How to Fix Local Roads: Sustainable Road Maintenance Solutions for Local Government
Explore expert insights on sustainable road maintenance and pothole repair, and learn how local government can fix the road network with proactive strategies.
Local authority reclaims Blackpool Tower
05/06/2025 Blackpool Council has taken over management duties of Blackpool Tower, marking an ‘exciting new chapter for Blackpool’s tourism industry’. |
Visitor levies could generate millions for local economies, say mayors
03/06/2025 English mayors have urged the Government to allow councils to introduce visitor levies to boost regional economies, tourism and infrastructure. |
Busking to cease in Leicester Square
15/04/2025 Local authorities have suspended two busking pitches in Leicester Square. |
Bradford signs 25-year contract for new venue
11/04/2025 Bradford Council has signed a 25-year contract for the delivery of the city's newest entertainment venue, the 3,800-seat Bradford Live. |
Westminster City Council ordered to silence buskers
02/04/2025 A judge has ordered Westminster City Council to take action against buskers in Leicester Square. |
Council celebrates Tolkien with new sculpture trail
25/03/2025 East Riding of Yorkshire Council has commissioned a new sculpture trail in honour of JRR Tolkien, the author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. |
Council approves £2.5m Rose sculptures
06/03/2025 Barnsley Council has approved £2.5m of funding for three Yorkshire Rose sculptures in the town centre. |
Council chiefs back call for funding creatives
04/03/2025 Local government leaders have backed a call to provide more financial support to smaller creative industries which can ‘drive local growth.’ |
Labour awards half of Tories’ ‘unfunded’ culture cash
17/02/2025 Ministers have announced today that £50m will be awarded to a string of culture projects – about half the level of funding promised by the Tories. |
Climate, craft beer and climbing: Sheffield unveils plans for rebrand
11/02/2025 A rebranding project to improve perceptions of Sheffield will help boost tourism and economic growth, according to the local authority. |
Hull bids for UNESCO status
03/02/2025 Hull has set its sights on earning recognition as a UNESCO Creative City of Music. |
Council to honour ‘Birmingham legends’ Black Sabbath and Benjamin Zephaniah
22/01/2025 Birmingham City Council is set to honour the members of heavy metal band Black Sabbath and posthumously award a medal to poet and campaigner Benjamin Zephaniah. |
Council plans ‘striking’ Yorkshire roses landmark
13/01/2025 Three Yorkshire roses are set to form a ‘striking’ new landmark as part of a Barnsley Council redevelopment project. |
Bradford kicks off year as UK City of Culture
13/01/2025 Bradford saw thousands of visitors descend on the city for the launch of its year as UK City of Culture. |
English councils slash culture spending by 50%
17/12/2024 Spending on culture, heritage and libraries by English councils has been cut by more than half over the last 15 years, according to new research. |
Art stolen from £1m sculpture trail
02/12/2024 Artwork from a public sculpture installation outside Wakefield Council’s headquarters has been stolen. |
Historic London markets set to close
27/11/2024 Two of the capital’s oldest food markets are set to close after the City of London Corporation agreed to pull out of running them. |
Rayner may intervene over plans for tower block near synagogue
26/11/2024 The Government could step in amid a dispute over plans to build a 43-storey office block near Britain’s oldest synagogue in London. |
Pier linked to Dambusters raid gets £10m lottery lifeline
29/10/2024 The restoration of a Grade II* listed pier in Somerset on ‘the brink of loss’ has been granted £10m of National Lottery funding. |
Bradford leadership survives vote amid £50m venue criticism
16/10/2024 The leadership of Bradford Council has survived a vote of no confidence amid criticism over its handling of the £50.5m publicly funded venue, Bradford Live. |
Sky to appeal film studio planning refusal
14/10/2024 Broadcaster Sky is planning to appeal Hertsmere Borough Council's decision to refuse planning permission for an expansion of Sky Studios Elstree. |
Oxford’s original boundary revealed during dig
11/10/2024 Excavations are thought to have confirmed the original perimeter of Anglo-Saxon Oxford. |
Rayner to decide on Hollywood-backed studio plan
09/10/2024 Buckinghamshire Council’s decision to reject plans for a multi-million-pound film studio is set to be reviewed by the Government. |
Council alters head-bumping event over safety concerns
20/09/2024 A Cornish council has agreed to make changes to a local ceremony dating back to the 16th century over health and safety concerns. |
New homes should be for Welsh speakers, council says
