Protecting the public realm without shutting it down
As Martyn's Law approaches, this free special report from LocalGov and Hill & Smith sets out how councils can protect public spaces without shutting them down.
Gloucester council could request £8m government loan
21/09/2026 Gloucester City Council is reportedly looking to ask the Government for a further £8m. |
UNISON: Four in five councils still struggling to balance budgets
14/09/2026 Most councils across England, Scotland and Wales are still struggling to balance their books despite some easing of financial pressure, according to UNISON. |
Future Forum: Council chiefs should only make an external case for cash
10/09/2026 Local authority chiefs need to make thee case for more resources externally rather than within their own councils, a sector expert has said. |
Cumberland Council taps £11m support funding to cover job cuts
21/08/2026 Cumberland Council is using £11m of rescheduled exceptional financial support (EFS) to fund a voluntary redundancy programme expected to cut up to 400 staff. |
CIPFA report uncovers 'weak financial management' at Hillingdon
03/08/2026 Hillingdon LBC must change course to avoid relying on exceptional financial support (EFS) for years to come, a report has concluded. |
Social care is main driver of councils' emergency funding requests
27/07/2026 Social care is ‘taking centre stage' as the main factor driving councils' requests for exceptional financial support from Government, a new paper has found. |
Council chiefs urge next PM to close £7bn funding gap
03/07/2026 The LGA is calling on the next PM to lay out a new path for local services that is not reliant on council tax rises and short-term fixes. |
Trafford Council gets interest-free loan from combined authority
31/03/2026 Trafford Council is set to receive an interest-free loan from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to address a multi-million-pound budget gap. |
Council spends £220k sending council tax bills first class
04/03/2026 Somerset Council has spent an extra £220k sending out council tax bills by first class post after the Government delayed confirming the financial settlement. |
Four in 10 of England’s councils to require bail outs
02/03/2026 Nearly 40% of English councils are likely or very likely to require exceptional financial support (EFS) within five years, according to the LGIU. |
Minister raises ‘significant concerns’ over Somerset Council finances
26/02/2026 Minister Alison McGovern has raised ‘significant concerns’ about Somerset Council’s financial position in a letter responding to its request for support. |
Exceptional Financial Support increases
24/02/2026 Some 37 local authorities will be issued with £1.9bn in exceptional financial support (EFS), allowing them to use capital funding to cover day-to-day costs. |
Worcestershire CC issues bankruptcy warning
09/02/2026 Reform UK-run Worcestershire CC could be forced to declare effective bankruptcy if the Government does not provide it with extra support, leader warns. |
City council requests £15m exceptional financial support
06/02/2026 Brighton & Hove City Council has requested £15m of exceptional financial support (EFS) from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. |
Council faces £2m deficit due to ‘continuing housing crisis’
09/12/2025 Worthing Borough Council says pressure meeting a ‘continuing housing crisis’ in the area means it is facing a £2.1m budget deficit this year, forcing it to ask the Government for emergency financial support. |
Autumn Budget Insights: Time to deliver for adult social care
30/10/2025 With demand rising, the Autumn Budget offers a critical chance to secure sustainable investment for adult social care, writes ADASS President Jess McGregor. |
London councils face ‘eye-watering’ £4bn funding gap
30/10/2025 London’s town halls are warning of 'inevitable' service cuts and growing financial crisis as new analysis reveals a £4bn funding gap. |
Experts' warning over Exceptional Financial Support
07/10/2025 Council finance experts urged the Government to ensure Exceptional Financial Support remains temporary and does not become ‘embedded in the public sector'. |
Common failures among EFS recipients uncovered
22/09/2025 The most common failings plunging councils into financial crisis have been laid out by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA). |
