Watch: Cadaema’s David Parrett on getting a grip on council estates
David Parrett, Director at Cadaema Consulting Services, talks to LocalGov about why councils lack basic data on their buildings and what they can do about it.
Council staff pay bill tops £35bn as workforce shrinks by 14%
30/10/2026 Councils in England spent £35.8bn on staff pay in 2024/25, according to new Local Government Association (LGA) workforce data. |
LGR in Scotland creating ‘uncertainty’ for workforce, warns COSLA
29/10/2026 Local government leaders and union bosses have warned that the Scottish Government's proposed reforms are creating uncertainty for the council workforce. |
UNISON urges Hereford City Council to address staff concerns
27/10/2026 UNISON has called on Hereford City Council to listen to its staff and improve relations with trade unions following concerns about employment practices. |
Cornwall silent on exit payments after chief executive and finance boss quit
27/10/2026 A council that lost its chief executive and chief finance officer within a month has refused to reveal whether either will receive exit payments. |
Derry City and Strabane DC celebrates newly acquired age-friendly employer status
27/10/2026 Derry City and Strabane District Council has signed an Age-friendly Employer Pledge that confirms its dedication to supporting employees aged 50 and above. |
GLL names new CEO and deputy as Peter Bundey retires
26/10/2026 GLL has appointed Philip Donnay as Chief Executive Officer and Andy Bindon as Deputy Chief Executive Officer, following the retirement of Peter Bundey. |
Local government pension funds top £437bn
21/10/2026 The value of Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) funds in England and Wales rose by 8.8% last year to £437.9bn, according to new Government figures. |
Westminster council to axe 520 jobs as it faces £160m funding gap
21/10/2026 Westminster City Council is to cut 520 posts, around 14% of its 3,720-strong workforce, as it tries to plug a major budget shortfall. |
Council launches campaign against hate crime in the workplace
13/10/2026 Westmorland and Furness has urged businesses to take a stand against hate crime in the workplace and provide staff with greater support. |
Manchester 'won't rest' until behaviour concerns addressed
12/10/2026 Manchester CC says it ‘won't rest' until findings from an investigation into allegations of inappropriate behaviour by senior officers are addressed. |
Lambeth to review potential for four-day week trial
06/10/2026 Lambeth Council has confirmed that it is due to review the possibility of introducing a four-day week trial. |
Glasgow council reaches equal pay deal with unions
05/10/2026 Glasgow City Council has reached agreement with its trade unions on a new pay and grading scheme, following intervention by the Scottish Government. |
LocalGov’s Next Generation: Inside the OD Advisor role
24/09/2026 Milly's local government career began aged 16 working library shifts. Now she's helping pave the way for the next generation on the council graduate scheme. |
Half of public service workers losing sleep worrying, UNISON finds
23/09/2026 Nearly half (45%) of public service workers say they lose sleep worrying about the people who depend on them, according to a new UNISON survey. |
Coroner rejects anonymity request ahead of 10-year-old's murder inquest
21/09/2026 The coroner conducting the inquest into the death of 10-year-old Sara Sharif has rejected a request for anonymity made on behalf of three Surrey CC staff. |
Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee chair elected
17/09/2026 Abena Oppong-Asare has been elected as chair of the Housing, Communities and Local Government select committee. |
Council workforce shrinks by over 600,000 since 2012, figures reveal
16/09/2026 More than 600,000 council jobs have disappeared across England and Wales since 2012, according to Office for National Statistics figures. |
North Yorkshire Council chief announces retirement
27/08/2026 Richard Flinton has announced he is to stand down as chief executive of North Yorkshire Council. |
Council leader denies fraud charges over fictitious society
26/08/2026 Ashfield District Council leader Jason Zadrozny has appeared at Northampton Crown Court accused of defrauding Nottinghamshire County Council. |
Local government workers ‘reluctantly’ agree 3.3% pay boost
25/08/2026 Agreement has been ‘reluctantly’ reached on the 3.3% pay settlement for frontline workers in local government. |
Immigration changes deepening social care workforce crisis, says UNISON
19/08/2026 The Government's immigration reforms are worsening the social care staffing crisis, UNISON has warned, citing new analysis of employment figures. |
Controlling Talent Retention: The levers every manager can pull
07/08/2026 In the first instalment of People & Practice, PPMA President Sandra Farquharson sets out five practical levers every manager can pull to help recruitment. |
Ex-neo-Nazi quits council race, becomes Badenoch adviser
06/08/2026 Former neo-Nazi activist has withdrawn as a Conservative candidate for Somerset Council's elections but has been appointed as an adviser to Kemi Badenoch. |
EXCLUSIVE: LGA redundancies down to just six
06/08/2026 The Local Government Association (LGA) is now proposing axing just six full time equivalent (FTE) posts, it has emerged. |