06/09/2024 A community council in Wales has objected to plans for a new affordable housing development amid fears of a decline in non-Welsh speakers. |
Public libraries in ‘crisis’ amid cuts
03/09/2024 More than 180 council-run libraries in the UK have either closed or been handed to volunteer groups since 2016, analysis by the BBC has revealed. |
Council cancels comedy show amid antisemitism row
27/08/2024 A London borough council has cancelled a comedian’s performance after he was accused of making an antisemitic joke. |
Councils awarded £399,000 culture funding
09/08/2024 A place-based partnership involving Surrey County Council and Spelthorne Borough Council has secured £399,000 for a new culture hub. |
Culture funding under threat from bidding system
31/07/2024 Local government culture funding is under threat ‘due to the multitude of funding streams as well as the system for funding bids’, the LGA warns. |
Missing Henry VIII portrait spotted in county hall
26/07/2024 Art historians believe a missing portrait of Henry VIII is owned by Warwickshire County Council after it was spotted in a photo on social media. |
Corrie star helps save local theatre
10/07/2024 A national campaign led by Coronation star Julie Hesmondhalgh and her husband Ian Kershaw has saved the Oldham Coliseum theatre. |
Council has no plan to display £6.7m art
03/07/2024 North Yorkshire Council has no current plan to display the majority of its £6.7m art collection after talks about using the former council chamber fell through. |
Wakefield seeks acclaim as UK sculpture capital
18/06/2024 Wakefield Council has devised a plan to boost tourism and gain recognition as the UK capital of sculpture. |
Edinburgh council celebrates ‘spectacular’ Eras Tour welcome
11/06/2024 The City of Edinburgh Council has paid tribute to fans, residents, transport services and staff after Taylor Swift’s global tour descended on the city at the weekend. |
Council rejects film studio plans despite Hollywood backing
31/05/2024 Buckinghamshire councillors have rejected permission for a proposed film studio despite the plans receiving the backing of Hollywood royalty. |
Council secures Mr Darcy’s iconic ‘wet shirt’
23/05/2024 Calderdale Council has successfully secured Mr Darcy’s iconic ‘wet shirt’ from the BBC adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. |
Liverpool to transform into ‘Taylor Town’ to welcome Eras Tour star
22/05/2024 Fans descending on Liverpool for Taylor Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour will receive a ‘proper scouse welcome’, with events dedicated to the pop icon. |
£101m boost for new music hubs
08/05/2024 A ‘new generation’ of music hubs will receive £101m to provide music education to young people across England. |
Demolition of Only Fools and Horses tower set for 2027
07/05/2024 The iconic London tower block whose exterior served as Nelson Mandela House in the opening credits of Only Fools and Horses is set to be demolished in 2027. |
2,000-year-old Roman house to reopen as part of £235k scheme
23/04/2024 The Roman Painted House in Dover, built in 200AD, is set to reopen this summer after a period of repairs. |
Council contractor apologises after painting over Zephaniah mural
08/04/2024 A council contractor has apologized after painting over a mural of the late poet and Peaky Blinders star Benjamin Zephaniah in central Birmingham. |
Budget: West Midlands to get £15m culture funding boost
06/03/2024 West Midlands Combined Authority is to get a £15m boost in funding for culture, heritage and investment projects in the region, the chancellor has announced. |
'Culture of mistrust' found at Newham
04/03/2024 Newham LBC’s chief executive has vowed to tackle the ‘culture of mistrust’ among politicians and officers laid bare by a critical peer review. |
Rochdale Town Hall to reopen after £20m restoration
26/02/2024 Rochdale’s Grade I-listed town hall will open its doors to the public this weekend following a four-year restoration project. |
Harry Kane statue in storage for years
22/02/2024 Waltham Forest Council is struggling to find a suitable location for a statue of local hero Harry Kane. |
Liverpool hands over Eurovision key
31/01/2024 Liverpool has officially handed over the symbolic key to Eurovision during a ceremony in Sweden. |
Freedom of Nuneaton for Oscar nominee
30/01/2024 The filmmaker Gareth Edwards has been honoured by his home town with a freedom of the borough. |
Report calls for more devolution to boost creative industries
23/01/2024 The further devolution of powers and funding connected to culture will help tackle economic stagnation and will boost to local communities, study finds. |
Culture year to launch with raft of events
02/01/2024 A year-long programme of cultural activities in Wakefield is set to kick off with a day of 24 free events. |
Bradford Live ready for 2024 opening
15/12/2023 Bradford Live has announced that it will be opening its doors for its launch season in autumn 2024. |
