McMahon: Existing devolution deals may be improved
26/07/2024 Local government minister Jim McMahon has said it is down to the Government to make devolution ‘attractive enough' for councils. |
Devolution ‘essential’ to Labour's growth mission
25/07/2024 Devolution reforms will be essential if Labour is to fulfil its mission of nationwide growth, a new report has argued. |
South East Councils calls for ‘seat’ at the devolution table
24/07/2024 Councils in the South East of England have written to the Government voicing concerns that they could be at a disadvantage in the ‘devolution revolution’. |
Minister voices concern over districts' role in devolution
22/07/2024 District councils should be handed a greater role in devolution talks, a minister has said. |
King's Speech: Devolution takes centre stage
17/07/2024 The announcement of an English Devolution Bill took centre stage in the King's Speech. |
King's Speech: A plan for devolution
17/07/2024 The new Labour Government has set out a widespread plan for devolution and economic growth in its Parliamentary timetable, with central diktat reserved for planning proposals. |
Taking Back Control: Why climate action needs devolution
17/07/2024 Christopher Hammond, UK100 chief executive and former council leader, argues that devolution is essential for tackling climate change. |
Rayner promises ‘new devolution revolution’
16/07/2024 Angela Rayner will today write to local leaders urging them to work with Government on delivering ‘the most ambitious programme of devolution' ever seen. |
Rayner: Labour ready to ‘transfer power out of Whitehall’
09/07/2024 Deputy PM Angela Rayner is set to tell regional mayors that Labour is ready to ‘transfer power out of Whitehall’ through a major programme of devolution. |
Mayor tells Labour to ‘commit’ to the Northern Powerhouse
08/07/2024 The new Labour Government should ‘commit early to the Northern Powerhouse’, says the mayor of Greater Manchester. |
Fresh calls for fiscal devo
04/07/2024 Backers of fiscal devolution have urged the government elected today to reconsider the policy despite their lobbying failing to get it mentioned in the manifestos. |
NextGov: Devolutionary road
24/06/2024 Jonathan Werran, the chief executive of think-tank Localis, discusses what the next government should do to extend devolution. |
Manchester legend Sir Howard Bernstein dies
22/06/2024 Former chief executive of Manchester City Council, Sir Howard Bernstein, has died, aged 71. |
Warnings over Labour devolution drive
20/06/2024 A Labour drive to fill in the devolution map will take time and energy away from deepening devolution in areas that have already secured deals, expert warns. |
Birmingham councillor becomes West Midlands deputy mayor
17/06/2024 The deputy leader of Birmingham City Council has been appointed as the deputy mayor of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). |
‘Existential crisis’ for councils as £6bn funding gap revealed
06/06/2024 A new Local Government White Paper has uncovered a £6.2bn funding gap facing councils in England over the next two years. |
Devolution deal delayed due to election
03/06/2024 Council leaders in the North West have reaffirmed their commitment to achieving a devolution deal despite election delay. |
Call to fix ‘incomplete patchwork’ of devolution deals
13/05/2024 The next government must extend devolution to 85% of England to address an ‘incomplete patchwork of mismatched deals’, a think-tank has argued. |
Mayors meet to hear growth plans
13/05/2024 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has summoned his party’s newly-elected mayors for a meeting to detail his plans for economic growth. |
Unitary transfers services to town council in ‘historic’ deal
08/05/2024 Somerset Council has passed on several functions to a local town council after it narrowly managed to set a balanced budget with a pledge to devolve powers. |
Torbay councillors back devolution bid
02/05/2024 Torbay Council members have given the green light to the creation of a new Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority (CCA). |
Devon councillors back devolution bid
30/04/2024 Devon County Council members have voted in favour of going ahead with plans that could see more power transferred from Whitehall to Devon and Torbay. |
What is a metro mayor?