EXCLUSIVE: Reorganisation shake-up
23/07/2026 Labour's local government reorganisation plans are likely to hit existing unitaries as ‘fierce competition' breaks out for chief executives, recruiter warns. |
EXCLUSIVE: Whitehall exploring adding teeth to standards regime
21/07/2026 Whitehall officials are attempting to add teeth to the standards regime despite the lack of a primary legislation vehicle to bring reform, The MJ understands. |
Council audit flags ‘unusual’ surge in staff mileage spending post-Covid
21/07/2026 An internal audit of Oldham Council has revealed a sharp and unexplained rise in staff mileage expenses since the pandemic. |
Islington pension fund members back divestment proposals
20/07/2026 More than 80% of respondents to a consultation on Islington Council's Pension Fund backed proposals to end investments in companies linked to conflict. |
LGA warns councils 'sidelined' by social care Fair Pay Agreement
16/07/2026 Councils are to be ‘sidelined' by a negotiating body representing care workers, the Local Government Association (LGA) has warned. |
Employers defend pay stance
14/07/2026 Employers have denied they are playing parts of the sector off against each other by offering different pay settlements to different groups of council staff. |
Welsh council chiefs welcome teacher pay consultation plan
14/07/2026 Local authority chiefs have welcomed an announcement that the Welsh Government intends to consult on a 3.5% pay award for teachers and school leaders. |
Staffordshire CC reveals proposals for stricter councillor dress code
10/07/2026 Staffordshire County Council has proposed a new dress code for councillors when attending civic or public events. |
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. |
Stronger local government starts with fair pay
09/07/2026 UNISON's head of local government on why devolution means nothing without fair pay for council and school staff |
Over half of council workers say they do not have enough staff
07/07/2026 Council employees are under sustained pressure, with more than a quarter (26%) reporting mental exhaustion by day's end, according to CSG research. |
Local government can't deliver without investing in skills
06/07/2026 Local authorities can't deliver the ambitious programmes communities need without properly valuing the people who run them, writes Tessa Neal of APM. |
Staffordshire Reform group moves to dismantle EDI programmes
29/06/2026 Staffordshire CC's Reform group has published a position paper setting out plans to remove equality, diversity and inclusion frameworks from the council. |
Council chiefs sound alarm over 'deteriorating' behaviour
25/06/2026 Poor behaviour in local government is worsening, with 92% of chief executives and senior officers saying they have experienced it in the past three years. |
Social care vacancy rate falls to decade low but challenges ahead
24/06/2026 Adult social care vacancies have fallen to a decade low, according to Skills for Care. |
Councils alter bin collections during heatwave
23/06/2026 Local authorities in Gloucestershire and Somerset have introduced earlier waste collection times as temperatures continue to rise across parts of the UK. |
Mayor pays tribute to train driver killed in Bedford collision
22/06/2026 The Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough has paid tribute to train driver Shaun Burton, who died in Friday's train collision near Bedford. |
EXCLUSIVE: Officers warn of looming elections systems failure
18/06/2026 The elections system is under ‘increasing strain' and ‘likely to fail' if put under further pressure, officers have warned. |
Long term sick leave at Norfolk council doubles
18/06/2026 Long term sick leave at North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) has nearly doubled over the last year, new figures reveal. |
Three in four council workers 'one bill away from crisis'
16/06/2026 A survey of local government employees has found that 72% are financially vulnerable, meaning a single unexpected cost could tip them into crisis. |
Planning staff shortages threaten 1.5 million homes target, warns union
15/06/2026 One in 10 council planning posts in England are vacant, putting the Government's housebuilding ambitions at serious risk, according to new research by UNISON. |
Council enforcement officers sacked after threatening resident
15/06/2026 Two enforcement officers have been dismissed after footage emerged of them threatening to assault a member of the public while working for a London council. |
Union issues strike threat over 3.3% local government pay offer
15/06/2026 Hundreds of thousands of council and school workers could walk out on strike after their union vowed to ballot members over what it called an unacceptable pay offer. |
EXCLUSIVE: Chiefs lobby Government over severance payment threshold
11/06/2026 Council chiefs have been lobbying the Government to relax the requirements around severance payments when they publish guidance on reorganisation staffing. |
Union calls for body cams for refuse workers and street cleaners
10/06/2026 Refuse workers and street cleaners should be equipped with body cameras to protect them from escalating verbal and physical attacks, GMB has demanded. |
Council craftworkers to strike over pay and conditions