Levelling Up Fund allocated
20/11/2023 The third round of the Levelling Up Fund has been awarded to unsuccessful bids from round two. |
Northern councils join creative coalition
15/11/2023 Local leaders across the north of England have joined leading creative industry figures to commit to developing a ‘northern creative corridor’ (NCC). |
Councils respond to King’s Speech
08/11/2023 The Local Government Association (LGA) has responded to proposed legislation announced yesterday in the King’s Speech. |
£240m venue launches with Danny Boyle extravaganza
19/10/2023 Four years late and significantly over budget, a new cultural arena opened in Manchester yesterday with an immersive performance directed by Danny Boyle. |
Museums and the cost-of-culture crisis
11/10/2023 India Divers, policy and campaigns officer, Museums Association looks at the impact on museums of the financial squeeze faced by most local authorities. |
£200m heritage uplift for more deprived areas
09/10/2023 The National Lottery Heritage Fund has pledged £200m to support the heritage assets of 20 UK towns and cities. |
New festival to light up Scarborough
05/10/2023 The Scarborough Lights festival will be launched next month as part of a three-year plan to boost arts, attract tourists and improve job opportunities on the North Yorkshire coast. |
Council to shut 39 facilities
02/10/2023 North Lanarkshire Council has decided to close 39 community facilities in response to its financial shortfall. |
Where’s Wally? Stolen statue spotted and returned to council
29/09/2023 A piece of art stolen in a heist 16 years ago has been returned to Ealing Council. |
Why the planning system is failing our pubs
11/09/2023 Greg Mulholland and James Watson, Campaign for Pubs, argue that the case of the Crooked House Pub should prompt a rethink of the planning system. |
Restoration of ‘pipes fit for a queen’ underway
04/09/2023 The historic decorative pipes of the organ in Leeds Town Hall, which were seen by Queen Victoria in 1858, are being restored to their original design. |
Government to install 100 chess tables
22/08/2023 One hundred new chess tables are set to be installed in public spaces across England as part of a £1m package, the Government has announced. |
New ‘Brit School for the north’ gets go-ahead
21/08/2023 The Government has approved plans for a new Brit School in Bradford, based on the renowned creative college in south London. |
Hull’s city-wide mission to document public art
17/08/2023 Hull City Council is calling on residents and visitors to photograph ‘hidden or neglected masterpieces’ as part of an audit of the city’s public art. |
Dartfort BC unveils Rolling Stones statues
10/08/2023 Visitors to Dartford will now be greeted by a bronze statues celebrating the borough’s most famous rock legends, Sir Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. |
Flying Scotsman returns home for centenary
08/08/2023 Flying Scotsman, the most famous steam locomotive in the world, is heading back to its birthplace of Doncaster, the city where it was built a century ago. |
Bradford displays painting ‘undoubtedly’ by Raphael in world first
26/07/2023 A painting has gone on display in Bradford after more than 40 years of debate culminated in the AI-assisted discovery that it was the work of Raphael. |
VisitBritain HQ moves to Birmingham
20/07/2023 Birmingham will be home to VisitBritain’s new headquarters, the national tourism agency has announced. |
Report reveals lead-up to Coventry culture trust collapse
19/07/2023 A report has laid bare the events leading to the collapse of the Coventry City of Culture Trust, including how financial problems re-emerged after a £1m loan. |
Wales and Cornwall strengthen ties in new agreement
18/07/2023 The Welsh government and Cornwall Council have formed a ‘strategic alliance’ to strengthen their historical, cultural and linguistic ties. |
Bradford to receive £20m as City of Culture
07/07/2023 Bradford will receive around £20m to fund a programme of activities as part of its year as UK City of Culture 2025. |
Eurovision and the importance of culture
04/07/2023 Claire McColgan, director of Culture Liverpool, discusses the role of culture in place making, the topic of her talk today at the LGA annual conference. |
UK’s last remaining gaslit cinema to reopen
27/06/2023 On Friday (30 June), The Hyde Park Picture House in Leeds will open its doors to visitors after a £4.8m refurbishment. |
Bradford Council launches £3m culture fund
31/05/2023 A £3m fund has been created to boost cultural venues in Bradford in the run up to its celebrations as City of Culture in 2025. |
Stockport named Town of Culture for 2023
24/05/2023 Stockport has been named Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture for 2023, securing £50,000 to support the borough’s arts sector. |
Petition to save venue after crush deaths hits 50,000
