‘Stark local gaps’ in childcare provision revealed
Next PM must fast-track social care reform, MPs say
Baroness Casey open to a faster social care reform timetable
London air pollution deaths fall 40% since ULEZ launch
Beyond the Leisure Centre: How to make the case for active wellbeing investment
This special report from LocalGov and Alliance Leisure makes the case for repositioning council leisure provision as prevention infrastructure.
Free toothbrushes for thousands of Liverpool children
23/06/2026 Liverpool CC is set to distribute 40,000 free toothbrushes and nearly 40,000 tubes of toothpaste to children across the city this July to combat tooth decay. |
NSPCC admits failing to report high-risk child contacts to councils
23/06/2026 The NSPCC has referred itself to the Charity Commission after discovering that contacts from children categorised as high-risk were not passed on to councils. |
Researchers call for more ‘proportionate’ alcohol policies
22/06/2026 Pubs are ‘vital social infrastructure’ and should be recognised for their value, a report from WPI Strategy has proposed. |
Cornwall care workers pushed to breaking point
22/06/2026 Adult social care workers in Cornwall are operating at or beyond sustainable capacity, according to a new report from Healthwatch Cornwall. |
Southampton named England's best city for cycling
19/06/2026 Southampton has topped a new ranking of England's best cities for cycling, beating Newcastle and Cambridge into second and third place. |
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. |
Ombudsman finds council failed disabled teenager over housing delays
18/06/2026 A disabled teenager was left without access to vital medical equipment after a London council failed to act on repeated warnings about unsuitable housing. |
Government urged to create child protection authority 'today'
18/06/2026 The children's commissioner for England has demanded the Government opens a child protection authority immediately. |
Councils must monitor quality of TA offered to disabled children, charity says
16/06/2026 Roughly one in eight children with disabilities are living in temporary accommodation across England, research has revealed. |
Council launches safeguarding review after toddler's death
16/06/2026 Oldham Council has confirmed an independent child safeguarding practice review is underway following the death of 13-month-old Preston Davey. |
Councils to receive over £4bn to support active travel plans
12/06/2026 More than £4.5bn is to be provided by the Government to help councils deliver thousands of new walking, wheeling, and cycling routes, as well as crossings. |
Prevention Accelerators to help councils identify illness risks earlier
10/06/2026 A new programme is to be rolled out to support councils and community health services in identifying early risk of preventable illness. |
Somerset Council commits to reforming adult social care services
08/06/2026 A report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has prompted Somerset Council to improve its adult social care services. |
Children’s services directors oppose under-16s social media ban
02/06/2026 The Association of Directors of Children’s Services has said its members are against a complete social media ban for under-16s. |
Axing patient watchdog risks NHS ‘marking own homework’, warns LGA
01/06/2026 Government plans to abolish the network of Healthwatch patient watchdog organisations that work with councils to monitor NHS and adult social care services have been criticised by the Local Government Association (LGA). |
Exercise for older people essential for prevention agenda, MPs say
22/05/2026 Physical activity should be treated as seriously as medication in the NHS's care of older people, a cross-party committee of MPs has concluded. |
Government publishes plan to overhaul of children's social care
21/05/2026 The Government has set out how it will implement the most significant reforms to children's social care and child protection in a generation. |
Councils target air pollution hotspots to protect rare heathlands
21/05/2026 Dorset Council and BCP Council have completed a major air quality monitoring project to help protect the county's heathland habitats from traffic pollution. |
Cumberland Council calls for new approach to men's health
21/05/2026 Cumberland Council has highlighted inequalities in men's health and called for conversations about social expectations around masculinity and wellbeing. |
CQC hands out third inadequate rating
18/05/2026 Salford City Council is the third council to be rated inadequate for its adult social care services by the Care Quality Commission since assessments began. |
Councils must be at heart of new mental health strategy, says LGA
15/05/2026 The Government has launched a call for evidence to inform a new Mental Health Strategy for England, with frontline workers invited to share their views. |
Rural areas rival cities for toxic air, report warns
13/05/2026 More rural parts of England have air pollution levels comparable to major cities, according to new analysis from the Healthy Air Coalition. |
Poll finds over 90% in favour of more smokefree areas
13/05/2026 A charity has called for the rollout of clear guidance that enables councils to support adults in quitting smoking, following a poll which reveals widespread support for more smokefree public spaces. |
