Delivering Regeneration: How collaborative contracts are transforming place-making
Discover how collaborative contracting is helping councils deliver regeneration more effectively with this free special report from LocalGov and NEC Contracts.
Five arrested over alleged fake candidate plot in Tameside
22/05/2026 Five people have been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud following allegations of electoral fraud in last month's local elections in Tameside. |
Rainbow coalitions form as more councils fall under NOC
20/05/2026 Attempts are being made to form rainbow coalitions around the country after more councils ended up in no overall control following the elections. |
Reform UK council hit by trebling of councillor conduct complaints
18/05/2026 Peers have raised concerns about the impact of increasing reports of negative member behaviour on staff morale and retention at a Reform UK-led council. |
Reform UK to nominate new CCN chair
18/05/2026 The County Councils Network (CCN) has announced that the Reform UK Group is to nominate the new chair of the network. |
New Councils, Old Lessons: What the class of 2026 needs to know
15/05/2026 Colin Copus of De Montfort University reflects on the challenges ahead for new members, officers and the councils they must now run together. |
After the Votes: Why HR and OD are crucial to delivering new political mandates
15/05/2026 PPMA President Sandra Farquharson argues that HR and OD professionals have a pivotal role to play in turning new administrations' promises into outcomes. |
Labour retains position as largest group on LGA
14/05/2026 The LGA has published its updated political proportionality following the local elections, with Labour retaining its position as the largest group. |
Reform UK unlikely to enter 'formal coalitions' on councils
14/05/2026 Reform UK is unlikely to join ‘formal coalitions' to run councils, a leading party figure has told The MJ. |
CCN launches new business plan following local elections
14/05/2026 The CCN has launched a new business plan, pledging to do more for member councils as new administrations take shape following last week's local elections. |
'We survived the election': The wellbeing crisis facing electoral services teams
13/05/2026 LocalGov speaks to the Association of Electoral Administrators about the human cost of delivering elections and whether it is sustainable. |
Reform urged to expel a dozen new councillors over extremist views
13/05/2026 Campaigners have called on Reform UK to kick out 12 newly elected councillors for racism – including antisemitism and Islamophobia – and praising the Nazis. |
Devo minister resigns
12/05/2026 Junior devolution minister Miatta Fahnbulleh has resigned and urged PM Keir Starmer to ‘do the right thing' and ‘set a timetable for an orderly transition'. |
Reform councillor believed to have stood down following allegations
11/05/2026 A Reform UK councillor is believed to have already resigned following his election last Thursday. |
Voting system producing 'wildly unrepresentative' results, campaigners say
11/05/2026 Last week’s council elections have thrown the distortions of the First Past the Post voting system into sharp relief, the Electoral Reform Society argue. |
New Councillors, Same Pressures: IFS warns councils face unchanged funding challenges
11/05/2026 New councillors elected last week inherits a local government finance picture that is deeply constrained – and unlikely to improve quickly, IFS warns. |
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. |
Votes disqualified in Oldham after ballot paper error
08/05/2026 At least 15 local election votes have been disqualified in Oldham after a council printing error saw the wrong candidates listed on ballot papers. |
Former Big Brother star wins council seat for Reform
08/05/2026 A former Big Brother housemate has been elected to a council seat in east London as Reform UK swept to a landslide victory in the borough of Havering. |
Your guide to making good decisions as a new councillor
08/05/2026 With new councillors taking their seats following the local elections, the LGA's guidance on effective decision-making offers a framework for getting it right. |
Local Elections 2026: Results show Reform surge and Labour losses
08/05/2026 The 2026 local elections have delivered a seismic shift in English local government — confirming a dramatic surge for Reform UK and the Greens. |
West Midlands Mayor threatened while canvassing in Coventry
07/05/2026 The Mayor of the West Midlands has described being threatened and followed by a member of the public while out canvassing in Coventry. |
All change: Reform UK projected to make huge gains as local elections get underway
07/05/2026 The chairs of three of the sector's major associations could change hands in the aftermath of today's local elections. |
Local Elections: What voters really want from their councils
06/05/2026 With voters heading to the polls tomorrow, a recent YouGov survey reveals what local issues matter most — and the answers are not always what you might expect. |
Reform UK expels three candidates after BNP links uncovered
