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Bedford BC takes ‘robust action’ against environmental crime
6/3/2026 Bedford Borough Council has revealed its progress in fighting environmental crime as it announces a series of recent waste-related prosecutions. |
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New Forest boundary challenge has no ‘chance of success'
5/29/2026 New Forest DC has been advised that a legal challenge to the Government's controversial boundary changes in Hampshire would have no real chance of success. |
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City of London censures Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor
5/27/2026 City of London Corporation has censured Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor after he failed to respond to a request to relinquish his Freedom of the City of London. |
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Suspended Tory councillor considers legal action over ‘defamatory’ remarks
5/26/2026 The deputy leader of Worcestershire County Council is considering legal action against the Conservative Party chairman after being suspended from the party. |
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Five arrested over alleged fake candidate plot in Tameside
5/22/2026 Five people have been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud following allegations of electoral fraud in last month's local elections in Tameside. |
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Tribunal rules home working refusal may be disability discrimination
5/22/2026 An employment tribunal has found that refusing home working arrangements to an employee with agoraphobia can amount to disability discrimination. |
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Reform-controlled Essex CC launches reorganisation legal challenge
5/19/2026 Essex County Council has begun legal proceedings against the Government over its local government reorganisation proposals, the leader-elect has confirmed. |
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Eight-year-old launches legal challenge against SEND consultation
5/12/2026 An eight-year-old severely autistic girl is seeking a judicial review of the Government's consultation on its proposed special educational needs reforms. |
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85,000 homelessness cases linked to relationship breakdown
5/7/2026 More than 85,000 homelessness applications across England and Wales between 2020 and 2025 were linked to relationship breakdown, according to new research. |
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High Court ruling worth 'millions' to councils
5/7/2026 Sunderland City Council and Middlesbrough Council have fended off a legal challenge that could have cost millions of pounds. |
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Mayor steps into chief executive row with Reform UK councillors
5/6/2026 Doncaster's Labour mayor has stepped into the row between chief executive Damian Allen and Reform UK councillors by backing her chief executive officer. |
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Leeds City Council suffers huge fuel theft as Middle East conflict continues
4/30/2026 Leeds City Council has had 12,000 litres of fuel for its fleet of vehicles stolen as prices rise with continued conflict in the Middle East. |
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High street heatmap reveals 'dodgy shop' hotspots
4/30/2026 Birmingham, Liverpool and London top a new national heatmap of high street hotspots for organised crime. |
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Doncaster chief exec threatens legal action over Reform UK motion
4/28/2026 City of Doncaster Council chief executive Damian Allen has threatened legal action against the leader and deputy leader of the council's Reform UK group. |
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Family of asbestos victim receives over £1m compensation
4/27/2026 The family of a Yorkshire joiner who died from an asbestos-related disease have been awarded more than £1m in compensation. |
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Businessman admits pocketing millions from Thurrock Council
4/24/2026 A businessman has reportedly admitted taking a ‘substantial part’ of hundreds of millions of pounds of public money from Thurrock Council. |
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EXCLUSIVE: Ministers face legal LGR threat from furious Sussex leaders
4/10/2026 Sussex leaders are to demand ministers fully explain why they have delayed a final reorganisation decision, or they will consider launching a judicial review. |
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Teachers win £15m in compensation claims
4/2/2026 Teachers received over £15m in compensation for successful claims, including one which involved a six-figure payout for a teacher who was hit by a toaster. |
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Warning: Fake beach hut listings target coastal hopefuls
4/1/2026 Aspiring beach hut owners are being urged by a Kent council to exercise extreme caution as scammers target those seeking a slice of the local coastline. |
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Oxfordshire issues legal warning over unauthorised flags
3/31/2026 Oxfordshire CC has issued a formal legal notice to the group ‘Raise the Colours’ following the unauthorised installation of flags on highway infrastructure. |
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Sarah Ferguson stripped of City of York honour
3/27/2026 City of York Council has voted to strip Sarah Ferguson of the freedom of the city due to her links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. |
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Essex threatens legal action over reorganisation
3/26/2026 Essex CC is looking to mount a legal challenge to the Government's decision to reorganise the county into five unitary authorities. |
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Charity calls for end to council tax imprisonment threats
3/24/2026 Councils in England threatened 1,500 residents with prison over council tax arrears in five years, a debt charity has found. |
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LocalGov Weekly Round Up
3/20/2026 A pivotal week for councils sees fresh devolution plans, new service pilots and key legal and political battles, writes LocalGov editor William Eichler. |
