Digital Transformation, AI and Local Government: The Case for Workforce Upskilling
The new LocalGov and Multiverse report explores how workforce upskilling is driving smarter, more efficient, and inclusive local government transformation.
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'. |
£2.8bn wages hike looms amid unions pay demands
29/01/2026 Local government’s wage bill would have to surge by £2.8bn to meet the demands laid down in unions’ pay claim for 2026-27, it has been estimated. |
Councils fear exclusion from pay negotiations
27/01/2026 Council chiefs are calling for a formal role in negotiations on the Government’s proposed Fair Pay Agreement for care workers. |
LGA accused of pushing restructure to beat 'fire and rehire' changes
22/01/2026 The Labour-led Local Government Association's has been accused of trying to push through its restructure before fire and rehire practice are outlawed. |
Doncaster workers’ pay to be restored by millions of pounds
19/01/2026 The GMB trade union has revealed that over 4,000 Doncaster Council workers are due to receive a pay rise ‘worth millions’. |
EXCLUSIVE: LGA plan hits mid ranks
15/01/2026 The latest plans to slash the pay for Local Government Association (LGA) staff are unlikely to hit those on the very highest salaries, leaked figures reveal. |
Unite accuses Birmingham CC leaders of misleading scrutiny committee
14/01/2026 Unite has accused Birmingham CC’s lead commissioner and managing director of misleading councillors during a meeting of a key scrutiny committee. |
How partnerships can help LAs grow the labour market through apprenticeships
08/01/2026 Partnerships can help councils fill critical skills gaps and grow the labour market by boosting apprenticeship starts, according to leading training provider. |
Union strike to hit Leeds
08/01/2026 Union Unite members who work with people with additional needs are walking out over claims council cuts have put staff and service users at risk. |
Staff left reeling after LGA restructure plans
08/01/2026 Local Government Association (LGA) staff face pay cuts of up to £30,000 under modernisation plans. |
Bromley traffic wardens take further strike action
07/01/2026 Outsourced traffic wardens belonging to the GMB trade union have begun further strike action in Bromley. |
Local government leaders recognised in 2026 New Year honours list
02/01/2026 The 2026 New Year honours list has highlighted a group of senior local government figures for their dedication to public service across the UK. |
Former councillor accused of raping ex-wife
23/12/2025 A former Tory councillor from Swindon has appeared in court charged with drugging and raping his ex-wife. |
Reed says councils should not be offering 'full-time pay for part-time work'
23/12/2025 Local authorities should not be offering full-time pay for part-time work, communities secretary Steve Reed has told council leaders. |
EXCLUSIVE: Opposition leader refuses to sign 'NDA' over £10m payment
22/12/2025 An opposition leader has claimed he refused to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) in order to be told the facts behind a £10m payment to waste firm Biffa. |
Moray Council supports schools with staff attendance project
05/12/2025 Moray Council is to deliver a ‘major project’ to boost staff attendance following an increase in absence rates. |
Budget: Councils to be impacted by minimum wage and threshold freeze
26/11/2025 Councils, along with other employers, will be impacted by the chancellor's decision to increase the minimum wage and freeze national insurance tax thresholds. |
Budget: More funding to recruit planners
26/11/2025 Funding to recruit officers has been announced in a bid to boost capacity in the planning system as part of today's Budget. |
Devo Bill amendments to protect councillors' addresses
24/11/2025 Ministers have acted upon Conservative calls to table amendments to the Devo Bill so councillors' addresses do not have to be published. |
Healey’s council tax underpayment ‘admin error’
24/11/2025 Defence Secretary John Healey has acknowledged he underpaid £1,500 in council tax due to an ‘administrative error’ by Westminster Council. |
Reform UK councillor suspended over WhatsApp messages
20/11/2025 Reform UK councillor Tom Pickup has been suspended for being part of a WhatsApp group where participants allegedly called for a ‘mass Islam genocide’. |
