Crime | LocalGov


One in 6 relaxed about council tax fraud 29/04/2025 One in 6 adults have admitted to either falsely claiming the Single Person Discount (SPD) or knowing someone who had in the past year, new research reveals.
Arson attack destroys buses for vulnerable children 28/04/2025 An arson attack on a Somerset Council compound in Taunton has destroyed four minibuses used for providing transport for vulnerable children and young adults.
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.
Children in prison failed by ‘multiple services’ 27/02/2025 Children in prison have been failed by ‘multiple services’ and youth custody worsens their disadvantages, according to the Children’s Commissioner.
Man posing as Greggs worker scams council out of £710,000 17/02/2025 A man has been convicted after he posed as a Greggs manager to con Leeds City Council out of grants designed to help small businesses during the pandemic.
Getting prepared for local child sexual exploitation inquiries 13/02/2025 After the government announced five pilots for locally-led inquiries into child grooming gangs, councils should ensure they have resources at their disposal should investigations be rolled out, says Stephanie McGarry, partner at Browne Jacobson.
Rayner announces £350m affordable housing boost 12/02/2025 An extra £350m will be invested to boost the number of affordable homes and more will be done to stop rogue landlords getting benefits, the deputy PM says.
Councillor jailed after ‘campaign of intimidating behaviour’ 31/01/2025 A Torridge District Council member will face prison after he was found guilty of harassment.
Government failing to tackle violence against women and girls 31/01/2025 A damning new report has concluded that government efforts have failed to improve outcomes for victims of violence against women and girls (VAWG).
Racism not main driver of children joining riots, report says 28/01/2025 Young people who took part in last summer’s riots were not primarily driven by social media misinformation or racism, according to new research by the Children’s Commissioner.
Government seeks Prevent programme 'answers' after Southport attack 21/01/2025 Reforms to Prevent are to be unveiled this week ahead of a public inquiry looking at why it failed to stop last year's fatal Southport knife attack.
Council staff arrested as police investigate corruption 06/12/2024 Four members of staff at Leeds City Council have been arrested on suspicion of bribery offences.
Art stolen from £1m sculpture trail 02/12/2024 Artwork from a public sculpture installation outside Wakefield Council’s headquarters has been stolen.
Youth club closures led to more crime, report finds 12/11/2024 Youth club closures between 2010 and 2019 led to higher rates of crime and worse educational outcomes, a report has found.
Council prosecutes mail company for accepting fake IDs 29/10/2024 A mail forwarding company has been fined after an investigation by Islington Council revealed it was accepting fake identification.
Finance officer jailed for £1m theft 03/10/2024 An ex-finance officer at Gedling Borough Council has been jailed for five years after he stole almost £1m to fund a gambling addiction.
Ex-councillor jailed for ‘voyeurism on vast scale’ 30/09/2024 A former councillor who filmed 28 women in bathrooms and bedrooms using hidden cameras over a 15-year period has been jailed for six years and two months.
Council seizes fly-tipping vans in new crackdown 19/09/2024 Two vehicles allegedly used to illegally dump waste have been seized by Bolton Council in the first week of its new waste crime strategy.
Islington wins back £260,000 in fraud case 18/09/2024 Islington Council has won back more than a quarter of a million pounds from a resident who fraudulently took on a council tenancy.
Former chief given two-year driving ban 17/09/2024 A former Lambeth LBC boss has been banned from driving for two years after admitting failing to stop after a collision and not having insurance.
Former finance manager stole £930,000 from council 13/09/2024 A former employee of Gedling Borough Council has pleaded guilty to fraud after stealing almost £1m from the authority to pay off gambling debts.
‘Little meaningful progress’ made in tackling anti-social behaviour 09/09/2024 Little progress has been made in improving the responses of councils and other agencies to complaints of anti-social behaviour, Victims' Commissioner says.
Mayors asked to take lead in drive against extremism 05/09/2024 Local political leaders have been asked to spearhead efforts to tackle extremism and foster greater community cohesion following a summer of disorder.
Council information call ahead of early prisoner release 05/09/2024 Councils call for more information as the Government prepares to ‘temporarily' reduce proportion of some sentences served amid capacity pressures on jails.
Thousands of social homes illegally sublet, study reveals 02/09/2024 Thousands of social homes are being marketed on short-term let platforms like Airbnb, new research reveals.