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Unite fined £265k over Birmingham bin strike injunction breaches
3/18/2026 Birmingham CC has welcomed a High Court ruling that fines the trade union Unite £265,000 for breaching an injunction during the long-running bin strike. |
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Court rules that council’s traffic orders were lawful
3/16/2026 A campaign group’s challenge against North Yorkshire Council’s transformation scheme has been dismissed by the Court of Appeal. |
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‘Litter louts’ could lose driving licences under new Government plans
3/16/2026 Fly-tippers could have points added to their driving licences under new measures being considered by the Government as part of a crackdown on waste crime. |
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Council's legal battle over asylum seeker hotel comes to an end
3/16/2026 Epping Forest District Council has exhausted its legal options in a bid to remove asylum seekers housed at the Bell Hotel in Epping. |
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High Court rules developers must fund infrastructure contributions
3/10/2026 The High Court has ruled that developers must provide financial contributions to local authorities for necessary infrastructure. |
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Coventry sets aside £27m to cover potential equal pay claims
3/9/2026 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. |
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Epping Forest DC challenges High Court on Bell Hotel ruling
3/9/2026 Epping Forest DC has returned to court in an attempt to secure an injunction against the use of the Bell Hotel for asylum seeker accommodation. |
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Croydon LTNs to be scrapped by order of judge
3/6/2026 Croydon Council’s low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) have been deemed unlawful by a High Court judge. |
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Councils’ wood burning campaign prompts stove industry backlash
3/5/2026 Councils have been warned of possible legal action from the stove industry due to their campaigns cautioning about the dangers of wood burning. |
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Court fines for fly-tipping lower than council penalties, LGA warns
3/4/2026 Criminals prosecuted through the courts for fly-tipping are routinely being fined less than the on-the-spot penalties councils can issue directly, LGA warns. |
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Weapons seized in Manchester Central Mosque incident
2/26/2026 Local leaders in Manchester have expressed ‘deep concern’ after two men carrying a bag containing weapons walked into Manchester Central Mosque. |
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Shetland civic head banned from company directorship over unpaid taxes
2/25/2026 The civic head of Shetland Islands Council has been disqualified from acting as a company director after her pub business failed to pay over £170,000 in taxes. |
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Brum council secures waste depot injunction
2/23/2026 Birmingham City Council has secured a High Court injunction against ‘persons unknown’ aimed at preventing blockading at the authority’s waste depots. |
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Reform council chair resigns following illegal HMO operations
2/2/2026 A council chairman has resigned after being found to have unlawfully operated unlicensed houses in multiple occupation (HMO). |
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Council secures High Court sentence over planning breaches
1/26/2026 Tewkesbury Borough Council has secured a High Court sentence after a landowner repeatedly breached planning control and a court injunction. |
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Council advances legal proceedings due to ‘reckless’ tree felling
1/22/2026 Enfield Council has started forfeiture proceedings against Mitchells & Butlers following the company’s partial felling of an ancient oak tree. |
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Epsom & Ewell mulls suing leisure operator
1/21/2026 Epsom & Ewell BC has ‘retained legal expert support' as it considers suing the former operator of a leisure centre handed over needing repairs. |
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Resident told to pay council £18,000 for ‘dishonest’ accident claims
1/16/2026 A resident has been fined over £18,000 for making false claims in attempt to seek compensation from the council. |
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Major £300m fraud investigation into social housing sector launched
1/15/2026 The UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has launched an inquiry into the past management of Home REIT amid allegations of fraud and bribery. |
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Mayor ‘appalled’ by destruction of Holocaust memorial bench
1/9/2026 Salford mayor Paul Dennett has said he is ‘deeply saddened and appalled’ following the destruction of a Holocaust memorial bench in Clowes Park. |
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Beach hut owners question legality of council tax change
1/8/2026 Beach hut owners on the south coast have questioned the legal basis of classing huts as second homes for the purposes of council tax. |
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Councils that boycott Israel could face legal action, Reed warns
1/7/2026 Labour-run local authorities could face legal action if they pursue boycotts against Israel, Communities Secretary Steve Reed has warned. |
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Durham CC takes ‘last resort’ legal action against landlord
1/5/2026 Durham County Council has secured a banning order to temporarily prevent a landlord from renting out properties. |
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Former councillor accused of raping ex-wife
12/23/2025 A former Tory councillor from Swindon has appeared in court charged with drugging and raping his ex-wife. |
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Dudley Council secures £200k in debt recovery action
12/15/2025 Dudley Council has won back over £200,000 following a successful debt recovery case. |
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Council tax prison call
