Powers warning ahead of new deals
07/12/2021 A new report today warns areas reluctant to accept directly-elected leaders in the next wave of devolution deals may be offered ‘fewer powers and flexibilities’. |
Counties in council tax warning
07/10/2021 County leaders have warned council tax bills would have to rise by almost a quarter over three years to get close to eliminating their deficit. |
Johnson: Bring your devolution plans to me
15/07/2021 Prime Minister Boris Johnson called for local leaders to take their devolution plans to him in a keynote speech from the West Midlands this morning. |
Newham launches innovative Citizen's Assembly
09/07/2021 Newham LBC is launching the first permanent Citizen’s Assembly in an effort to hand more power to local people. |
Virtual meetings have boosted local democracy, survey finds
17/06/2021 Nine in 10 councils believe local democracy has improved as a direct result of online council meetings, a survey has found. |
Queen's Speech: Controversial voter ID plans roll forward
11/05/2021 Voter ID is expected to be introduced by May 2023 after the Government pledged to introduce legislation to ‘ensure the integrity of elections’. |
Virtual council meeting challenge dismissed by High Court
28/04/2021 Councils will not be able to continue to meet virtually after 6 May after High Court Judges dismissed a legal challenge by local government. |
Power of local government eroded over decades, report concludes
16/04/2021 Local authorities have seen a ‘steady erosion’ of their autonomy by central Government over the last four decades, a new report has concluded. |
So when will Whitehall take a back seat?
15/04/2021 Andrew Carter, chief executive of Centre for Cities, tells Government to give councils 'the powers and resources to make the right decisions for our areas’. |
Zoom star Jackie Weaver calls for online council meetings to be made legal
15/04/2021 Zoom star Jackie Weaver and the professional body for IT have joined forces to urge the Government to make online council meetings legal. |
Virtual insanity: Councils hit out at refusal to extend meeting rules
26/03/2021 Councils will not be able to hold virtual council meetings after 6 May after the Government refused to budge on changes to legislation. |
Proportional votes to come to Wales
19/11/2020 Proportional voting will be introduced to Welsh council elections for the first time as the franchise is extended to 16- and 17-year olds and foreigners. |
Planning proposals will 'disempower' councils
28/09/2020 The Lib Dems have used their autumn conference to warn that the Government’s planning proposals will ‘disempower’ councils. |
Ministers to receive Somerset unitary business case
31/07/2020 A business case for a single Somerset unitary has been sent to communities secretary Robert Jenrick and local government minister Simon Clarke. |
Hand health powers to elected mayors, says report
23/06/2020 Health powers should be handed to elected mayors as part of a ‘rejuvenated and fortified wave of devolution,’ a think-tank report has suggested. |
Video conferencing first at council meeting
02/04/2020 A council used software to help decide key planning applications in what is believed to be the first meeting of its kind in the country. |
Councils close buildings and cancel meetings in response to coronavirus outbreak
16/03/2020 Councils have closed, events and meetings have been cancelled and some politicians are in self-isolation in a bid to stem the spreading of the coronavirus pandemic. |
Budget 2020: New West Yorkshire mayor announced
11/03/2020 A new directly-elected West Yorkshire mayor has been announced with the Government signing a new devolution deal amid plans to ‘level up’ the UK economy. |
Boost for Yorkshire leaders committee talks
15/01/2020 Local government secretary Robert Jenrick has agreed to talks on the role and functions of a new committee of leaders from across Yorkshire. |
Devolution revolution expected after Johnson wins
13/12/2019 Local government was this morning expecting a devolution revolution after Prime Minister Boris Johnson secured a sweeping election win. |
Queen's Speech 19: Voter ID requirement at elections to be rolled out
14/10/2019 The Queen’s Speech has set out the Government’s plans to require voters to show photographic ID at polling stations. |
Plans for voter ID bill branded 'dangerous and undemocratic'
13/10/2019 Plans to introduce voter ID across the whole country have been branded ‘dangerous, misguided and undemocratic’ by the Electoral Reform Society (ERS). |
It’s time to reboot localism, says think tank
23/09/2019 Local authorities should formally commit to including the neighbourhood in all decision making processes, says Centre for London. |
'Cracks' starting to show in electoral system
16/09/2019 Election administrators have warned of ‘cracks’ beginning to show in the electoral system with the prospect of another poll on the horizon. |
NILGA: Give councils the power to change Northern Ireland
11/02/2019 The Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA) has called for the role of councils to be formally reviewed and strengthened after the elections in May, giving greater decision making powers to local people and places. |
Christchurch reorganisation challenge defeated
07/08/2018 Christchurch BC may launch an appeal after a High Court judge today refused its challenge to local government reorganisation plans. |
Brokenshire considering new devolution models
10/07/2018 James Brokenshire is considering new models of devolution as he seeks to extend further powers to local areas, the communities secretary has insisted. |
Welsh Government in new push for larger councils
20/03/2018 Local government in Wales is facing a radical overhaul, with ministers consulting on plans to create ‘larger, stronger councils’. |
Shell is helping power the journey towards a circular paving industry with Shell Bitumen LT R, a new product for roads that uses plastics destined for landfill as part of the additives to make the bitumen.
Effective Energy Group is now offering its support to the 40 Local Authorities who have received a share of the £430m to deliver their projects on the ground by surveying properties and installing measures.
Dougie Belmore explains how one of the main interfaces between you and Bacs is about to change.