Council grasps the nettle with ANPR cameras 30/08/2024 Rotherham Council is installing automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras at five ‘key sites’ under new powers to enforce moving traffic offences.
Pandemic fraud investigation unit lacked ‘appropriate governance’ 19/08/2024 The Government's pandemic fraud investigation unit lacked ‘appropriate governance’ either on the part of the Government or from Thurrock Council, an independent review has concluded.
Council leaders call for a voice on Cobra 12/08/2024 Local government representation on Cobra, the committee for dealing with national emergencies, is essential, council leaders say after last week’s riots.
Rotheram: Mindless violence distracts from delivering justice 31/07/2024 Local government leaders have condemned violent protests that broke out after three girls were killed in a knife attack.
Three arrested in connection with crematorium scandal 30/07/2024 Three people have been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office and fraud by false representation in an investigation into the disposal of ashes.
Old Bailey jury clears former chief of rape 25/07/2024 Ex-Harrow LBC chief Michael Lockwood has been cleared of raping and molesting two 14-year-old girls 40 years ago.
Abandoned Baby Elsa in council care 05/06/2024 A DNA test has confirmed that a baby found abandoned in a shopping bag in Newham is biologically related to two other babies found in the London borough.
London sees 400% increase in blue badge thefts 04/06/2024 A fourfold increase in the number of blue badge thefts in London is partly the result of local authority cuts, warns London Assembly Member.
Grooming gangs unit arrests 550 child predators 21/05/2024 A specialist grooming gangs unit has helped arrest over 550 suspected child predators over the last year, according to the Home Office.
Alcohol harm costs England £27.4bn a year 20/05/2024 Research has uncovered a £27.4bn annual bill for alcohol-related harm in England, prompting a call for local powers to control alcohol availability in the worst affected areas.
‘Suffering’ XL Bully dogs rescued from breeding facility 07/05/2024 Over 20 dogs, believed to be XL Bullies, have been rescued from squalid conditions in a breeding facility in Sheffield in a joint operation.
Hainault: Council ‘shocked’ by sword attack 01/05/2024 A 14-year-old died and two police officers suffered ‘significant’ injuries yesterday after a man armed with a sword terrorized residents in north-east London.
Council warns of dangerous autism ‘cure’ fraud 18/04/2024 Greenwich council has warned schools and nurseries to be on guard after learning of an individual offering ‘experimental procedures’ for autistic children.
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.
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.
Finley Boden: Council apologises for ‘missed opportunities’ 28/03/2024 Derbyshire CC has apologised for the ‘missed opportunities’ to do more to safeguard 10-month-old Finley Boden who was murdered on Christmas Day in 2020.
Council leader refuses to be ‘held to ransom’ by bin lorry vandals 18/03/2024 Vandals have been sabotaging Brighton & Hove City Council’s fleet of bin lorries, causing disruption to collection rounds.
Bodies removed from funeral home in fraud case 11/03/2024 Police have removed 34 bodies from the premises of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Yorkshire over concerns about the care of the deceased.
Chesterfield council welcomes record drugs bust 26/02/2024 Dozens of gang members have been jailed for more than 120 years after a drugs bust in Chesterfield succeeded in disrupting nine county lines gangs.
Former council worker jailed for fraud 19/02/2024 A former council employee and a roofing firm worker have been jailed for fraud and bribery after they conspired to defraud New Forest District Council.
The Trading Standards Crisis 15/02/2024 John Herriman, chief executive at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, discusses the impact of the local government funding crisis on Trading Standards.
Call to recruit 19,000 neighbourhood officers 13/02/2024 A think-tank has urged the Government to launch a recruitment drive to boost police numbers and restore trust in neighbourhood policing.
British boys most at risk of modern slavery in UK 12/02/2024 People suffering criminal exploitation, often young British boys, must be recognised as victims of modern slavery, a new report has argued.
Council seizes £55k of illegal supersize vapes 01/02/2024 Supersize vapes with tanks many times the size of the UK legal limit were among a recent £55,000 haul made by Westminster City Council from one West End shop.
Worcestershire council contacted 36 times before child’s death 29/01/2024 Worcestershire County Council was contacted multiple times about the welfare of nine-year-old Alfie Steele, who was killed by his mother and her partner.