27/04/2026 Reform UK has expelled three of its local election candidates after a joint investigation revealed their historical links to the fascist BNP. |
Greens unveil three-point plan to save high streets
23/04/2026 The Green Party has announced a new policy platform aimed at reviving high streets, including using council powers to bring empty shops back into public use. |
Fighting the Fakes: The battle against AI disinformation
17/04/2026 The Electoral Commission has launched a deepfake detection pilot ahead of May's elections. LocalGov's editor William Eichler finds out how it works. |
Reform defends £700m council savings claim
16/04/2026 A senior Reform UK figure has defended the party's claim it has found £700m of savings at the councils it controls. |
Electoral Commission launches deepfake detection pilot ahead of May elections
16/04/2026 The Electoral Commission has launched a pilot scheme to detect and counter political deepfakes ahead of elections in England, Scotland and Wales on 7 May. |
Bury Council election cancelled following candidate's death
16/04/2026 A local election in Bury has been cancelled after the death of one of the candidates standing in the Moorside ward. |
Staying Safe in Local Elections: Challenges and support for candidates
14/04/2026 With local elections nearing, rising abuse fears are deterring candidates - this analysis explores risks, definitions, and new guidance to support safer campaigning. |
LocalGov Round-Up: LGR, Finance and Local Elections
10/04/2026 This week councils faced questions over reorganisation, concerns over the finances of the social care sector and a reminder of electoral fraud risks. |
Greens target Labour in local election campaign launch
09/04/2026 The Green Party has launched its 2026 local elections campaign with a focus on tackling the housing crisis. |
Campaign launches to protect integrity of local elections
09/04/2026 Voters are being urged to safeguard their ballots as the Electoral Commission launches its annual anti-fraud campaign ahead of the May local elections. |
Councils apologise for poll card ‘confusion’
07/04/2026 Braintree DC and Essex CC have issued a joint apology after poll cards sent to voters across the district named the wrong council. |
Badenoch launches £112.5m pothole plan
02/04/2026 The Conservatives have proposed a £112.5m plan to fix the country’s pothole-ridden road network, which includes providing road-repair machines to councils. |
Chief executive defends by-election integrity
30/03/2026 Manchester City Council chief executive Tom Stannard has defended the ‘integrity' of last month's by-election after police found no evidence of illegality. |
Commission demands end to candidate abuse ahead of May polls
30/03/2026 Electoral Commission has issued a plea for respectful debate in the run up to the local elections in May following ‘unacceptable’ levels of intimidation. |
Government to 'look again' at election postponement powers
27/02/2026 The Government will ‘look again’ at the secretary of state’s powers after peers launched an attempt to rein in ministerial control over cancelling elections. |
Government U-turns on elections delays
16/02/2026 The Government has withdrawn its decision to postpone local elections in 30 areas. |
Picture remains unclear over local elections delays
21/01/2026 Uncertainty hangs over attempts to delay local elections in almost 30 councils amid a legal challenge by Reform UK. |
Councils defy party lines on election delays
15/01/2026 Council leaders have strayed from party lines over proposals to delay local elections. |
Shifting local elections could save £200k, council argues
18/11/2025 Due to local government reorganisation plans, leaders of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council and Hyndburn Borough Council are pushing for the local elections next year to be postponed. |
Welsh Government launches consultation on local election rules
28/10/2025 The Welsh Government has opened a 12-week consultation on proposals to modernise local election rules ahead of the 2027 polls. |
Reform candidate takes legal action after losing dead heat election
22/07/2025 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. |
Election strategy sees voting age lowered by two years
18/07/2025 The Government has announced plans to allow 16-and 17-year-olds the right to vote in both local and general elections. |
Reform council leader resigns leaving teenager in charge
26/06/2025 A Reform UK councillor has stepped down from his role as Warwickshire County Council leader due to health challenges, leaving 18-year-old deputy in charge. |
Union gains influx of members from Reform-run councils
20/06/2025 Membership rates for Unison trade union have increased by 205% across Reform-run councils. |
Reform UK: What Britain’s fastest rising party stands for
29/05/2025 Nigel Farage’s Reform UK is gaining greater political influence and visibility in local government. But what does the party stand for? |
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. |
Reform vows ‘large-scale reversal’ of LTNs
19/05/2025 Reform UK has said it will axe low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) in the councils it controls. |
Are Reform a challenge for local government reorganisation?
