Councils click into the future of planning
In town halls across the country, planning officers are racing to update their Local Plans — but this time, the process looks very different.
EXCLUSIVE: Rayner drops Brum inquiry plan
09/04/2025 Angela Rayner has dropped plans for a statutory inquiry that would have investigated Labour-run Birmingham City Council's failed rollout of an IT system. |
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. |
Rough sleeping ‘a source of national shame’, MPs say
13/02/2025 The rising number of people sleeping rough in England is a source of national shame, ministers have been told. |
Getting prepared for local child sexual exploitation inquiries
13/02/2025 After the government announced five pilots for locally-led inquiries into child grooming gangs, councils should ensure they have resources at their disposal should investigations be rolled out, says Stephanie McGarry, partner at Browne Jacobson. |
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. |
Council welcomes Prevent inquiry after Southport attack
21/01/2025 Lancashire County Council has welcomed the announcement of an inquiry into the Prevent programme following the conviction of Southport killer Axel Rudakubana. |
Government seeks Prevent programme 'answers' after Southport attack
21/01/2025 Reforms to Prevent are to be unveiled this week ahead of a public inquiry looking at why it failed to stop last year's fatal Southport knife attack. |
Questions over grooming inquiries' legal backing
17/01/2025 Concern has been raised over the legal backing for local inquiries into child sexual exploitation. |
Burnham backs ‘limited’ national inquiry into abuse
10/01/2025 Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has voiced his support for a ‘limited’ national inquiry into child grooming gangs. |
Jay distances herself from fresh inquiry calls
07/01/2025 The former head of a national inquiry into child sexual abuse has warned against ‘politicising' the issue. |
MPs launch inquiry into cost of failing to fix social care
04/11/2024 MPs have launched an inquiry looking into the costs of failing to fix the struggling adult social care system. |
Grenfell response was 'woefully lacking'
11/09/2024 Kensington & Chelsea LBC's response to the Grenfell disaster was ‘woefully lacking', the chairman of the Local Government Association (LGA) at the time, Lord Porter, has said. |
Grenfell inquiry highlights Government and council failings
04/09/2024 Failings on the part of the Government and Kensington & Chelsea LBC enabled the Grenfell Tower disaster to unfold, the inquiry into the tragedy has found. |
Public inquiry into Thurrock’s financial failure rejected
03/04/2024 The Government has rejected a request for a public inquiry into Thurrock Council’s financial failure and significant levels of debt. |
Teesworks inquiry finds no evidence of ‘corruption’
30/01/2024 An inquiry into accusations of corruption relating to the Teesworks scheme has found no evidence of ‘illegality’ but ‘transparency’ concerns remain. |
MPs launch inquiry into controversial watchdog
24/11/2023 An inquiry looking at the remit of the controversial Office for Local Government (Oflog) was launched by MPs today. |
‘Toxic’ environment at council waste service
15/11/2023 A report describing a ‘toxic’ working environment at Brighton and Hove City Council’s waste service includes accounts of staff bringing weapons to the depot. |
Brighton’s waste service ‘mired in racism, sexism and homophobia’
13/10/2023 A report has described a ‘toxic’ environment and ‘normalised’ bullying behaviour within Brighton and Hove City Council’s waste department following complaints by whistleblowers. |
What the Covid inquiry can learn from local government
13/06/2023 Richard Machin, lecturer in Social Work and Health at Nottingham Trent University, looks at what the Covid inquiry can learn from Nottingham City Council. |
Tory MPs block release of Teesside investigation documents
08/06/2023 The Government has blocked the release of documents which would show the decision-making behind an investigation into controversial Teesside redevelopment. |
Review into Leicester unrest launched
26/05/2023 The Government has commissioned an independent review into the unrest in Leicester last year that occurred between groups of young Muslim and Hindu men. |
Council calls for shellfish death inquiry
19/05/2023 North Yorkshire Council has backed calls for a public inquiry into the unexplained mass deaths of shellfish off its coastline. |
Final Grenfell inquiry report expected next year
04/05/2023 The final report from the inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire is unlikely to be published until next year, according to the inquiry team. |
Child sexual exploitation inquiry clears council of cover up
20/06/2022 An inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham has found that there were serious failings in the handling of some cases but no cover up by the council. |
