council has chosen a new leader who has a background in health emergencies to help during the coronavirus crisis. |
Mayoral governance in Bristol has 'boosted visibility' of leadership
18/03/2020 Mayoral governance in Bristol has boosted the visibility of city leadership but restricted the role of councillors, new research finds. |
Councils close buildings and cancel meetings in response to coronavirus outbreak
16/03/2020 Councils have closed, events and meetings have been cancelled and some politicians are in self-isolation in a bid to stem the spreading of the coronavirus pandemic. |
Council votes for climate change referendum
02/03/2020 Warwick DC has voted to hold a referendum on a 34.2% rise in its share of council tax to fund a climate emergency action programme. |
City region deal to be signed
25/02/2020 The Stirling and Clackmannanshire city region deal will be signed by council leaders and representatives of the UK and Scottish governments today. |
Union accuses town council of being like ‘The Godfather’
19/02/2020 There is a ‘systematic and sustained campaign of bullying’ in the Norfolk town council of Attleborough, according to the union Unite. |
Medway caves after Ombudsman rap
16/01/2020 Medway Council has finally accepted the recommendations in a Local Government Ombudsman public interest report after a two-year stand-off. |
A tale from Shakespeare Country – comedy or tragedy?
11/11/2019 Goings on in deepest Warwickshire suggest a hinterland of a dark and oppressive culture of sexism, says Mark Whitehead |
Council leader of the year is announced
06/11/2019 Cllr Darren Rodwell of London Borough of Barking and Dagenham has been named as council leader of the year in the 2019 Cllr Achievement Awards. |
Preventing and tackling abuse of councillors
05/11/2019 Clare Hardy explores how parish councils and local authorities can tackle and prevent the abuse of councillors. |
Councillors apologise to staff over 'pagan ritual' offer
25/10/2019 Two councillors have apologised in writing to their entire council staff following an investigation into sexist behaviour which included telling a woman she had 'good breeding hips' and offering to perform a pagan ritual. |
Parish council shuts down after abusive calls and hate mail
11/10/2019 A parish council in Greater Manchester has been dissolved after councillors reported experiencing intolerable levels of abuse. |
The safety of data on councillors’ personal devices
08/10/2019 Following the publication of the ICO data protection toolkit for local councils, Liz Page looks in detail at one of the issues highlighted: the use of councillor’s own devices being used for council work purposes. |
Brighton councillors criticise arms manufacturer for ‘deadly bombs’ used in Yemen
02/10/2019 Councillors in Brighton have called on the Government to stop a local business from manufacturing ‘deadly bombs and weapons’ after the company was named in a UN report. |
Babergh council considers changing name to ‘eliminate confusion’
20/09/2019 Councillors at Babergh District Council are planning on changing the local authority’s name because outsiders struggle to pronounce ‘Babergh’. |
Man admits sending anthrax hoax to councillors and MPs
23/08/2019 A man has pleaded guilty to sending fake anthrax to female councillor and MPs over a period of three years. |
Councils urged to protect councillors from abuse
03/07/2019 Councils are being urged to take steps to protect councillors from abuse and intimidation in a new guide published today. |
Councils still dominated by male politicans, says Fawcett Society
02/07/2019 Women’s representation in local government is ‘at a standstill’ according to the Fawcett Society. |
Council elections: Warning over lack of progress on female representation
02/05/2019 Only 34% of all candidates running in today’s local elections are women, new research has revealed today. |
BAME communities ‘underrepresented’ at the local level, audit reveals
26/04/2019 The underrepresentation of minorities at the local level gives the impression that local leaders ‘don't care about representative democracy’, campaigners say. |
Review finds lack of due diligence over council's commercial workspace project
21/03/2019 King’s Lynn & West Norfolk BC should ‘build on the lessons learned’ from the construction of a state-of-the-art commercial workspace, the council’s chief executive has said. |
Abuse and funding cuts force council leader to resign
12/03/2019 The pressure of funding cuts and increased abuse have led to the leader of North East Lincolnshire Council stepping down from his role. |
Standards of conduct in local government
13/02/2019 Tiffany Cloynes and Clare Hardy explore why there could be major changes ahead to the regime for monitoring the standard of conduct of members of local authorities in England. |