09/06/2026 Over a thousand local government craftworkers are set to walk out later this month in a dispute over pay and threatened changes to their working conditions. |
Union raises alarm over bullying and harassment
08/06/2026 Social workers are raising the alarm over bullying or harassment at the same time as struggling with funding shortages. |
LGPS: Council pension costs fall by a fifth
27/05/2026 Local government employers are set to benefit from significantly lower pension costs following a sharp improvement in the financial health of the LGPS. |
Cotswold councillor who became UK's youngest mayor resigns
26/05/2026 A Liberal Democrat councillor who was once one of the youngest elected politicians in England has resigned after 15 years in local government. |
Minister says chief candidates must have 'critical skillset'
26/05/2026 Ministers have urged Surrey's shadow unitary authorities to prioritise permanent recruitment of heads of paid service due to Woking's ‘financial challenges'. |
Historic first as gay couple take Leeds's top civic roles
26/05/2026 Cllr Stephen Holroyd has been confirmed as Lord Mayor of Leeds, becoming part of the first openly gay couple to hold the offices of Lord Mayor and Consort. |
Tribunal rules home working refusal may be disability discrimination
22/05/2026 An employment tribunal has found that refusing home working arrangements to an employee with agoraphobia can amount to disability discrimination. |
Reform UK council hit by trebling of councillor conduct complaints
18/05/2026 Peers have raised concerns about the impact of increasing reports of negative member behaviour on staff morale and retention at a Reform UK-led council. |
After the Votes: Why HR and OD are crucial to delivering new political mandates
15/05/2026 PPMA President Sandra Farquharson argues that HR and OD professionals have a pivotal role to play in turning new administrations' promises into outcomes. |
Teacher strikes could loom as formal ballots are confirmed
11/05/2026 A formal ballot for teachers’ industrial action is to be held by the National Education Union (NEU). |
ICO issues guidance on AI-generated FOI requests
06/05/2026 The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has published new guidance to help councils manage the growing volume of FOI requests being generated using AI. |
Council staff face abuse over flag removal policy
05/05/2026 A council is reporting a surge in abuse, harassment and intimidation directed at staff linked to the removal of unauthorised flags from street furniture. |
EXCLUSIVE: 'Illegal' deal to end Birmingham strike risks £200m equal pay bill
30/04/2026 Birmingham City Council could open itself up to equal pay liabilities worth £200m if a proposed deal unveiled by leader Cllr John Cotton goes ahead. |
Reform council refuses to name recipient of £455k exit pay-out
28/04/2026 Reform UK-led Staffordshire CC has remained tight-lipped over reason for a £457,000 pay off made under the previous Conservative administration to an officer. |
PPMA 2026: Call to rethink statutory roles
27/04/2026 Local government should redefine the role of statutory officers, amid suggestions the role of HR director could be made statutory. |
Combined authority holds landmark first board meeting
23/04/2026 The newly formed Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority (CWCA) has held its inaugural board meeting, marking a significant moment for the region. |
LGA interim chief revealed
17/04/2026 Former Camden LBC chief Jenny Rowlands is to take on the role of interim chief of the Local Government Association (LGA), The MJ can reveal. |
Conservatives pledge ban on council four-day work weeks
08/04/2026 The Conservatives have vowed to outlaw the practice of councils offering four-day working weeks on full pay should they win the next general election. |
LGPS performing well, pension advisers say
07/04/2026 The Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) is performing well and managing risk responsibly during a time of economic uncertainty, according to pension advisers Hymans Robertson. |
Sector mourns loss of 'giant of English devolution'
07/04/2026 Tributes have been paid to the former chief executive of Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), Eamonn Boylan in the wake of his death. |
Councils apologise for poll card ‘confusion’
07/04/2026 Braintree DC and Essex CC have issued a joint apology after poll cards sent to voters across the district named the wrong council. |
Court sentences man involved in council officer assault
01/04/2026 A man responsible for assaulting a Flintshire County Council officer has now received a court sentence. |
Commission demands end to candidate abuse ahead of May polls
30/03/2026 Electoral Commission has issued a plea for respectful debate in the run up to the local elections in May following ‘unacceptable’ levels of intimidation. |
Council workers offered 3.3% pay rise
25/03/2026 Local government workers have been offered a pay increase of 3.30% from 1 April 2026 in what has been described as a ‘full and final one-year pay offer’. |
Councillor set to make history as Oxford's first Black Lord Mayor
24/03/2026 Cllr Chewe Munkonge is set to become the first Black Lord Mayor of Oxford, following an announcement made at a full council meeting this week. |
Capacity warning to Cornwall over strategic authority move