15/05/2025 Laura Hughes, partner at law firm Browne Jacobson, examines whether Reform UK’s local election successes will impact local government reorganisation. |
Local Elections: Managing change and good decision making
09/05/2025 Claire Ward, a partner and local government sector specialist at Anthony Collins, discusses managing change after the local elections. |
Political balance of LGA confirmed
08/05/2025 The political proportionality of the Local Government Association (LGA) following the local elections has been confirmed. |
LGA shake-up after Reform polls success
08/05/2025 Reform UK is expected to form a political group within the Local Government Association (LGA) after its landslide victory at the polls. |
Reform UK urged to take responsibilities seriously
07/05/2025 Sector leaders have called on Reform UK councillors to take their responsibilities seriously following the party's sweeping success in the local elections. |
A fairer voting system
07/05/2025 Following the local elections, Dr Jess Garland, Electoral Reform Society, argues there is no excuse not to change the electoral system. |
Are elections ripe for change?
06/05/2025 Peter Stanyon, chief executive of the Association of Electoral Administrators, sets out some recommendations for boosting turn out in local elections. |
Reform criticised after flag ban proposal
06/05/2025 Reform has sparked controversy after declaring the only flags that will be flown by councils it controls will be the Union Jack and St. George’s Cross. |
Learning from the locals
06/05/2025 Jonathan Werran, chief executive of Localis, reflects on the results of the local elections. |
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’. |
Reform takes six councils from Tories
03/05/2025 Nigel Farage's Reform UK party has taken six councils from the Conservatives and control of Durham so far in the local elections. |
Reform gains in English local elections
02/05/2025 Labour has held onto key mayoralties even though it looks like Nigel Farage's Reform UK will make significant gains in local elections across England. |
Voters head to polls amid local government reorganisation
01/05/2025 Voters are heading to the polls in parts of England to elect thousands of councillors against the backdrop of local government reorganisation (LGR). |
Local elections in the shadow of reorganisation
28/04/2025 Dr Jonathan Carr-West of the LGIU discusses the meaning of the local elections against the backdrop of local government reorganisation (LGR). |
Majority of public ‘not following’ reorganisation
23/04/2025 Nearly two-thirds of the public are not engaged with local government reorganisation, a new poll commissioned ahead of the local elections has revealed. |
Council rejects Farage bankruptcy claim
14/04/2025 Lancashire County Council has hit back at claims by Nigel Farage that it is on the brink of bankruptcy. |
Sir Keir: We need to review voter ID rules
19/06/2024 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has suggested his party would review the policy of mandatory voter ID if elected to govern. |
General Election brings raft of reforms
23/05/2024 Elections officers face a raft of reforms to implement as voters nationwide prepare to go to the polls in July. |
Dudley councillors strike ‘unifying’ deal
16/05/2024 Political groups on Dudley Council have struck a deal which will see the Conservatives maintain control of the local authority. |
Government relents over broadening forms of voter ID
07/05/2024 Complaints were raised by ex-servicemen who were turned away at polling stations after attempting to produce veteran cards as proof of ID. |
Over 40 pro-Palestinian candidates elected
07/05/2024 Dozens of candidates who ran in last week’s local elections on a pro-Palestinian platform have been elected, according to a new analysis. |
Labour win Yorkshire mayoralty in PM’s ‘backyard’
03/05/2024 Labour’s David Skaith has won the race to become the first York and North Yorkshire mayor. |
Houchen retains Tees Valley for Tories
03/05/2024 Ben Houchen has won the Tees Valley mayoral election despite his vote share taking a dramatic hit. |
Boris Johnson turned away from polling station
03/05/2024 Former Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson was turned away from his local polling station yesterday after forgetting to bring valid ID. |
Local Elections: Labour celebrates local gains
03/05/2024 Labour has gained 119 councillors and 288 Conservative members have lost their seats with more than two-thirds of councils declared. |
Cambridge council deploys polling boot
02/05/2024 Cambridge residents were confronted with the unexpected site of a car marked ‘polling station’ when they went out to vote this morning. |
What is a metro mayor?