Safety chiefs declare iconic Gloucester cheese rolling event ‘unsafe’
12/05/2026 Authorities have declared a traditional annual cheese rolling event unsafe, warning that thousands of visitors could be without formal safety protection. |
Call for investment in MSI teachers following ‘critical shortage’ across councils
12/05/2026 Over 50% of councils do not have any specialist multi-sensory impairment (MSI) teachers employed to support deafblind children. |
Newly elected councillors urged to prioritise adult social care
11/05/2026 Care England has called on councillors elected in last week's local elections to make adult social care a top priority. |
Children's social care providers show ‘pockets of vulnerability’
07/05/2026 A new analysis of England's largest children's social care placement providers has found significant variation in financial resilience across the sector. |
Call for social care to be treated as 'national infrastructure'
07/05/2026 A new report is calling for a shift in how adult social care is funded and understood – arguing it should be recognised as essential national infrastructure. |
Oxfordshire County Council launches 10-year learning disabilities plan
29/04/2026 A 10-year plan to support adults with learning disabilities has been launched by Oxfordshire County Council and its partners. |
Council launches petition to guarantee job interviews for care leavers
28/04/2026 Staffordshire CC has launched a petition calling on businesses with 50 plus employees, or a turnover above £5m, to guarantee job interviews to care leavers. |
Family of asbestos victim receives over £1m compensation
27/04/2026 The family of a Yorkshire joiner who died from an asbestos-related disease have been awarded more than £1m in compensation. |
Government urges councils to work with ICBs on neighbourhood health centres
27/04/2026 Housing secretary Steve Reed has urged councils to work with ICBs on creating neighbourhood health centres. |
Rising home care costs see councils take legal action
24/04/2026 Over 40 councils were found to have taken legal action against people who had incurred home care debt, research has found. |
Illegal children's home placements up 370%
20/04/2026 The use of illegal, unregistered children's homes has surged by more than 370% in four years, according to new research. |
Public toilet numbers reach crisis point
20/04/2026 New research has revealed there is just one public toilet for every 15,481 people in England, as experts warn of ‘public toilet deserts’. |
Improvement notice lifted on Oxfordshire's SEND services
20/04/2026 An improvement notice for SEND services in Oxfordshire issued following an inspection by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission in 2023 has been lifted. |
Government to examine deaths of vulnerable care leavers
16/04/2026 The Government has announced a review into the deaths of vulnerable care leavers, aiming to improve protections for young people leaving the care system. |
Urgent call to close dementia training gap
16/04/2026 Over a third of care workers lack basic knowledge of dementia, research has found. |
Think tank proposes later-life social care fund
16/04/2026 A think tank is calling for a fundamental redesign of how later-life social care is funded in England, proposing a new national insurance-style fund. |
Lancashire CC apologises for role in failings before Southport attack
14/04/2026 The chief executive of Lancashire County Council has apologised for the authority's role in the systemic failings that preceded the Southport knife attack. |
Thousands of unpaid carers to have allowance debts cancelled
13/04/2026 The Government has announced that tens of thousands of unpaid carers will have debts reduced, cancelled, or refunded following a decade of confusing guidance. |
Pizza Out, Salad In: Schools face sweeping junk food ban
13/04/2026 The Government has announced plans to overhaul school food standards for the first time in over a decade. |
New food plan strives to boost heathy living in West Northants
10/04/2026 West Northants Council has announced a new food plan to encourage healthy eating through increasing access to affordable food. |
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. |
£60,000 up for grabs as homelessness award opens
07/04/2026 Organisations tackling homelessness are being invited to apply for the London Homelessness Awards 2026, with a total prize fund of £60,000 on offer. |
Council issued second Ombudsman report following homelessness case
02/04/2026 A second report has been presented to a council by the Ombudsman following the local authority’s failures in the case of a man who required help for homelessness. |
Blackpool care home fire sees emergency services called
02/04/2026 A fire at a Blackpool care home was declared a major incident by emergency services. |
Largest ICB in England established in London
01/04/2026 The largest ICB in England responsible for a £12bn NHS annual investment has been established in London. |
Poll reveals ‘systemic barriers’ in mental health care
31/03/2026 While experiences of mental health care at the local level are improving, systemic barriers continue to leave many patients in crisis, new survey reveals. |
Sibling contact for children in care to be prioritised by councils
27/03/2026 New legislation will require councils to ensure siblings in care remain in contact. |