24/03/2026 A corporate peer challenge review has issued a capacity warning to Cornwall Council as it looks to move closer to forming a foundation strategic authority. |
Lords block Government move to influence council pension investments
19/03/2026 Lord John Fuller has lauded the decision of fellow peers to scupper the Government's ability to influence how local government pension funds are invested. |
Former local government minister Phil Woolas dies
16/03/2026 Former local government minister Phil Woolas has died, his family has announced. |
Wirral management overhaul to create executive director roles
16/03/2026 Wirral MBC is proposing to create two executive director roles as part of a restructure of its senior leadership. |
Recruitment challenges restricting pace of Sandwell improvement, peers find
13/03/2026 Recruitment challenges are hindering continued improvement at Sandwell Council, a Local Government Association corporate peer challenge review has warned. |
Unite cuts Labour fee amid Birmingham bin strike row
12/03/2026 Unite has voted to cut the affiliation fee it pays to Labour by 40% in response to the ongoing bin workers’ strike in Birmingham. |
Report finds uneven AI readiness across councils
10/03/2026 A major new study has revealed a mixed picture of artificial intelligence (AI) readiness among local councils across the UK. |
Coventry sets aside £27m to cover potential equal pay claims
09/03/2026 Coventry CC has set aside £9m a year over the next three years to cover the potential financial impact of ongoing equal pay claims from female employees. |
'Widespread lack of understanding' to blame for key worker oversight
03/03/2026 Failure to recognise council employees as key workers during the pandemic must be reviewed as part of planning for future emergencies, Covid inquiry told. |
Why Reform UK is misguided, mistaken and just plain wrong on pensions
27/02/2026 Reform UK’s plan to close the LGPS to new entrants would deepen recruitment crises and push low-paid workers towards poverty, argues UNISON’s Glyn Jenkins. |
LGA to look into scale of £100k salary sign off burden
26/02/2026 The Local Government Association (LGA) is to look into the scale of the burden of members having to sign off salary packages worth more than £100,000. |
EXCLUSIVE: Pay spine review kicks off
26/02/2026 Work has started on a review of the national pay scale used to determine salaries for most council employees in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. |
Camden celebrates strides in workforce inclusivity scheme
24/02/2026 Camden Council has reached its goal of producing one hundred accessible employment opportunities in one hundred days. |
Reform UK plans to scrap defined benefit council pensions
24/02/2026 Reform UK would scrap defined benefit pension schemes for new council employees, according to Richard Tice MP. |
Brum council secures waste depot injunction
23/02/2026 Birmingham City Council has secured a High Court injunction against ‘persons unknown’ aimed at preventing blockading at the authority’s waste depots. |
Over 1,000 councillors sign ‘Pledge for Palestine’
23/02/2026 More than 1,000 local councillors across Britain have signed a ‘Pledge for Palestine’ ahead of key local elections in May, campaigners say. |
South Ayrshire Council could consider job cuts in new workforce plan
20/02/2026 South Ayrshire Council has revealed that workforce changes will be unavoidable as part of the measures required to close its budget gap. |
Calls to indemnify officers after U-turn debacle
20/02/2026 Ministers are facing calls to indemnify returning officers as councils scramble to organise local elections following the Government’s postponement U-turn. |
Salford loses ‘giant of local government’
19/02/2026 David Lancaster, a Salford councillor believed to have been the longest-serving councillor in England, has passed away. |
Planning enforcement delays undermining trust, Ombudsman says
17/02/2026 Prolonged delays in local authority planning enforcement are leaving unlawful developments in place and undermining public trust, watchdog says. |
Council appeals tribunal verdict
12/02/2026 City of York Council has submitted a formal appeal after an employment tribunal ordered the authority to pay out £10,500 to a former top director. |
Peer suspended due to past contact with convicted councillor
11/02/2026 A peer has been suspended from Labour's parliamentary party due to his connections to a disgraced councillor. |
LGA slammed for failing to take its own advice
11/02/2026 Local Government Association has been accused of failing to take its own advice on employee relations in the aftermath of disastrous restructure consultation. |
Royal reception celebrates Northern Ireland local government staff
04/02/2026 Local government representatives from across Northern Ireland were honoured at a special reception hosted by Their Majesties The King and Queen. |
Councillors urge minimum pension age hike amid cost fears
04/02/2026 Councillors are pushing for the minimum pension age to be increased by two years for more officers amid fears about costs from reorganisation. |
Kent DOLGE head resigns over 'lapse of judgement'
04/02/2026 The head of Kent CC's Department of Local Government Efficiency (DOLGE) has stood down over a ‘lapse of judgement'. |