25/04/2024 A metro mayor is directly elected by local people to oversee a region’s combined authority. |
LGA lobbied over income tax devolution
24/04/2024 The Local Government Association’s (LGA) White Paper should make the case for councils to receive a share of income tax, sector experts have urged. |
Addressing regional inequalities
18/04/2024 Andrew Borland, Chief Innovation Officer at the Virtual Engineering Centre (VEC), University of Liverpool discusses the importance of levelling up for growth. |
Devon County Council’s long-serving leader steps down
18/04/2024 The leader of Devon County Council has said it is the ‘right time’ to leave the post after 15 years. |
Government ignores sugar levy calls
12/04/2024 The Government has ignored Local Government Association (LGA) calls for the sugar levy to be spent by councils to tackle physical inactivity. |
Petition calls for creation of new town council
12/04/2024 A petition calling for the creation of a new town council in Salford has been submitted to Salford City Council. |
LocalGov Elections: Vote reformation
10/04/2024 Jonathan Werran, chief exec, Localis draws inspiration from a popular podcast on the Reformation to ponder the question of just how local are our politics. |
Next Government urged to look at devolving air passenger duty
10/04/2024 The leader of a Labour council in the shadow of Heathrow Airport has urged the next Government to look at devolving air passenger duty (APD). |
Think-tank's call for landfill tax devolution
04/04/2024 A think-tank has called for a portion of the proceeds from landfill tax to be devolved to councils. |
Devolve NHS England's £168bn budget to local government, says report
02/04/2024 NHS England’s £168bn budget should be handed to local government in a radical restructure, the Reform think-tank has suggested in a report today. |
Hull and East Riding finalise devolution proposal
28/03/2024 A devolution proposal for a Hull and East Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority is set to be submitted to the levelling up department. |
Parties draw battlelines for local elections
28/03/2024 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has given a speech in Dudley today following campaign launches by the Conservatives and Lib Dems. |
Lincolnshire devolution deal approved
15/03/2024 Lincolnshire CC members have approved a devolution deal for the area which will see the establishment of the Greater Lincolnshire Mayoral Combined County. |
The elephant in the budget
12/03/2024 The budget provided support to strengthen growth, but bolder action is required to tackle finances, says Amanda Kelly, local government lead at PA Consulting. |
Budget: Chancellor launches productivity push
06/03/2024 Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has unveiled a Budget with little respite for local government but demands for increased public sector productivity. |
Coventry to consider £35m for Gigapark investment zone
06/03/2024 Coventry City Council’s cabinet will discuss whether to accept up to £35m of government funding to develop a battery gigafactory as part a new investment zone. |
Budget: Trailblazer devo deal for North East
06/03/2024 The North East has secured a trailblazer devolution deal that could provide a package of new funding potentially worth more than £100m, chancellor Jeremy Hunt has announced in his Budget. |
More areas get level four devolution powers
01/03/2024 West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and the Liverpool city region will all receive level four devolved powers, local government secretary Michael Gove has announced. |
Chancellor urged to provide funding certainty for urban transport
27/02/2024 Transport authorities have called on the Government to prioritise long-term funding certainty for public transport and active travel in city regions in next week’s Spring Budget. |
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. |
Major step towards airport reopening
13/02/2024 Councillors have voted to progress plans to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport using £138m in devolution funding. |
National Apprenticeship Week: The importance of a national skills strategy
05/02/2024 Nichola Hay MBE, director of Apprenticeship Strategy and Policy at BPP, discusses the importance of a national strategy with a regional approach. |
Devon and Torbay devolution deal announced
25/01/2024 Devon County Council and Torbay Council are set to enter a level 2 devolution deal with the Government. |
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. |
Levelling up must continue, urges think-tank
22/01/2024 Efforts to level up the country and devolve more powers to local government should continue following the General Election, a think-tank has urged. |
First North Yorkshire mayoral election to cost £2m
17/01/2024 The election of the first mayor of a new York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority is set to cost £2.2m, a council report has revealed. |
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. |
Manchester leads list for local government in New Year honours