25/04/2024 A metro mayor is directly elected by local people to oversee a region’s combined authority. |
LocalGov elections: Being vigilant ahead of the local elections
24/04/2024 Ahead of the local elections next month, Owen Prendeville, Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), offers tips for protecting against cyber attacks. |
Poll reveals low levels of trust in councillors
23/04/2024 Just over 40% of people in England trust their local councillors to work in the best interests of people in local areas, a new survey has revealed. |
LocalGov Elections: Ones to watch in May
10/04/2024 Dr Greg Stride, Senior Researcher, Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) provides a primer for the upcoming local elections. |
Voter ID legal challenge launched
19/02/2024 A legal challenge has been mounted against the Government over voter ID requirements for elections. |
Alarm sounded on cyber threat to local elections
21/12/2023 Ministers have written to councils to warn of attempted foreign interference in next year’s elections. |
Minister shrugs off election concerns
06/12/2023 Fears that pressures on elections officials will leave them overwhelmed at the next election have been dismissed by local government minister Simon Hoare. |
Plea to delay online postal vote applications
09/10/2023 Launching online applications for postal and proxy votes later this month should be ‘urgently reconsidered,’ elections officers have said. |
Sinn Fein becomes largest party of Northern Ireland local government
22/05/2023 Sinn Fein has become the largest party in Northern Ireland local government for the first time after securing 144 seats in the latest polls. |
Northern Ireland branded 'inert' as councils go to polls
18/05/2023 With Northern Ireland's local elections today the region has been branded ‘uncompetitive’ and in need of localised public services due to Stormont stalemate. |
One in 100 turned away due to voter ID
16/05/2023 One in 100 were unable to vote up after turning up at polling stations without valid ID, election observers have estimated. |
Big losses for Conservative councils
09/05/2023 The Conservatives have lost seats in the North, South and Midlands, with Labour and the Lib Dems scooping up victories. |
Results point to big losses for Conservative councils
05/05/2023 Early results from the local elections point to big losses for the Conservatives, with Labour and the Liberal Democrats scooping up victories. |
MPs raise concerns about accuracy of voter turnout data
27/04/2023 MPs have appealed for full information to be collected on the number of people turned away from local elections because they do not have the right ID. |
Tories expect to lose 1,000 seats
17/04/2023 The Conservatives are braced to lose 1,000 council seats in next month’s local elections. |
Council chiefs call for voter ID laws to be delayed
12/12/2022 Local authority leaders have called on the Government to delay the introduction of voter ID requirements until after the local elections in May. |
Concern over elections timetable
07/11/2022 Campaigners and elections staff have raised concerns over the deliverability of voter ID at next year’s elections. |
Scottish survey reveals strong commitment to local elections
01/11/2022 The vast majority of Scots believe it is important to vote in local council elections, a survey of social attitudes in Scotland has revealed. |
Workload warning over voting pilots
11/10/2022 Proposals to introduce automatic voter registration in Wales could cause confusion and add to already heavy workloads, election officers have warned. |
Conservatives lose nearly 500 seats in local elections
09/05/2022 The results are in for all 200 councils up for election, with the Conservatives losing 11 local authorities. |
Conservatives hit hard in London as poll results roll in
06/05/2022 Labour has taken control of Westminster, Wandsworth and Barnet LBCs, in an election night that has hit the Conservatives hard. |
Local elections could see Conservatives lose 500 seats
03/05/2022 The Conservatives look set to lose over 500 seats in the upcoming local elections, according to a recent poll. |
Winner-takes-all system ‘splits’ progressive vote
03/05/2022 The progressive vote will be systematically ‘split’ in next week’s council elections because of the winner-takes-all electoral system, campaigners say. |
Council chiefs warn of ‘increasing number’ of threats against councillors
03/05/2022 Council leaders have called for more action to be taken to ensure that councillors and candidates in local elections are not subjected to threats and abuse. |
