Breaking down England's fiscal devolution plans
David Phillips of the IFS tells LocalGov why England's regional finance reforms are modest by global comparison and what ministers still need to get right.
Councils demand full cost recovery for planning fees
28/05/2026 Proposals to increase planning application fees do not go far enough, the Government has been warned. |
Councils cutting services to pay for social care, think tank warns
08/04/2026 Councils are raiding reserves and slashing non-statutory services to keep pace with a ‘precarious’ social care system, according to The King’s Fund. |
Drivers to face paying over £4k in congestion charge fees
02/10/2025 Congestion charge fees could surge by £40m next year, analysis has revealed. |
Council abandons controversial cemetery charges
15/08/2025 A council's plans to implement a higher fee for wider burial plots have been retracted following public objections. |
Council ordered to investigate nursery payment policies
08/05/2025 BCP Council has been told it needs to do better when it comes to overseeing nursery fees when they are providing the Government’s free places scheme. |
Brum pauses charges for rat infestations
22/04/2025 Birmingham City Council has temporarily waived charges for residents who require help with rat infestations during the bin strikes. |
Government announces nursery top-up fees ban
21/02/2025 Parents using Government-funded free childcare cannot be required to pay top-up fees for items such as nappies and snacks, according to new guidance. |
LGA warning over audit fees
22/10/2024 The Local Government Association (LGA) has warned it is ‘very likely' there will be ‘significant' audit fee variations as the accounts backlog is eliminated. |
Diplomats owe £143.5m in congestion charges
21/05/2024 Embassies in London have amassed debt worth more than £143.5m in unpaid congestion charges since the scheme was introduced in 2003. |
Councils spend £45m on planning appeal advice
03/05/2024 Councils spent £45m over the past three years on external legal advice relating to planning appeals, according to a freedom of information request. |
Councils ‘spending £5m a week to subsidise planning services’
13/09/2023 Subsidising planning services is costing authorities almost £5m a week as they await a proposed fee increase to help cover the cost of processing applications, according to the Local Government Association (LGA). |
Vehicle emission schemes raise £418m
24/08/2023 More than £400m in fees and penalties has been generated from vehicle emission schemes in England, a freedom of information (FOI) request has revealed. |
District chiefs welcome proposed planning fee boost
01/03/2023 District council leaders have welcomed a proposal that could see an increase in planning fees to help over-stretched local planning departments. |
End ‘scandalously low fee rates’, say homecare providers
26/10/2021 Councils should be better funded and required to pay more for care, says the UK’s membership body for homecare providers. |
Public back local tourism taxes
24/02/2020 More than half of residents think councils should have the power to set a tourism levy, according to a new survey. |
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Ombudsman reminds councils of care home ‘top-up fees’ duties
12/02/2020 Councils are being reminded by the local government Ombudsman of their duties to administer ‘top-up fees’ for people contributing towards relatives’ care. |
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Councils ‘enabling’ heir hunters to charge high fees
13/08/2019 Researchers have accused local authorities of helping heir hunting firms to rip-off families by charging excessive fees for tracking down inheritance claims. |
