Small Scale, Big Potential: Town and parish councils and devolution
Parish and town councils could play a central role in making devolution work for communities.
Brum leader loses vote of confidence
25/03/2026 The leader of Birmingham City Council has lost a vote of confidence during the last full council meeting before local elections in May. |
West Northants Vice Chairman apologises ‘sincerely’ for sexist remark
18/03/2026 A West Northamptonshire councillor has apologised for a sexist comment he made on International Women’s Day. |
Warrington BC seeks local views on new political boundaries
07/01/2026 Warrington Borough Council has launched a public consultation to help decide on the boundaries for new council wards. |
Housing approvals drop in final quarter of 2025
06/01/2026 New data has revealed the number of housing projects granted approval dropped by 17% in the last three months of 2025. |
Planning overhaul to clamp down on 'unjustified local deviation'
17/12/2025 Revised planning rules unveiled by the Government yesterday would result in a ‘default yes’ in favour of development around train stations, on brownfield sites and for blocks of flats. |
Councillors ‘violently intimidated and pelted with eggs’ at refugee debate
12/12/2025 Councillors at Swale Borough Council were threatened and pelted with eggs by balaclava wearing protesters from the public gallery as they debated whether to recognise the area as a place of sanctuary for refugees and asylum seekers. |
Campaigners urge councils to stop using reindeer at Christmas events
11/12/2025 Animal welfare charities and campaigners, including the RSPCA, are urging councils to stop using reindeer in their Christmas events. |
£3.5bn investment to 'end homelessness for good'
11/12/2025 A cross-government plan to ‘end homelessness for good’ by preventing it before it occurs has been launched, backed by £3.5bn investment over the next three years. |
MHCLG blow as councils' housebuilding expansion comes to a halt
10/12/2025 A surge in housebuilding by councils is expected to grind to a halt – threatening the Government’s target of building 1.5 million homes by 2029. |
EXCLUSIVE: Ministers threatened with food waste refusal
10/12/2025 Council leaders have warned ministers some local authorities will refuse to collect food waste. |
Council leader embroiled in social media posting scandal resigns
10/12/2025 A Reform UK council leader accused of posting racist comments on social media has resigned. |
Grey belt countryside warning
08/12/2025 Almost nine in 10 grey belt developments approved by the Government rather than councils over the last year involve ‘unspoilt rural landscapes’, countryside campaigners have warned. |
An important step has been taken, but now the groundwork begins
05/12/2025 With the seasonal break approaching, many councils will be hoping for a period of rest and recuperation, but in reality, they know there’s no time to waste, say Claire Ward, partner, and Sue Bearman, legal director at Anthony Collins. |
Backlash warning over asylum decentralisation
05/12/2025 Councils fear a backlash from far-right activists if responsibility for housing asylum seekers was moved to them from the Home Office, research has found. |
‘Racist and bigoted’ social media posting claims spark probe into Reform council leader
04/12/2025 Reform UK has launched an investigation into the social media activity of Staffordshire County Council leader Ian Cooper amid allegations he posted racist comments online. |
Review to assess fee devolution
21/11/2025 The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has announced a review of council fees to assess their suitability for devolution. |
Local colleges invited to consider council careers
27/10/2025 Students have benefitted from the opportunity to participate in council officer activities to boost interest in local politics. |
Commissioner calls for ‘immediate review’ of Maccabi Tel Aviv fan ban
17/10/2025 A decision to prohibit Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending a football game against Aston Villa has been called into question. |
New strategic authorities should 'embrace' disagreement
17/10/2025 Areas moving towards devolution deals have been advised to ‘embrace’ inevitable disagreement between councils and new strategic authorities. |
MPs back five unitary authorities in Essex
14/10/2025 Local government reorganisation plans to create five new unitary authorities in Essex have been backed by several MPs. |
Public footpaths facing barriers nationwide
13/10/2025 Over 30,000 public rights of ways are blocked in England and Wales, research has found. |
Council to investigate links to Israeli Government
07/10/2025 Shetland Islands Council has proposed a motion to investigate its ‘financial holdings in companies linked to the Israeli Government’. |
City of York Council could remove Duchess’ honorary title
30/09/2025 The Duchess of York’s Freedom of the City of York title could reportedly be removed due to her association with Jeffrey Epstein. |
