10 ways councils are making budgets go further
Discover 10 ways councils are stretching budgets further, from digital transformation and energy efficiency to community partnerships and data-driven decision-making.
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. |
Housing target threatened by planning officer shortage, says UNISON
16/06/2025 The Government’s efforts to boost affordable housing could be derailed if the shortage of planning officers in England is not addressed, UNISON warns. |
EXCLUSIVE: Coventry equal pay bill could be more than £30m
05/06/2025 Coventry City Council could face an equal pay bill of more than £30m, The MJ understands. |
Housebuilders call for ‘meaningful action’ on planning staff crisis
05/06/2025 The association representing housebuilders in England and Wales has called on the Government to tackle the staffing shortage in local planning authorities. |
Misconduct investigation cost Durham CC thousands
04/06/2025 Durham County Council reveals its investigations into claims of councillor misconduct at Romaldkirk Parish Council cost upwards of £60,000. |
Thurrock Council seeks ‘justice’ following alleged fraud
04/06/2025 The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has launched an investigation into Rockfire Investment Finance Plc following fraud allegations made by Thurrock Council. |
Unitary names next chief executive
02/06/2025 Aidan Dunn has been recommended as Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council's new chief executive. |
Unions demand pay talks
29/05/2025 A union boss has called for employers to come to the negotiating table as they accused bosses of ‘undermining' their collective bargaining agreement. |
Warrington chief to retire
28/05/2025 Warrington BC's chief executive Professor Steven Broomhead has announced his retirement. |
AI ‘Humphrey’ to help councils cut costs
27/05/2025 Twenty-five local authorities are trialling a new AI tool called ‘Minute’ to help speed up admin tasks in areas such as planning and social care. |
Reform UK renames Durham council departments
22/05/2025 Reform UK has renamed several key positions and departments in Durham County Council to remove references to climate change, equality and inclusion. |
Councillors vote in favour of work-life balance
21/05/2025 Redcar and Cleveland councillors have backed a motion calling for some committee meetings to be moved to the evenings on weekdays. |
What’s happening inside the LGPS?
19/05/2025 Get the most informed take on the challenges and opportunities that substantial reform will bring at this year’s PLSA Local Authority Conference. |
UNISON calls on members to reject pay offer
13/05/2025 The UK’s largest union has urged its members to reject the latest local government pay offer. |
Former Thurrock CFO issued with five-year ban
09/05/2025 In a historic first, the Financial Reporting Council has banned the former chief financial officer of Thurrock Council from working as a local government CFO. |
AI tools could save councils £8bn
07/05/2025 The adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) tools could save local authorities in England and Wales £8bn a year, think tank says. |
Union hits back after Farage’s ‘alternative careers’ comment
03/05/2025 A public sector union has criticised Reform UK leader Nigel Farage after he said council workers should seek ‘alternative careers’. |
Lambeth defends Dosunmu payoff
29/04/2025 Lambeth LBC has defended a payoff totalling almost £88,000 to its former chief who admitted failing to stop after a collision and driving without insurance. |
East Suffolk launches campaign against abuse
23/04/2025 A campaign against threatening and abusive behaviour towards front line workers has been launched in East Suffolk. |
Council employee pay offer announced
23/04/2025 Council employees have been offered a 3.2% pay increase from 1 April 2025. |
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. |
Court ruling on definition of a ‘woman’ prompts guidance update
17/04/2025 Equalities watchdog is ‘working at pace’ to update its code of practice for public bodies following the Supreme Court’s ruling on the definition of a ‘woman’. |
Striking Brum bin workers reject pay offer
14/04/2025 Refuse collection workers in Birmingham have rejected the city council’s latest pay offer in long-running dispute. |
Concern over 'procrastination culture' at Southampton
11/04/2025 A ‘procrastination culture' is holding back progress at Southampton City Council, a new report has found. |
Matrix Workforce Management Solutions Appoints Andrew Curry as Client Engagement Director for Health and Social Care