02/01/2024 The chief executives of both Manchester City Council and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority have been recognised in the New Year Honours List. |
‘Growth zones’ for West Midlands in UK first
22/12/2023 The West Midlands is to become the first UK region to receive new ‘growth zone’ powers, which the combined authority said could generate £1.7bn. |
Five unitaries moot devolution deal
18/12/2023 A ‘non-binding expression of interest’ is expected to be submitted to the Government in February. |
Local authority leaders criticise minimum service levels
11/12/2023 'Unfair’ and ‘undemocratic’ minimum service levels will lead to ‘more frequent and longer strikes’, according to mayors and council leaders from across UK. |
Lincolnshire consults on devolution plan
05/12/2023 Residents across Greater Lincolnshire are being consulted on a devolution proposal for the region. |
Norfolk devolution schedule delayed
04/12/2023 Norfolk’s level 3 devolution deal is set to be pushed back to 2025. |
Rotheram threatened over Covid restrictions
27/11/2023 Liverpool City Region mayor Steve Rotheram was assigned 24-hour police security after he received threats during the Covid pandemic, he revealed today. |
Autumn Statement: Hull and East Yorkshire leaders welcome devolution deal
23/11/2023 Hull City Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council have welcomed the announcement of a proposed devolution deal for Hull and East Yorkshire. |
Autumn Statement: Lancashire devolution ‘amazing news for county’
23/11/2023 The Lancashire devolution announcement in the Autumn Statement is ‘amazing news for county’, local authority leaders in the region have said. |
Autumn Statement: Councils remain ‘chronically underfunded’
23/11/2023 Support for private renters, devolution, and planning departments is welcome but councils remain ‘chronically underfunded’, council chiefs tell Chancellor. |
Autumn Statement: Level 4 devolution unveiled
22/11/2023 More powers will be offered to areas with a level 3 devolution deal, the Government has announced as part of the Autumn Statement. |
Expected devo boost in Autumn Statement
22/11/2023 Seven counties are expected to be among a swathe of non-mayoral devolution deals being lined up by the Government. |
Plymouth pulls out of ‘unreasonable’ devolution deal
20/11/2023 Plymouth City Council has withdrawn from a proposed devolution deal after its leader branded it ‘unreasonable and unrealistic’. |
Somerset declares ‘financial emergency’
09/11/2023 Somerset Council has declared it is facing a ‘financial emergency’ and agreed that ‘urgent actions’ are required to tackle a £100m shortfall. |
Call for local income tax collection for biggest city regions
08/11/2023 More taxation powers, including the ability to keep a proportion of income tax, should be devolved to England’s three biggest city regions, a think-tank has argued. |
‘Nothing for local government’ in King’s Speech
07/11/2023 Councils have expressed disappointment that the King’s Speech offered no commitment to improving local government finances or furthering devolution. |
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. |
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. |
'Devolution hopes rest on combined authorities'
24/10/2023 Combined authorities represent the greatest hope for devolution in England, according to a new report based on interviews with 95 former ministers and Whitehall mandarins. |
Skills devolution call
17/10/2023 Control of UK skills funding should be devolved to councils to ensure it is tailored to local jobs and economies, a national network of 27 cities has urged. |
WMCA trailblazer devolution deal ratified
16/10/2023 The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has ratified a ‘deeper devolution deal’ worth an estimated £1.5bn. |
Dorset eyes cross-boundary devolution bid
09/10/2023 Dorset Council is looking beyond its borders for potential partners in a devolution deal bid. |
Liverpool to 'take back control' with franchised buses
06/10/2023 The Liverpool City Region will bring its buses back under public control, mayor Steve Rotheram announced today. |
Battery-powered trains hit tracks in UK first
06/10/2023 The first UK passenger trains to run using battery technology have been launched in the Liverpool City Region. |
Leicestershire settles for ‘thin gruel’ devo deal
05/10/2023 Leicestershire County Council said it has agreed to pursue a level two devolution deal after failing to reach agreement on a directly elected mayor. |
Wales to automatically register voters
03/10/2023 The Welsh Government is set to establish automatic voter registration for local government and Senedd elections. |
Council leaders create roadmap for a Starmer government
26/09/2023 A plan for a future Labour administration to ‘reform public services and rebuild trust’ has been drawn out by local authority leaders. |
Bentley insists level two devolution 'best option' for county
21/09/2023 Essex CC’s Conservative leader Kevin Bentley has insisted that a level two devolution deal is the ‘best option’ for the county. |