12/11/2025 England should follow Scotland and Wales in scrapping the sanction of imprisonment for non-payment of council tax, a charity has urged after latest figures from the Ministry of Justice revealed 19 people received suspended sentences last year. |
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Illegal waste site investigation sees council seize vehicles
12/10/2025 Bromley Council has seized four vehicles following the discovery of what is believed to be an illegal waste site. |
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Councillors donate to crowdfunder supporting jailed colleague
12/9/2025 Councillors, including the leader of Somerset Council, have donated to a crowdfunder to help meet the legal costs of a colleague who has been jailed for taking part in a Just Stop Oil protest. |
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Epping Forest to appeal Bell Hotel decision despite Supreme Court set back
12/3/2025 Epping Forest District Council is to appeal a High Court injunction to stop the use of a hotel, which has been the focus of protests in the area, being used for asylum seeker accommodation. |
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Council appeals Bell Hotel court decision
11/26/2025 Epping Forest DC has voted to appeal against a recent High Court decision to allow the use of The Bell Hotel as temporary accommodation for refugees. |
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Wimbledon Park planning ‘struggle’ continues as campaigners appeal
11/20/2025 A local campaign group will be appealing against the planning approval secured by All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) for Wimbledon Park’s expansion. |
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Parish council pays residents £100k plus for park-plaints
11/17/2025 A council has been ordered to grant £130,000 to residents following noise complaints about games in a children’s park. |
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Majority of councils failing to prosecute landlords, FOI reveals
11/17/2025 Two-thirds of councils in England have not prosecuted a single landlord in the past three years, new analysis shows. |
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Facial Recognition: Balancing safety, privacy, and trust in local communities
11/13/2025 Tony Oliver, Head of Physical Security, North, explores how facial recognition technology can help local authorities enhance public safety. |
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Breaking: Council loses asylum hotel battle
11/11/2025 Epping Forest District Council has lost its long-running legal battle to stop asylum seekers being housed in a local hotel. |
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Councils sound alarm as fly-tipping soars
11/10/2025 Keep Britain Tidy is calling for urgent action to tackle a surge in fly-tipping, as new research shows the majority of councils see issue as a growing problem. |
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Islington Council wins baby vaccination court battle
11/6/2025 Islington Council has won a High Court battle to vaccinate a baby against her mother’s wishes. |
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Rogue trader jailed for stealing £200k
11/5/2025 A Norfolk builder has been imprisoned after stealing over £200k from residents following building and home-improvement work that was never done. |
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Man ordered to repay £30,000 after council housing fraud
11/3/2025 A man who falsely claimed to be homeless to secure a council house has been ordered to repay almost £30,000 following an investigation. |
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Care home fraud uncovered by Dudley Council
10/30/2025 An investigation by a council’s trading standards team has found former care home bosses guilty of having ‘financially abused’ an elderly resident. |
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Warning issued after seizure of 3,600 illegal vehicle parts
10/29/2025 Authorities have seized more than 3,600 counterfeit vehicle parts worth over £100,000 from a self-storage facility in South Gloucestershire. |
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Company faces ‘zero tolerance’ penalty for fire safety failings
10/28/2025 A company has been fined £50,000 by Birmingham City Council for an ‘unacceptable’ failure to implement essential building improvements. |
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Roney legal case collapses
10/24/2025 A court case accusing Birmingham City Council chief executive Joanne Roney of an antisemitic slur has collapsed as ‘there was not a shred of evidence’. |
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Reform UK election challenge dismissed by High Court
10/22/2025 A Reform UK candidate who contested a tied local election result in Worcestershire has had her legal challenge dismissed by the High Court. |
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Council called out for failing to pay minimum wage
10/20/2025 Coventry City Council has been named among nearly 500 employers found to have underpaid staff the National Minimum Wage, according to the Government. |
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Council considers court order over unstable building
10/3/2025 Herefordshire Council is seeking legal advice due to safety issues surrounding a high street building. |
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Notts council faces legal challenge over media ban
10/1/2025 A newspaper group has launched legal action against a decision by Reform UK-led Nottinghamshire CC to ban its journalists from covering council business. |
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Gwynedd to appeal court block on second homes clampdown
9/29/2025 Gwynedd Council is preparing to launch an appeal after losing a legal challenge to its clampdown on second homes. |
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Council takes action against ‘Kingdom of Kubala’
9/26/2025 A council has raised concerns about a group camping in the Scottish Border woodlands. |
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Council leader resigns after embezzlement charge
9/23/2025 The leader of Perth and Kinross Council has stepped down after being charged with embezzlement. |
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Ex-Labour councillor charged in ‘honeytrap’ case