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Digital Transformation, AI and Local Government: The Case for Workforce Upskilling
14/11/2025 The new LocalGov and Multiverse report explores how workforce upskilling is driving smarter, more efficient, and inclusive local government transformation. |
Fresh finance officer warning
12/11/2025 The recruitment crisis for section 151 officers is destined to get worse, a local government adviser with 25 years of public sector experience has warned. |
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. |
Councils urged to transform Gen Z recruitment strategies
07/11/2025 Only 5% of people working in local government are aged under 25, research has revealed. |
Council welcomes ‘crucial funds’ with £750k number plate sale
07/11/2025 A historic mayoral number plate has been sold by Leeds City Council for more than £700,000. |
Professional body for monitoring officers to be launched this month
07/11/2025 A professional body for monitoring officers will be launched later this month to serve those working in a role that has expanded significantly. |
Autumn Budget Insights: What the local government workforce really needs
04/11/2025 Pam Parkes, President of PPMA, argues that local government cannot deliver reform or growth without investing in its workforce. |
Smarter Spaces: The case for council office reconfiguration
04/11/2025 Kingsley Clarke, Head of SCF (South West) at Southern Construction Framework, explains why councils must rethink office space. |
'We need urgent clarity on redundancies funding,' warn ICB leaders
04/11/2025 ICB leaders have warned the Government that clarity on £1bn funding for redundancies is urgently required to move NHS reforms forward. |
Multi-million-pound redundancy bill in shake-up of Worcestershire councils
04/11/2025 The business case for creating a single unitary authority in Worcestershire estimates that up to £24.2 could be required for redundancy payments. |
Mayors call for real Living Wage for care workers
28/10/2025 Mayors Andy Burnham and Kim McGuinness have signed an open letter urging Government to guarantee all adult social care workers are paid the real Living Wage. |
Councils to fund half of increased labour costs under fair pay agreement
27/10/2025 Local authorities are projected to fund over half of increased labour costs passed on by providers as a result of the fair pay agreement for social care. |
Local colleges invited to consider council careers
27/10/2025 Students have benefitted from the opportunity to participate in council officer activities to boost interest in local politics. |
LGPS bigger than it has ever been
23/10/2025 Local Government Pension Scheme has continued to grow in size and is bigger than it has ever been, the latest release of statistics from the MHCLG has shown. |
Local Government Associations unite against abuse
21/10/2025 The UK's Local Government Associations have issued a statement reaffirming their commitment to protecting democratic participation and civility in public life. |
EXCLUSIVE: Section 151 recruitment crisis warning
21/10/2025 The sector is facing a recruitment crisis for section 151 officers, The MJ has been told. |
Reorganisation plan promises £44m annual savings
21/10/2025 A plan published today sets out how reorganisation across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland could deliver savings of £44m a year by streamlining staffing. |
Council called out for failing to pay minimum wage
20/10/2025 Coventry City Council has been named among nearly 500 employers found to have underpaid staff the National Minimum Wage, according to the Government. |
Birmingham and unions finalise landmark equal pay deal
14/10/2025 Birmingham City Council and trade unions have reached a final agreement to settle historic equal pay claims. |
Warrington looking at security measures for staff over flag removal
13/10/2025 Warrington Council is looking at implementing costly security measures to protect staff removing St George's cross and Union flags. |
Social care fair pay 'unlikely to be sufficient'
10/10/2025 Doubt has been cast on whether the adult social care fair pay agreement will have the impact claimed by ministers. |
Waste collection staff reveal declining post-pandemic treatment
07/10/2025 Attitudes towards those working in the waste sector have deteriorated since the pandemic, research reveals. |
Council reveals ‘urgent need’ for drug and alcohol commissioner