Council chiefs welcome drop in fly-tipping incidents 17/01/2024 Local authorities in England dealt with 1.08 million fly-tipping incidents in 2022/23, a decrease of 1% on the previous year, according to the latest figures.
Investigation launched into ULEZ camera explosion 08/12/2023 The Metropolitan Police has launched a criminal investigation after an Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) camera in Sidcup exploded on Wednesday night.
Liverpool launches taskforce to tackle criminal landlords 04/12/2023 Liverpool City Council has launched a taskforce to go after rogue landlords involved in criminality.
West Suffolk defrauded of £52,000 27/11/2023 West Suffolk Council has revealed that it lost £52,000 in a fraud incident this year.
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.
Agency found guilty of harassing tenants 11/10/2023 In a prosecution by Brighton and Hove City Council, a lettings agency has been found guilty of harassing tenants and fined £60,000.
Labour announces programme to tackle youth crime 10/10/2023 Labour would set up a ‘young futures’ programme to help tackle crises in youth crime and mental health, shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper has announced.
Safeguarding review after 10-year-old's death 05/10/2023 An independent safeguarding review is to begin following the death of 10-year-old Sara Sharif.
Concern over Bristol schools’ app use to monitor children 22/09/2023 Campaign groups have accused Bristol schools who use an app to monitor pupils and their families of ‘intrusive monitoring’.
‘Shockingly high’ justice system involvement among care-experienced children 21/09/2023 A third of care-experienced children born from 1996-99 received a youth justice caution or conviction – a finding described as a ‘terrible indictment of the failure of local authorities’.
Scam warning amid digital switchover 18/09/2023 Criminals are exploiting the analogue to digital switchover to scam users of health care telephony devices into giving personal information, councils warn.
Landlord fined £285,000 after council investigates illegal homes 01/09/2023 A landlord who crammed vulnerable tenants into tiny flats above a Stoke Newington pub has been fined £285,000 after Hackney Council enforcement officers intervened.
Councillor charged over child grooming allegations 30/08/2023 A Scottish Labour councillor has been suspended from the party after he was charged over allegations of child grooming.
Council confirms murdered Sara Sharif was known to authorities 21/08/2023 A 10-year-old girl who was found dead in Surrey nearly two weeks ago was known to the county council.
Brent issues first ever ban on ‘criminal' landlord 17/08/2023 Brent Council has for the first time used a power that enables it to ban serial rogue landlords.
Council seizes £32,000 of illegal tobacco 07/08/2023 North Somerset Council has seized £32,000 worth of illegal tobacco from premises in Weston-super-Mare.
Met still stop and search without body-worn cameras 31/07/2023 The Met have carried out 6,225 stop and searches since January 2022 without using body-worn video (BWV) cameras, according to new data.
Sheffield council staff dismissed or resigned over fraud, report says 28/07/2023 Staff at Sheffield City Council have lost their jobs or resigned following the discovery of fraudulent activity, according to a report.
Councils issue record number of finds for 'busybody' offences 20/07/2023 Local authorities issued the highest ever number of penalties for anti-social behaviour – or for what have been branded 'busybody' offences – in 2022.
Cap on fly-tipping fines should be ‘removed altogether’ 12/07/2023 The Government’s decision to increase the maximum fines for fly-tipping falls short of what is required to crackdown on offenders, council chiefs have said.
Union warns of ‘significant rise’ in social care exploitation 10/07/2023 Unison has warned of a ‘significant rise’ in the number of migrant workers who are being exploited in the social care sector.
Nottingham City Council leader ‘shocked’ by deadly attack 14/06/2023 The leader of Nottingham City Council has said he is ‘shocked and saddened’ by an attack in the city that left three people dead and three others injured.
Councils warned over £16m of fake pothole claims 09/06/2023 Insurance experts have warned councils over a rise in fake claims for damage to vehicles caused by potholes.
Council threatens evictions to force children to inform on knife crime 06/06/2023 Barking and Dagenham council has warned families could be evicted from their homes if their children do not inform on people who commit knife crime.
Rogue landlords are using ‘fake bailiffs’, charity warns 05/06/2023 Rogue landlords are using fake private security guards dressed like court bailiffs to force families out of their rented homes, a charity has warned.
Council helps Premier League stop £7m streaming fraud 31/05/2023 Five men who illegally streamed Premier League matches have been jailed following a trading-standards investigation led by Hammersmith and Fulham Council.