Reform fends off attempt to overturn flag policy
22/09/2025 An attempt to overturn Warwickshire CC’s controversial flag policy has fallen at the first hurdle. |
Leicester councillors say mayoral system should stay
22/09/2025 A motion to abandon the mayoral system has been opposed by Leicester councillors. |
Cash flow warning over council tax change
15/09/2025 Plans to switch council tax billing from 10 to 12-month instalments could leave local authorities with cash flow problems, experts have warned. |
Controversial comments prompt council leader’s exit
05/09/2025 The leader of Peterborough City Council has resigned following comments made about the Rotherham grooming victims. |
Rayner resigns from Government
05/09/2025 Deputy prime minister Angela Rayner has announced her resignation from the Government. |
Council leadership shifts as four step down
04/09/2025 Four councillors have resigned from Rushmoor Borough Council, leaving Labour without a majority. |
ARCH plea to increase rent cap
01/09/2025 Councils should be able to raise tenants' rents by up to £3 per week on top of any inflation-linked increase, a local authority association has told ministers. |
Homelessness minister quits to avoid becoming 'distraction'
08/08/2025 Homelessness minister Rushanara Ali has quit the Government following allegations she evicted tenants from her property and then raised the rent by hundreds of pounds. |
Cambridge CC votes in favour of unitary council
29/07/2025 Cambridge City Council has approved proposals for a unitary council with majority support from councillors. |
Epping Forest councillors urge Government to close asylum hotel
25/07/2025 Councillors in Epping Forest have voted unanimously to call on the Government to ‘immediately and permanently’ close a hotel to asylum seekers after a series of violent protests at the site. |
LGA hits back at Reform UK critics
24/07/2025 The Local Government Association (LGA) has insisted it is ‘more important than ever the sector has a strong single voice’ after criticism from Reform UK figures. |
Call for local tourist tax continues
22/07/2025 Deputy prime minister Angela Rayner is said to have backed the proposal for councils to introduce visitor levies. |
Farage says Reform 'facing obstructionism'
21/07/2025 Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has accused some council officials of obstructing the work of his councillors. |
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. |
EXCLUSIVE: Crawley ponders legal response to unitary dismissal
17/07/2025 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. |
Council faces backlash over transgender pride flag crossings
07/07/2025 Camden Council could encounter legal action due to its Transgender Awareness Crossing, a road crossing painted pink, blue and white. |
Teenage Reform leader says he should be judged on his record
30/06/2025 Eighteen-year-old Reform UK council leader assures residents his ‘track record is pretty good.’ |
Chinese embassy plans supported by Planning Inspectorate
23/06/2025 Plans for a new Chinese embassy development at the Royal Mint Court have been backed by the Planning Inspectorate. |
Cambridgeshire asks residents for reorganisation views
20/06/2025 A local government reorganisation survey was yesterday launched for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough residents. |
Hollinrake warning over DOGE request
13/06/2025 Requests for data by Reform UK’s DOGE unit are a ‘cyber-security disaster waiting to happen’, shadow levelling up secretary Kevin Hollinrake has warned information commissioner John Edwards. |
Minister suggests commissioners needed for Croydon
13/06/2025 Minister Jim McMahon has suggested escalating Croydon LBC’s statutory intervention to a commissioner-led model to ensure it can ‘achieve sustained change at the pace needed’. |
Crawley pauses on West Sussex reorganisation
11/06/2025 West Sussex’s Crawley BC will wait for ministers to decide on Surrey’s reorganisation proposals before giving any views on unitarisation in its own county, The MJ understands. |
Trial dates fixed for Liverpool City Council corruption case
28/04/2025 Trial dates have been fixed for two senior officers charged as part of an investigation into Liverpool City Council corruption. |
Welsh councils in need of net zero funding
22/04/2025 Local authority leaders in Wales have called for more funding to help deliver net zero commitments. |
Council to stop using X
20/02/2025 Southampton City Council has announced it will no longer post on X, formerly known as Twitter, in a decision it said was ‘fundamentally about values’. |
Three Tameside councillors ‘step away’ over WhatsApp scandal
11/02/2025 Three councillors will ‘step away’ from their roles at Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council after they were caught up in a scandal over a leaked WhatsApp chat. |
Phillipson open to Government funding local grooming inquiries
08/01/2025 Ministers have promised the Government will ‘take whatever steps necessary to keep children safe' when asked if Whitehall would fund local inquiries into grooming gangs. |