09/04/2025 Matrix, a leader in Workforce Management Solutions, has announced the appointment of Andrew Curry as Client Engagement Director for Health and Social Care. |
Angry reaction to Starmer stance on Brum bin strike
07/04/2025 A war of words has broken out between the Government and union bosses over the bin strike in Birmingham. |
EXCLUSIVE: Auditors look into chief's £327k payoff
02/04/2025 Auditors are assessing an objection to Thanet DC's accounts after an ex-councillor said they should declare a £327k payment to its former boss ‘unlawful'. |
Pupil violence costs South East councils £65k
02/04/2025 Councils in the South East paid £64,555 in compensation to staff injured during school violence from 2019/20 to 2023/24, an investigation has revealed. |
Leadership and HR in local government transformation
01/04/2025 Pam Parkes, president of the PPMA, argues that the leadership mindset and HR are the missing links in local government transformation. |
Council chiefs defend six figure salaries
01/04/2025 Local authority leaders have defended local government salaries exceeding six figures, arguing it is important to attract the ‘right people’. |
Former Liverpool director denies bribery
31/03/2025 Liverpool City Council's former head of regeneration Nick Kavanagh has denied two counts of bribery in court. |
Aberdeen council accused of ‘fire and rehire’ threat
28/03/2025 Unite has accused Aberdeen City Council of threatening workers with ‘fire and rehire’ proposals as part of an industrial dispute, a claim the council denies. |
Brum council threatens redundancies to end bin strike
28/03/2025 Birmingham City Council will begin a consultation on compulsory redundancies in an effort to end the bin strike, a move Unite describes as ‘bully boy tactics’. |
Future Forum: Unitary workers 'grieving' loss of districts
20/03/2025 North Northamptonshire Council chief executive Adele Wylie has urged those involved in reorganisation to act with ‘kindness' and avoid rancour. |
Brum rejects independent inquiry call
18/03/2025 Birmingham City Council has rejected an opposition call for an independent inquiry into the botched implementation of an IT system. |
McMahon hints over councillor suspension power
12/03/2025 Local government minister Jim McMahon has hinted he will push ahead with handing councils the power to suspend councillors before they have been convicted. |
Former Liverpool mayor charged with bribery
10/03/2025 Ex-Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson is among a dozen people charged with bribery and misconduct. |
Leaders call for tough pay negotiating stance
05/03/2025 Council leaders have warned a tough stance is needed during pay negotiations as local government struggles to meet union demands. |
Union criticises council's 'fire and rehire' plan
05/03/2025 The GMB trade union has criticised Tory-led Devon CC for adopting a rare ‘fire and rehire' strategy for more than 800 jobs. |
First leader of North Northants to step down
20/02/2025 The first leader of North Northamptonshire Council has announced he is stepping down at the local elections in May to ‘transition into semi-retirement’. |
Council staff left ‘in tears’ after LTN meeting
13/02/2025 Lambeth Council workers were left ‘in tears’ and offered wellbeing leave after a hostile public meeting about a low-traffic neighbourhood (LTN), the High Court has heard. |
LGA to provide salary grants for planners
12/02/2025 The Local Government Association is offering councils financial support to help boost their planning capacity through the Pathways to Planning initiative. |
Former Woking officers expected to face probe
10/02/2025 The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) is reportedly planning to launch an investigation into two former senior officers at stricken Woking BC. |
Birmingham strikes escalate
04/02/2025 Strikes by more than 350 Birmingham bin workers will ‘intensify’ over the next two months, trade union Unite has announced. |
Trading standards cuts expose millions to danger
03/02/2025 Millions of people are exposed to scams and dangerous products because of understaffed trading standards teams, a freedom of information request has revealed. |
Unions call for £3,000 pay rise
31/01/2025 Council and school employees in England should receive a wage rise of £3,000, according to trade unions representing public sector workers. |
Unions lodge pay claims in Scotland
24/01/2025 Unions have put in their pay claims on behalf of local government employees in Scotland. |
Council’s senior management ‘unaware’ of £13.5m overspend
23/01/2025 Guildford BC's senior management were ‘unaware’ of a multi-million-pound overspend but should have noticed a series of ‘red flags’, investigation concludes. |