9/18/2025 A former Labour councillor has been charged with blackmail and communications offences following a probe into the Westminster ‘honeytrap’ scandal. |
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EXCLUSIVE: Judicial review threat for food waste laggards
9/16/2025 English councils that fail to offer separate food waste collections to all homes from April could face judicial review, a Whitehall insider has warned. |
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High Court blocks closure of Caerphilly libraries
9/11/2025 Plans to close 10 libraries across Caerphilly county borough have been halted after the High Court granted an interim injunction. |
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PAC: Family court delays put social care under strain
9/10/2025 Children and families are being failed by delays in the family justice system, the Public Accounts Committee has warned, with impacts felt in social care. |
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Councils seek legal advice amid reorganisation confusion
9/9/2025 Councils facing boundary changes as part of local government reorganisation are seeking legal advice to clarify what proposals they can put forward. |
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Epping Forest suffers legal blow
9/3/2025 Epping Forest DC has remained defiant in its opposition to use of The Bell Hotel for asylum accommodation despite a further legal setback. |
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Breaking: Epping asylum hotel injunction overturned
8/29/2025 A temporary injunction banning use of the Bell Hotel in Epping to accommodate asylum seekers has been overturned. |
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Council worker jailed for £236k fraud
8/29/2025 A council employee who secretly held multiple jobs has been jailed for three years after defrauding local authorities out of more than £236,000. |
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'Political' motivation behind Epping hotel injunction
8/28/2025 Epping Forest DC sought an injunction banning the use of the Bell Hotel to accommodate asylum seekers for ‘political' reasons, it has been claimed. |
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Resident fined over £100k for felling ancient tree
8/26/2025 A resident has been fined over £100,000 for illegally cutting down an ancient tree protected by a preservation order. |
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Council leader slams Marilyn Manson gig over assault claims
8/22/2025 The leader of Nottingham City Council has criticised an arena’s decision to allow Marilyn Manson to perform due to allegations of sexual assault. |
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Council wins temporary injunction over asylum hotel
8/19/2025 Asylum seekers are to be removed from an Essex hotel that has became the focus of protests this summer. |
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Pothole Claims: What Councils Need to Know
8/18/2025 Councils face growing pothole claims. Georgia Milton of DWF highlights how strong inspections and AI tools can help balance legal duties, budgets and safety. |
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Judge temporarily bans new arrivals at Epping asylum hotel
8/18/2025 A judge has ordered a hotel not to accept any new applications from asylum seekers until his ruling on Epping Forest DC's request for a temporary injunction. |
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Councillor cleared of inciting violence
8/18/2025 A Labour councillor who said far-right activists should have their throats cut has been found not guilty of inciting violence. |
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Council fined following care home health and safety issues
8/11/2025 A fine of nearly £100,000 has been issued to Comhairle nan Eilean Siar Council due to an incident in St Brendan's Care Home. |
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Reform UK council leader risks contempt of court
8/5/2025 Warwickshire council leader George Finch risks facing prosecution for contempt of court after discussing an alleged rape at a Reform UK press conference. |
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Councils underperform in meeting self-build plots demand
8/1/2025 Over 50% of councils reportedly did not abide by legal guidelines around authorising sufficient numbers of self-build homes. |
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Peers pass fire and hire exemption
7/23/2025 Councils with financial problems that are placed under government intervention may be exempt from a ban on sacking and then rehiring employees. |
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Reform candidate takes legal action after losing dead heat election
7/22/2025 Reform UK candidate Liz Williams has filed a petition to the High Court claiming her loss in May's dead heat election in Worcestershire County Council’s Littletons division was fraudulent. |
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Council forgoes lake ownership following algae issues
7/21/2025 A council has handed over its lease on a lake after ‘toxic blue-green algae’ is found in the water. |
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Councils to be handed powers to inspect rented homes without notice
7/21/2025 Councils are set to be given powers to inspect rented homes without providing notice to landlords |
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EXCLUSIVE: Crawley ponders legal response to unitary dismissal
7/17/2025 Crawley BC is considering its next steps, including a potential judicial review, after local government minister Jim McMahon dismissed its proposal for a cross-county unitary. |
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Council faces backlash over transgender pride flag crossings
7/7/2025 Camden Council could encounter legal action due to its Transgender Awareness Crossing, a road crossing painted pink, blue and white. |
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Fraud cases cost council £2.7m last year
6/30/2025 Stoke-on-Trent City Council has revealed 108 cases of fraud were perpetrated against the local authority last year. |
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Legal warning over Reform's pension plans
6/26/2025 A legal expert has warned Reform UK councils will not be able to slash local authority pensions. |