02/10/2025 West Northamptonshire Council is looking to appoint a temporary Drug and Alcohol Commissioner. |
Council moves to strengthen £4bn pension fund
01/10/2025 Dorset Council has appointed Local Pension Partnership Investments (LPPI) as the new pooling partner for the £4bn Dorset County Pension Fund. |
10 ways councils can boost staff retention
30/09/2025 Budget strain and heavy workloads are driving council staff away. Here are 10 simple changes that can make a big difference. |
Labour conference: Reed puts councillors back into LGPS
29/09/2025 Councillors in England will be allowed back into the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), communities secretary Steve Reed has announced. |
COSLA: Zero tolerance for abuse of council workers taking down flags
26/09/2025 COSLA and trade union partners GMB, UNISON and Unite have united to condemn recent incidents of abuse, intimidation and violence directed at council staff. |
Pension funds urged to engage with pools ahead of law change
26/09/2025 LGPS funds should engage with their pools now ahead of changes from the Pensions Schemes Bill passing into law, consultancy urges. |
Planning recruitment at risk as apprenticeship funding cuts bite
25/09/2025 Thirty-three organisations across planning, housing, nature, and energy are urging the Government to provide £7m to recruit and train apprentice planners. |
Council wardens hailed for bravery in knife incident
25/09/2025 Middlesbrough Council Neighbourhood Safety Wardens have been praised as heroes after confronting a knife-wielding man in the town centre. |
Council leader resigns after embezzlement charge
23/09/2025 The leader of Perth and Kinross Council has stepped down after being charged with embezzlement. |
EXCLUSIVE SURVEY: 'Women are being failed'
18/09/2025 One in 10 local authority female staff have experienced inappropriate touching by a manager, a landmark sexual harassment survey by Unite has found. |
Ex-Labour councillor charged in ‘honeytrap’ case
18/09/2025 A former Labour councillor has been charged with blackmail and communications offences following a probe into the Westminster ‘honeytrap’ scandal. |
Ministers axe elections holiday compensation
18/09/2025 Ministers have decided the Government will no longer reimburse electoral services staff if a late-notice General Election means they have to cancel holidays. |
AI’s role in keeping citizen services human-centric
11/09/2025 AI in local government contact centres isn’t replacing staff—it’s empowering them, says Afshin Attari, Senior Director of Public Sector at Exponential-e. |
LGR 'making senior recruitment difficult', says Kent's Reform UK leader
08/09/2025 The Reform UK leader of Kent CC has said local government reorganisation (LGR) is ‘disrupting business as usual' and making recruitment ‘very difficult'. |
Fire and rehire ban 'burned out shell'
08/09/2025 Union Unite has described the Government's commitment to ban the practice of fire and rehiring workers as ‘now nothing more than a burned out shell'. |
From Referrals to Results: Tackling community pressures digitally
04/09/2025 Basildon is using digital tools to streamline referrals and track outcomes–helping staff deliver better support, says Rob Manser, head of revenues & benefits. |
Glasgow redundancy payouts 'deeply concerning'
04/09/2025 Redundancy payouts totalling £1m made to senior officers at Glasgow have been described as ‘deeply concerning' by a financial watchdog. |
Reform UK plan to overhaul LGPS sparks backlash
01/09/2025 Reforming the Local Government Pension Scheme in England and Wales (LGPS) could save taxpayers around £10bn, Reform UK’s deputy leader has claimed. |
Council worker jailed for £236k fraud
29/08/2025 A council employee who secretly held multiple jobs has been jailed for three years after defrauding local authorities out of more than £236,000. |
Halton BC’s staff express concern about the organisation
27/08/2025 A survey for Halton Borough Council has revealed that 63% of staff are worried about what lies ahead. |
Council attempts to bury hatchet with Oasis
18/08/2025 The leader of Edinburgh City Council has reached out to Oasis after the band’s singer Liam Gallagher attacked the local authority for allegedly mocking fans. |
Turning Back-Office into a Powerhouse for Council Finances
14/08/2025 How revenues and benefits teams can drive local government financial resilience through data, technology, service reform, and citizen-focused strategies. |