Optimism about Greater Manchester’s economy ‘badly misplaced’
21/09/2023 Greater Manchester should expand its city centre, improve connectivity, and build 126,000 more homes to boost its productivity, the Resolution Foundation says. |
London council calls for power to impose overnight levy
20/09/2023 Westminster City Council has called on the Government to enable local authorities to tax tourists on stays. |
EXCLUSIVE: Mayors press for trailblazer devolution powers
04/09/2023 Mayors are pressing for devolved powers currently reserved for their trailblazer counterparts in ongoing talks with the Government. |
County leaders call for ‘adult education revolution’
04/09/2023 County council leaders have urged the Government to ‘fast track’ devolution deals to help boost the number of people taking part in adult education. |
Cornish headland transferred to Falmouth for £1
15/08/2023 Cornwall Council has transferred the historic Pendennis Headland to Falmouth Town Council for £1. |
Government rejects unitaries' devo bid for Solent
27/07/2023 Ministers have rejected a devolution bid by three south coast unitaries after the trio turned down the chance to join neighbouring Hampshire’s offer. |
Cities call for new devolved powers
18/07/2023 A group of cities today demanded new devolved powers and investment to help the UK become a science and innovation ‘superpower’. |
Haldane: Levelling up a 'mixed bag'
17/07/2023 Most people have yet to see the fruits of levelling up, according to a key Government adviser. |
Seven in 10 support more control over local services
17/07/2023 Nearly 70% of people say they would like their community to have more control over how local services are delivered, a new poll has revealed. |
Councils need more power to level up, says think tank
05/07/2023 The Government should give local authorities more financial powers to improve public services across the country, according to a new report by Localis. |
Warwickshire in talks over WMCA move
04/07/2023 Senior Government ministers are brokering talks between Mayor Andy Street and Warwickshire CC as the county looks at joining the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), The MJ understands. |
Labour promises councils ‘control over own destiny’
04/07/2023 A Labour government will build more houses and devolve power to local authorities, according to the party’s deputy leader. |
Council to meet to discuss independence from UK
03/07/2023 Orkney Islands Council will meet this week to discuss potential independence from the UK as it seeks to improve its financial position amid revenue challenges. |
Kent to vote on devolution deal
27/06/2023 Kent CC councillors will vote this week on plans for a devolution deal in a bid to secure more power and resources for the area. |
'No progress' on devolution to London
21/06/2023 The capital appears to have ‘taken a step backwards’ on devolution, a former chair of London Councils has said. |
Progress on devolution 'too slow' - LGA vice-president
16/06/2023 A Local Government Association vice-president has expressed ‘serious concerns about the Government’s increasing desire to centralise local service delivery across England out of Whitehall’. |
Fire up Northern Powerhouse 2.0, urges Osborne
12/06/2023 Former chancellor George Osborne has urged the Government to ‘fire up Northern Powerhouse 2.0’ as he backed more devolution for the North. |
Manchester 'frustrated' at pace of devolution
08/06/2023 Manchester’s leader has said there is ‘a long way to go’ to meet the city’s devolution ambitions. |
Labour blocks Driscoll mayoral bid
05/06/2023 North of Tyne mayor Jamie Driscoll has been blocked by Labour from standing as the party’s mayoral candidate for the proposed North East combined authority. |
Oxford and Swindon top ‘good growth’ index
26/05/2023 Oxford and Swindon have come out top in a ranking of cities according to their residents’ economic wellbeing, with Bristol and Exeter following closely behind. |
Council chiefs call for statutory powers to boost economy
16/05/2023 Local authority leaders have urged the Government to give councils statutory powers over economic development. |
Greater Manchester unveils skills devolution plan
15/05/2023 The shape of skills devolution in the trailblazer devolution deals has been outlined by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham. |
Councils call for more powers to address climate crisis
11/05/2023 Government must provide more powers to councils and provide clarity, capacity and funding to address the climate crisis, a national cities network has urged. |
Shell is helping power the journey towards a circular paving industry with Shell Bitumen LT R, a new product for roads that uses plastics destined for landfill as part of the additives to make the bitumen.
Effective Energy Group is now offering its support to the 40 Local Authorities who have received a share of the £430m to deliver their projects on the ground by surveying properties and installing measures.
Dougie Belmore explains how one of the main interfaces between you and Bacs is about to change.