20 councillors in Nottinghamshire quit Labour
03/01/2025 Some 20 members of Broxtowe Borough Council, including the leader, have left the Labour Party in protest against Keir Starmer’s leadership. |
LGA overhaul mooted after 'big conversation'
12/12/2024 The Local Government Association (LGA) could be overhauled as part of efforts to increase its influence, The MJ understands. |
DLUHC team wipeout in Labour landslide
05/07/2024 The Conservative Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) team has faced a near wipe out in Labour’s election landslide. |
Labour plan to reduce delayed discharges
20/06/2024 Labour is reportedly planning to buy thousands of beds in care homes in an effort to reduce the problem of delayed discharges in hospitals. |
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. |
Greens to push for council tax revaluation
14/06/2024 Elected Greens will push for a re-evaluation of council tax bands to ‘reflect big changes in value’ since the 1990s, the party has pledged in its manifesto. |
Labour manifesto pledges Right to Buy curbs
13/06/2024 Labour has opened the door to reining in Right to Buy in its manifesto, published today. |
Conservatives pledge business rates retention expansion
11/06/2024 Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pledged to create business rates retention zones as he launched the Conservatives’ General Election manifesto today. |
Lib Dem bid to fix care and end council funding crisis
10/06/2024 The Lib Dems have pledged multi-year settlements and a cross-party solution for social care to help end councils’ current funding crisis in their manifesto today. |
Judge: Kent cannot wriggle out of asylum duties
05/06/2024 Kent CC has been told by a judge it cannot wriggle out of its duties to ‘accommodate and look after’ all unaccompanied asylum seeking (UAS) children. |
EXCLUSIVE: LGA starts to shift on standards
04/06/2024 Senior Local Government Association (LGA) figures expect the organisation’s reluctance to beefing up the standards regime to shift after the General Election. |
Rayner accusation after police drop probe
29/05/2024 Shadow communities secretary Angela Rayner has hit out at the Conservatives’ ‘desperate tactics’ after police said they would take no further action following an investigation. |
Reeves: No return to austerity
29/05/2024 Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said there will be no return to austerity under a Labour Government. |
National service threat to Shared Prosperity Fund
28/05/2024 Conservative proposals to create a national service scheme could spell the end of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). |
EXCLUSIVE: Councils given 100,000 asylum housing target
21/05/2024 Councils have been told to identify an extra 100,000 bedspaces for asylum seekers amid Home Office expectations of a surge in arrivals, The MJ can reveal. |
Flood councils in urgent £11m cash call
21/05/2024 Councils managing flood risks have urgently called for £11m cash to plug a ‘widening gap’ in Internal Drainage Board (IDB) funding. |
Fresh local government cuts warning
14/05/2024 Government commitments mean cuts will be made to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities without a higher overall spending envelope. |
Mandatory reporting exemptions a 'fudge'
13/05/2024 Ministers’ decision to exempt instances of child abuse from a new reporting law means they have dodged the mandatory duty demanded by a national inquiry. |
Re-elected Burnham calls for Right to Buy suspension powers
07/05/2024 Greater Manchester’s re-elected mayor has called for powers to suspend Right to Buy on new homes under plans to build 10,000 houses across the region. |
Political battle over National Care Service
25/04/2024 Competing visions of the future of social care have been set out by Labour and the Conservatives as they prepare for a General Election. |
Gove open to giving mayors Whitehall voice
23/04/2024 Local government secretary Michael Gove has not ruled out a ‘formal structure’ for mayors to work more closely with central government. |
Fresh call for Right to Buy restrictions
23/04/2024 Housing experts today called for fresh restrictions on the controversial Right to Buy policy – including a ban on applying it to new builds. |
Oflog should be handed audit oversight, MPs told
16/04/2024 Oflog should be handed oversight of England’s broken audit regime – a role earmarked for the Financial Reporting Council - accounting experts have told MPs. |
Clark: Tories and Labour unwilling to address SEND crisis
15/04/2024 Labour and the Conservatives have been accused of an ‘unwillingness’ to confront the crisis in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services. |
Rayner to be investigated by police after electoral law accusations
15/04/2024 Police have launched an investigation into whether Labour’s shadow local government secretary Angela Rayner broke electoral law a decade ago after allegations. |
Five million could be disenfranchised by voter ID, polling finds