Hefin David: Tributes paid to ‘champion of the people’
13/08/2025 Local government leaders across Wales have paid tribute to Welsh Labour politician Hefin David who died suddenly on Tuesday. |
What Council Unitarisation Means for Neighbourhood Services
12/08/2025 APSE’s guidance on safeguarding neighbourhood services, aligning working practices, and planning efficiencies during local government reorganisation. |
Seven funds to join Border to Coast
12/08/2025 Seven local government pension scheme funds have confirmed their intention to join Border to Coast Pensions Partnership. |
Fire and rehire advice behind director's suspension
04/08/2025 A dispute over a controversial fire and rehire tactic is at the centre of the suspension of a Worcestershire CC director, it is understood. |
EXCLUSIVE: Director suspended by county amid reorganisation vacuum
30/07/2025 A director remains out of the office on full pay almost three months on from being suspended, The MJ understands. |
Lambeth to slash senior management to help plug £84m funding gap
29/07/2025 Lambeth LBC has voted for a series of cost cutting measures including slashing senior management to plug a £84m funding gap identified through to 2029-30. |
Council officers sacked after ‘illegal activity’ uncovered
29/07/2025 Dorset Council fired 11 council officers due to concerns over a lack of compliance with financial controls and rising budget overspends, report has revealed. |
Peers pass fire and hire exemption
23/07/2025 Councils with financial problems that are placed under government intervention may be exempt from a ban on sacking and then rehiring employees. |
Soton council reaches equal pay settlement
18/07/2025 Hundreds of low-paid staff at Southampton City Council, most of them women, are set to benefit from an equal pay settlement, according to public sector unions. |
South Cambs permanently adopts four-day week
18/07/2025 South Cambridgeshire District Council has voted to become the first council in the UK to permanently adopt a four-day week. |
Employers double down on pay offer
16/07/2025 Council employers have unanimously reaffirmed their April offer of a 3.2% pay increase as ‘full and final' despite unions urging them to better their proposal. |
Unitary achieves pay harmony six years after reorganisation
16/07/2025 A deal to harmonise legacy pay and terms for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council workers is finally expected to be signed. |
Council employee prosecuted for fraud
15/07/2025 An employee who was simultaneously employed by two local authorities and a third organisation has been found guilty of fraud after earning over £230,000. |
Councils under intervention could be exempted from fire and rehire ban
09/07/2025 Councils under intervention could be exempt from a legal ban on so-called fire and rehire practices after the latest amendment to the Employment Rights Bill. |
Four-day week trial success, says council
04/07/2025 A report into South Cambridgeshire District Council’s four-day week trial has found most of the monitored services either improved or were maintained. |
EXCLUSIVE: Government turns to councils for extra building inspector capacity
30/06/2025 The Government has turned to councils for extra building inspector capacity as high-rise housing projects continue to be dogged by regulatory hold-ups. |
Care workers face violence ‘day in day out’, GMB says
30/06/2025 More than half of care workers suffer violence at work including being bitten, headbutted and chocked, a survey has revealed. |
Reform UK’s ‘Doge’ witch-hunts will achieve little
27/06/2025 With council workers under threat, Mike Short, head of local government at UNISON, questions the value of Nigel Farage's unwanted audits |
Unite members reject 3.2% pay offer
24/06/2025 Unite members have voted to overwhelmingly reject this year's pay offer of 3.2%. |
Tameside rejects shortlisted candidates to replace Stewart
24/06/2025 Crisis-hit Tameside MBC has decided not to proceed with any of the applicants it had shortlisted to become its next chief executive. |
Clarkson’s Error: How to Slam the Door on Fraudsters
24/06/2025 Jeremy Clarkson once fell victim to an account takeover. The payment solutions provider SmarterPay can help local authorities avoid getting caught out too. |
COSLA makes two-year pay offer
16/06/2025 The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) has offered a 4% pay rise for 2025-26 and an increase of 3.5% the year after. |