Involving young people in local democracy
08/02/2019 With less than 1% of councillors being under the age of 25, just why is it so hard to get younger people to stand for election? Mark Whitehead investigates. |
Less than 1% of councillors are aged under 25
01/02/2019 Under 1% of councillors serving on local councils are aged under 25, new research has revealed. |
Call for power to ban councillors
30/01/2019 Council standards boards should have the power to ban councillors for up to six months without allowances, the Committee on Standards in Public Life has recommended. |
The confusing tale of a councillor, an escort agency and a licencing committee
18/01/2019 Mark Whitehead investigates why a councillor removed from a licensing committee over his connection to an escort agency was not reinstated when cleared of any wrong-doing. |
New Years Honours for Rotherham
29/12/2018 Rotherham MBC commissioner Mary Ney and director of children’s services Ian Thomas have both been recognised in the Queen’s New Year’s honours. |
Councils welcome fund to help disabled people become councillors
03/12/2018 The Local Government Association (LGA) has welcomed a new fund encouraging for people with disabilities to put themselves forward for public office. |
Labour hits out at housing cash shift
12/11/2018 Labour has called for all areas to receive greater Government backing after Whitehall shifted the focus of its housing cash. |
Council's 'core offer' still leaves £33m deficit
05/11/2018 East Sussex CC’s chief executive Becky Shaw has laid out a ‘core offer’ that could risk the council’s ‘ability to meet statutory guidance and deadlines’. |
Councillors silenced on secret fiscal devolution report
31/10/2018 Senior councillors have been warned not to talk about a secret Local Government Association (LGA) report that models what fiscal devolution might look like, The MJ has been told. |
Minister embroiled in 'Oliver Twist' row
24/10/2018 Welsh local authorities have called on the First Minister to consider sacking his colleague in charge of councils after he labelled councillors ‘Oliver Twists’. |
Cambridge's remote-control councillor
22/10/2018 With Cambridge calling to ban councillors from moving too far away from their constituents, Mark Whitehead considers if long-distance communication can ever replace face-to-face communication? |
More than 40 councils sign anti-slavery pledge
19/10/2018 A total of 42 councils have signed a charter aimed at eradicating modern slavery in their supply chains. |
People convicted of serious crimes banned from councils
19/10/2018 Rules to prevent people found guilty of serious crimes from serving on local councils will be strengthened following a public consultation, the Government has announced. |
Clerks and councillors: Raising their game
25/09/2018 Neil Merrick outlines the five key areas that parish and town councillors should be trained in. |
Whitehall demands in-year cuts to improvement programme
19/09/2018 The sector’s ability to respond to crises such as a care provider failure could be hit after Whitehall demanded cuts to a key improvement programme, senior councillors have been warned. |
Councillor designs ‘virtual’ Facebook councillor
05/09/2018 The Redditch councillor who set up David Cameron’s official Facebook page has designed his own chatbot service to help local people communicate with the council. |
Largest ever transformation could save millions
30/08/2018 Oxfordshire CC’s largest ever transformation initiative could save up to £58m a year, officers have estimated. |
Over 6,000 houses nearly blocked due to councillor objections
23/08/2018 Over 6,000 new homes will now be built after councillors’ objections were overturned on appeal, planning consultants have found. |
Local councils call for single code of conduct
07/08/2018 The majority of town and parish councils support the introduction of a single, mandatory code of conduct, according to a new poll. |
Tory councillors agree councils should have power over fracking plans
03/08/2018 The majority of Tory councillors (80%) believe fracking companies should be required to submit a planning application before drilling, according to the results of a new poll. |
Somerset warns of possible Section 114
13/07/2018 Somerset CC has admitted it may have to impose ‘severe spending restrictions’ and an ‘emergency budget’ by issuing a Section 114 notice. |
Local government figures celebrated in Queen's birthday honours
11/06/2018 The former interim chief executive of Birmingham City Council, Stella Manzie, has been made a Dame in the Queen’s birthday honours for services to local government. |
Brokenshire announces Northamptonshire commissioners
09/05/2018 New local government secretary James Brokenshire has today announced the two commissioners appointed to help rescue troubled Northamptonshire CC. |