11/04/2024 Five million voters could be disenfranchised by the Government’s new voter ID rules at the General Election, first-of-its-kind polling has suggested. |
'Business as usual' for Lancashire councillors despite resignations
02/04/2024 Councillors in Lancashire have insisted it will be ‘business as usual’ despite 20 resignations in protest at the leadership of the national Labour party. |
Parties draw battlelines for local elections
28/03/2024 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has given a speech in Dudley today following campaign launches by the Conservatives and Lib Dems. |
'Grave concerns' over phone switchover
22/03/2024 UK mayors have expressed ‘grave concerns’ about the impact on vulnerable people of the planned phase out of the analogue phone system. |
Call for reintroduction of housing targets
22/03/2024 A cross-party coalition representing 27 mid-sized regional British cities has called for the next Government to reintroduce local housebuilding targets. |
Leader bullied two senior officers, report finds
15/03/2024 A council leader’s behaviour towards two senior officers amounted to bullying, a report into a code of conduct complaint has found. |
Four-day week council decision 'disappointing and arrogant'
14/03/2024 South Cambridgeshire DC’s decision to continue with its four-day week is ‘disappointing and arrogant,’ local government minister Simon Hoare has said. |
Limited exemptions for empty homes powers
11/03/2024 Councils will face only a limited number of exemptions from new powers allowing them to levy higher taxes on empty homes, ministers have confirmed. |
Right to Buy lobbying fails as temporary boost ended
08/03/2024 The Treasury has confirmed councils will no longer keep 100% of Right to Buy (RTB) receipts after the current financial year despite lobbying by the sector. |
Two-year Sandwell intervention to end
07/03/2024 Local government minister Simon Hoare has today confirmed that Whitehall’s two-year intervention at Sandwell Council will end. |
Budget: Trailblazer devo deal for North East
06/03/2024 The North East has secured a trailblazer devolution deal that could provide a package of new funding potentially worth more than £100m, chancellor Jeremy Hunt has announced in his Budget. |
Lending rates could spike after audit reset, LGA warns
01/03/2024 Proposals to reset the local audit system and clear the backlog of accounts could drive up the lending rates offered to the sector, councils have warned. |
Home Office 'chaos' leaves thousands of illegal arrivals in 'perma-backlog'
27/02/2024 The Government’s struggling asylum policy has heaped significant demand on cities’ housing services, experts have warned. |
Further planning reforms on way, says Gove
12/02/2024 Empty shops could be quickly converted into homes and developers given fresh incentives to build on brownfield sites under ministers’ latest plans to expedite housebuilding. |
Wales could drive agenda on council tax, report argues
12/02/2024 Wales could have a chance to deal with unfairness in the council tax system and drive the agenda for other nations and regions to follow, says think-tank. |
Local government figures made peers
12/02/2024 Local government has been recognised in the latest round of peerages, with two senior figures heading to the House of Lords. |
Core Cities in Household Support Fund warning
01/02/2024 Failing to extend the Household Support Fund will be ‘catastrophic for many people in our poorest communities,’ Core Cities has warned Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. |
DLUHC claims four-day week council saw spike in agency staff
30/01/2024 South Cambridgeshire DC’s controversial four-day week trial is under fresh scrutiny after data revealed a spike in agency work and opponents challenged costs. |
MPs criticise ‘glacial’ progress of levelling up projects
16/01/2024 Mandarins from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities faced the Public Accounts Committee. |
Welsh minister backs tax reforms
03/01/2024 One of the candidates to become first minister of Wales has backed reform of council tax. |
LGA poised to shift position on Right to Buy
06/12/2023 Smith Square is poised to amend its position on Right to Buy, The MJ has learned. |
Norfolk devolution schedule delayed
04/12/2023 Norfolk’s level 3 devolution deal is set to be pushed back to 2025. |
Councils welcome PWLB rate extension
27/11/2023 Councils have welcomed Jeremy Hunt’s decision to extend preferential Public Works Loan Board borrowing rates for Housing Revenue Account (HRA) expenditure. |
EXCLUSIVE: Oflog pushes ahead with early warning system
16/11/2023 Senior Oflog officials are pressing ahead with their plans to create an early warning system for councils in trouble despite continuing LGA resistance. |
Councils brace as Supreme Court outlaws Rwanda asylum plan
15/11/2023 The Supreme Court has ruled the UK’s controversial proposal to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda is unlawful – a decision likely to impact local government. |
