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.
Half of LGA meetings shrouded in secrecy
11/08/2026 The Local Government Association (LGA) has insisted it is looking to ‘maximise transparency’ despite not making agendas publicly available for almost half of its meetings. |
New devo powers risk widening regional divide, report warns
04/08/2026 New fiscal powers allowing strategic authorities to retain income tax and business rates could deepen regional inequalities, a new report has warned. |
New SIGOMA chair: ‘We need certainty’ on council funding
20/07/2026 Mayor Chris Cooke, new chair of the Special Interest Group of Municipal Authorities (SIGOMA), talks to LocalGov about collaborative governance and funding. |
Westminster leader calls on Burnham to overhaul London's governance
20/07/2026 The leader of Westminster City Council has written to new Prime Minister Andy Burnham urging him to rethink how London is governed. |
Newcastle council culture improving but 'trust issues' remain, report finds
09/07/2026 The organisational culture at Newcastle City Council has improved but ‘significant behavioural and trust issues’ still remain, according to an LGA Peer report. |
Government tightens intervention in Tower Hamlets
20/03/2026 The Government has strengthened its Tower Hamlets intervention after accusations the council is more interested in protecting its image than reforming. |
Future Forum: Councils must put 'rules and tools' in place ahead of political change
13/03/2026 Councils need to put ‘rules and tools ‘ in place if they are expecting a political change ‘or a lot more challenge', the Future Forum has heard. |
Governing, not controlling: finding the right balance with council-owned companies
12/03/2026 The success of local authority-owned companies depends on councils striking the right balance between oversight and interference, says Julia Gregory, Non-Executive and Senior Independent Director, Chair, and Trustee. |
Cheshire East a 'floundering ship', claims opposition
20/02/2026 Cheshire East Council has been described as a ‘floundering ship' as it grapples with a financial crisis amid instability among its senior officers. |
Review praises council’s leadership but warns of risks
16/02/2026 City of London Corporation has been praised for strong place leadership but faces mounting financial and governance challenges, according to a peer review. |
EXCLUSIVE: Lambeth service redesign after senior restructure
16/02/2026 Lambeth LBC is embarking of a ‘service redesign across the whole organisation’. |
Call for stronger governance of AI transcription in social work
12/02/2026 AI transcription tools are being rapidly adopted across social work but evaluation frameworks are ‘limited’, raising governance concerns, researchers warn. |
Call to bolster powers of strategic authorities
30/01/2026 Strategic authorities require more freedoms and capacity to drive growth and reform, a think-tank has urged. |
An important step has been taken, but now the groundwork begins
05/12/2025 With the seasonal break approaching, many councils will be hoping for a period of rest and recuperation, but in reality, they know there’s no time to waste, say Claire Ward, partner, and Sue Bearman, legal director at Anthony Collins. |
Commissioners to remain at ‘fragile’ Birmingham City Council
02/12/2025 Improvement at Birmingham City Council is ‘fragile, has been slower than anticipated and several areas of significant risk remain’, according to the latest report from commissioners called in by the Government to run the local authority. |
Reed U-turn over committee system abolition
25/11/2025 Local authorities that already use the committee system will be allowed to retain it under strict conditions detailed by the Government. |
Isle of Wight Council ‘dysfunctional’, report finds
12/11/2025 A new report has warned that Isle of Wight Council faces serious governance failings and risks Government intervention unless urgent reforms are made. |
Devon CC unitary plans to prevent ‘disastrous’ service issues
26/09/2025 Devon County Council has announced proposals to create a new unitary authority as part of its reorganisation plans. |
Shropshire 'a hair's breadth' from s114
25/09/2025 Shropshire Council will have to rely on Exceptional Financial Support (EFS) to stave off a section 114 notice, according to a corporate peer challenge. |
BCP Council considers new town councils
24/09/2025 BCP Council is considering the establishment of three new town councils – Broadstone, Bournemouth, and Poole. |
Good governance key to delivering more social homes, says regulator
09/09/2025 The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) has highlighted the importance of strong governance in ensuring tenants have access to more and better homes. |
Audit warns of ‘critical governance failings’ at Wrexham Council
09/09/2025 An audit has revealed that Wrexham County Borough Council has made ‘insufficient progress’ in solving ‘critical governance issues’. |
Kent reassurance after staff DOGE concerns
22/08/2025 Reform-run Kent CC (KCC) has reassured employees that any decisions to share data with the party’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) will be ‘lawful, reasonable and proportionate’. |
Glasgow overhauls firm over governance concerns
19/08/2025 Glasgow City Council’s jointly-owned development firm has undergone a leadership overhaul following concerns over its governance. |
Council warns Government plan would force £95m savings
26/06/2025 Croydon LBC would have to deliver the ‘highest level of service cuts made by one council in one year in the country’ under Government plans, the council has claimed. |
Surrey councils stand firm in reorganisation plans
30/04/2025 District and borough councils across Surrey have published proposals for local government reorganisation, defying the Government’s requests for unity on final proposals. |
Liverpool CC praised for ‘substantial’ progress
08/04/2025 Liverpool City Council has further to go on its improvement journey but has ‘made significant and substantial’ progress, according to an improvement board. |