Councillors warn housing crisis is getting worse
02/05/2018 More than six out ten local councillors think the housing crisis is getting worse, with 43% agreeing the Green Belt should be reviewed, a new survey has revealed. |
'Agreeable’ politicians not necessarily the most effective, study finds
30/04/2018 Politicians who voters see as ‘agreeble’ and ‘trustworthy’ are not necessarily the most effective at their jobs, researchers reveal. |
Labour leader ousted from district council after vote of no confidence
27/04/2018 Labour have lost control of Ashfield District Council after cllr Cheryl Butler lost a motion of no confidence. |
Local elections 2018: Decision time on local services
18/04/2018 What issues will the main political parties be focusing on in the upcoming local elections? Mark Whitehead investigates. |
The harassment and intimidation of local councillors
06/04/2018 From death threats to online harassment, just why are councillors subject to increasing levels of abuse? Neil Merrick investigates. |
Kober: Politics is a team game. Councils nationally must unite
28/03/2018 Claire Kober calls on local government politicians across the country to come together to argue for a fairer funding formula |
Tributes paid following the death of Britain's youngest councillor
28/03/2018 Clarissa Slade, Britain’s youngest councillor, died suddenly on Monday at the age of 21. |
Councillors pledge to eradicate modern slavery from their supply chains
23/03/2018 Labour and Co-operative councillors have pledged to ensure none of the money they spend on procuring goods and services inadvertently ends up supporting exploitation or trafficking. |
Councillors to be equipped with 'community organising' skills
16/03/2018 A new partnership will soon equip councillors with ‘community organising’ skills to help them engage more effectively with their local communities. |
Leader of Brighton and Hove City Council resigns
27/02/2018 The leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, Warren Morgan, has resigned. |
Harlow leader resigns citing Momentum pressure
02/02/2018 The leader of Harlow Council has resigned arguing he was forced out by left-wing activists who were in pursuit of ‘ideological purity’. |
Tory councillors all resign from local council
02/02/2018 All the Conservative councillors on a town council have resigned after claims of harassment and bullying from the public. |
Council leader survives vote of no confidence following homelessness letter
30/01/2018 The council leader who called for rough sleepers to be removed from the streets of Windsor ahead of the royal wedding has survived a vote of no confidence. |
Councillors to kick-start joint plans with London mayor
26/01/2018 More than 100 council leaders and councillors from the south-east and east of England will today meet London mayor Sadiq Khan to kick-start joint plans. |
Ex-council deputy leader 'breached' code of conduct over parking fines
11/01/2018 The former deputy leader of Sandwell Council has breached the code of conduct for underselling a public toilet to a friend, and attempting to quash parking tickets for his wife and children. |
Councillors to get pay rise amid budget cuts
12/12/2017 Norfolk CC has voted a big increase in councillors allowances at a time when services across the county are facing cuts. |
Kober reselected for Haringey seat
09/11/2017 The chair of London Councils and leader of Haringey LBC has fought off a challenge from Labour activists to keep her council seat. |
Giving councillors a voice
08/11/2017 Local government must organise itself to support its councillors in their interactions with external agencies, write Professor Colin Copus and Rachel Wall. |
Councillors of the year are unveiled
08/11/2017 Cllr Peter Fleming of Sevenoaks District Council has been named as leader of the year in the 2017 C’llr Achievement Awards. |
UKIP councillors defect to Tories to ‘see Brexit through’
31/10/2017 Seven UKIP councillors from Great Yarmouth have resigned from the party and joined the Conservatives. |
Lack of funding are leaving children's needs unmet, councillors warn
31/10/2017 Two-thirds of councillors have warned their council doesn’t have enough funding to provide universal services for children and families, according to a new survey. |
This issue of Public Property examines how how flexible workspaces can lead the way in regeneration for local authorities, Why local authority intervention is key to successful urban regeneration schemes and if the Government’s challenge of embracing beauty is an opportunity for communities.
The March issue also takes a closer look at Blackburn with Darwen Council's first digital health hub to help people gain control over health and care services.