COVID inquiry chair requests changes to investigation’s focus
13/05/2022 UK COVID inquiry chair Baroness Hallett has written to the PM proposing changes to the inquiry’s Terms of Reference in order to emphasise inequality. |
Inquiry identifies ‘failings’ in council’s handling of serious sexual offences
26/10/2021 Edinburgh Council has published a report which identified ‘failings’ in the local authority’s handling of historical complaints against an employee who was subsequently charged with serious sexual offences. |
Society has allowed child sexual abuse to exist - now we must do more to help those affected
13/10/2021 Kit Shellam says that while it is vital we make progress in preventing the sexual abuse of children, we must also support those who have been abused and who continue to live - and suffer - in silence. |
Inquiry launched into challenging adult social care decisions
20/07/2021 An inquiry has been launched to examine how people can challenge decisions made by local councils about adult social care. |
MPs launch inquiry into adult social care funding
05/03/2021 An investigation into the long-term consequences of COVID-19 on adult social care will be conducted by MPs. |
Over 20 charities call for inquiry into ‘welfare-related deaths’
12/03/2020 Twenty-one charities and mental health organisations have thrown their weight behind a campaign calling for an independent inquiry into the deaths of people relying on the welfare system. |
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MPs to examine current approach to devolution
09/03/2020 An inquiry looking into progress on devolution in England has been launched by the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee. |
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Inquiry into housing tenure and unemployment launched
09/03/2020 A new parliamentary inquiry launched today to tackle the employment and earnings gap that exists between working age social housing tenants and other tenures. |
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Leeds council set to launch inquiry into the use of fireworks
06/12/2019 A local authority has decided to hold an inquiry into the use of fireworks after receiving complaints about residents setting them off on regular occasions. |
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'It should’ve been a place of safety'
07/11/2019 Beth Mooney and Grace Ablett examine the extent of child sexual abuse in children’s homes and residential care. |
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Abuse ‘endemic’ in children’s homes
07/11/2019 An independent inquiry has found physical and sexual abuse was endemic in children’s homes and residential care homes. |
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Nottinghamshire councils apologise for ‘decades’ of child abuse
01/08/2019 Nottinghamshire councils have apologised for letting survivors ‘down in worst possible way’ after an inquiry found hundreds of children were abused in care. |
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MPs to investigate UK's regional imbalances
14/06/2019 A new inquiry into regional imbalances in the UK economy has been launched by the Treasury Committee. |
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Clinical Commissioning Groups ‘failing to function effectively’
20/12/2018 An inquiry into the role of Clinical Commissioning Groups has been launched after a report warned many were ‘failing to function effectively’. |
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Council promise to assist Grenfell inquiry ‘expose the lesson’ of the fire
21/05/2018 The leader of Kensington and Chelsea council today said her authority will assist the Grenfell inquiry ‘to expose the lessons’ from the tragedy so all councils may apply them. |
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Inquiry into child sexual abuse warns of ‘lack of transparency’
26/04/2018 There has been a ‘lack of transparency’ on the part of some leaders in relation to failures to protect children from sexual abuse, inquiry finds. |
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Former council leader ‘lied’ about child sexual abuse, inquiry finds
13/04/2018 The inquiry into child sexual abuse in Rochdale has accused the former leader of the council of lying and said his refusal to accept responsibility was ‘shameful’. |
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Investigation launched into serious failures at specialist school
06/04/2018 An investigation has been launched into a charity for the blind following ‘serious concerns’ over the safeguarding of vulnerable children and young people. |
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Council leader welcomes independent inquiry into child sexual abuse
27/03/2018 The leader of Telford & Wrekin Council, Shaun Davies, has welcomed the decision to bring an independent inquiry into child sexual abuse to Telford. |