Review into Leicester unrest launched 26/05/2023 The Government has commissioned an independent review into the unrest in Leicester last year that occurred between groups of young Muslim and Hindu men.
Westminster council takes on tax avoiding candy stores 25/05/2023 Westminster City Council has declared war on US-style candy and souvenir stores that are failing to pay business rates or selling illegal or unsafe goods.
Council investigation reveals mother’s forgery 23/05/2023 A mother in Barnet has admitted in court to forging official documents to get her son into a popular secondary school.
Alarming figures reveal 300% increase in ‘cuckooing’ 19/05/2023 Figures collected from local authorities across London have revealed a 300% increase in the number of ‘cuckooing’ cases across the capital.
Waste officers call for fly-tipping funding 11/05/2023 Majority of council waste officers think their local authority does not have enough resources and capacity to effectively tackle fly-tipping, poll reveals.
Parents reluctant to report missing children, report finds 26/04/2023 Low trust and confidence in the Metropolitan police is making some parents and carers reluctant to report children missing, according to the London Assembly.
Campaigners call for ‘community-led approach’ to youth violence 25/04/2023 Police powers should be reduced and a ‘community-led approach’ to violence among young people adopted instead, according to campaigners.
Woman fined £1,500 for discarded cigarette butt 21/04/2023 A Bristol woman has been fined a total of nearly £1,500 after throwing her cigarette butt on the ground outside a supermarket.
Safeguarding review of child sex abuse case withheld 11/04/2023 Walsall Safeguarding Partnership (WSP) will not be publishing its review into the largest child sex abuse case investigated by West Midlands Police.
Trust for children's services at Star Hobson council goes live 03/04/2023 The Trust tasked with running Bradford Council’s children’s services following the tragic death of 16-month-old Star Hobson has gone live.
Child sexual exploitation taskforce announced 03/04/2023 PM Rishi Sunak has announced the establishment of a new taskforce of specialist police officers to help investigate child sexual exploitation and grooming.
Police called after LTN planters set on fire 29/03/2023 Rochdale Borough Council has called the police after local low-traffic neighbourhood (LTN) planters were set on fire.
Children in youth custody face ‘tension and paranoia’ 29/03/2023 Children as young as 10 in youth custody are facing ‘palpable tension and paranoia’, according to an official report.
Woman served 10-year anti-social behaviour injunction 24/03/2023 A woman who exploited vulnerable people has been served a 10-year anti-social behaviour injunction following an investigation by Milton Keynes City Council.
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’.
Council welcomes ‘significant’ £20m Blyth investment 24/02/2023 The Government has announced a multi-million-pound funding package to help spread opportunity and boost local pride in Blyth.
Rochdale council disrupts £65m counterfeit goods network 23/02/2023 The trading standards team at Rochdale Borough Council has disrupted a criminal counterfeit goods operation worth up to £65m a year.
Wandsworth Council stopped from issuing ‘unlawful’ fines 15/02/2023 The DfT has stopped Wandsworth Council from ‘unlawful’ fining of speeding drivers after the council became the first local authority to issue tickets.
Tenant jailed for £200,000 housing fraud 14/02/2023 A tenant who lived in council housing in Dudley while renting out a flat she owned has been jailed for 32 months.
Council deletes contacts due to Nicola Bulley disappearance ‘abuse’ 13/02/2023 Wyre Council has been forced to remove the contact details of councillors due to ‘inappropriate’ emails in the wake of Nicola Bulley disappearance.
Council officer praised after crossbow-wielding man arrested 02/02/2023 A Barking and Dagenham Council community ranger has been praised after their actions led to the arrest of a man armed with a crossbow.
Charge manufacturers for fly-tipping clean up, council chiefs say 01/02/2023 Manufacturers should contribute to the cost of cleaning up fly-tipped rubbish to help tackle the health risk posed by the illegal practice, council chiefs say.
Khan announces £14m to restore trust in Met 27/01/2023 The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has set out proposals for £14.2m of new funding to rebuild the trust and confidence of London’s communities in the Met Police.
Triple on-the-spot littering fines, think tank urges 23/01/2023 A think tank has called for a ‘revitalised’ litter strategy including tripling the level of fines and ranking councils on enforcement of anti-littering laws.