02/05/2023 A petition calling on Lambeth Council to save the O2 Academy Brixton after two people were crushed to death last year has reached over 50,000 signatures. |
Mayor urged to support smaller museums
27/04/2023 Mayor Sadiq Khan should make ‘more permanent, affordable premises’ available for London’s quirkier cultural organisations, London assembly members say. |
Over 70 cultural venues set for £60m investment
20/03/2023 More than 70 libraries, museums and arts centres are to be given a £60m boost, culture secretary Lucy Frazer has announced. |
New Buckinghamshire film studios to create 1,200 jobs
17/03/2023 Buckinghamshire Council has granted planning permission for a new eight-stage film studio expected to support 1,200 jobs. |
Gary Lineker twitter row ‘fuss about nothing’, says mayor
13/03/2023 Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen calls for Gary Lineker to be reinstated on Match of the Day and tells everyone to ‘grow up’. |
Coventry City Council £1m loan at risk after culture trust goes bust
01/03/2023 A trust set up to promote culture in Coventry after the city's year as City of Culture in 2021 has gone into administration putting a £1m council loan at risk. |
Thanet Council dismantles Banksy’s ‘Valentine’s Day’ mural
15/02/2023 An artwork by Banksy in Margate has been dismantled by the local council just hours after the artist claimed it as his. |
Pocklington to leave DLUHC amid Whitehall changes
07/02/2023 Permanent secretary Jeremy Pocklington will leave the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) amid a series of Whitehall changes. |
City leaders call for £100m boost to ‘cultural engagement’
07/02/2023 Cities with low ‘cultural engagement’ are more likely to be deprived, according to a new report. |
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. |
Northern councils sign up to ‘blockbuster’ film scheme
01/02/2023 A dozen councils in the North East have signed up to a scheme to help film and TV companies work in the region. |
Council chiefs welcome call to address creative skills ‘blind spot’
17/01/2023 Council leaders have welcomed a call for a Government focus on fixing the educational ‘blind spots' and digital skills shortage impacting creative industries. |
Tees Valley culture sector receives nearly £600,000
10/01/2023 The culture sector in the north east is set to receive a boost of over half a million pounds, the Tees Valley Combined Authority has announced. |
Dozens of pubs saved by nearly £7m boost
12/12/2022 More than 30 pubs, clubs, theatres and other venues at risk of closure have been placed in the hands of local people thanks to £6.67m of levelling up funding. |
Local arts funding faces £2.4bn gap
08/12/2022 A multi-year funding settlement is essential for helping local authorities support the arts, council chiefs say as report reveals a £2.4bn culture funding gap. |
Nottingham’s castle closure after £33m revamp ‘huge disappointment’
22/11/2022 The closure of Nottingham’s castle after a multi-million-pound investment is a ‘huge disappointment’, the city council has said. |
Cultural institutions face ‘existential threat’, MPs warn
02/11/2022 Theatres, museums and leisure centres in historically left behind areas are facing an ‘existential threat’ from the cost-of-living crisis, MPs warn. |
Councils urged to share post-pandemic cultural activities
24/06/2022 The LGA is calling for councils and local partners to share examples of their work in using culture to support the post-pandemic recovery and levelling up. |
Bradford chosen as UK City of Culture 2025
01/06/2022 Bradford has been named the UK City of Culture 2025, beating off competition from 20 other cities. |
Councils encouraged to apply for share of £128m culture fund
10/05/2022 Cultural venues including museums, galleries and public libraries are being encouraged to submit expressions of interest to receive a share of £128m. |
Over 300 theatres and museums receive £35m support
31/03/2022 Cultural organisations from across England have received a share of a £35m emergency support package to help overcome the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. |
Oxford council ends twinning arrangement with Russian city
07/03/2022 Oxford City Council has become the latest local authority to propose ending twinning arrangements with a Russian city. |
Northern leaders champion role of culture in levelling up
20/01/2022 Leaders from across the North have called for more investment and more devolution to help promote culture in the north of England. |
City of Culture 2025 longlist announced
08/10/2021 The Government today announced the eight places that have been longlisted for the prestigious UK City of Culture 2025 title. |
Council chiefs welcome plan to support creative arts
17/09/2021 Local authorities are in a ‘unique position’ to support the creative arts and culture sector in their local areas, council chiefs say. |
