Scottish council chiefs welcome self-government charter
15/10/2026 Councils in Scotland now have a legal guarantee that decisions affecting communities will be made as close to them as possible. |
Over 160 councillors brand immigration policies as 'racist'
15/10/2026 More than 160 councillors from across Britain have signed a joint statement criticising the Government's immigration and asylum policies. |
Calls for all councils to develop unique place-based growth plans
14/10/2026 Hammersmith & Fulham LBC leader and London Councils chair Cllr Stephen Cowan has called on every council to develop their own place-based economic plans. |
Chiefs push for councils to be viewed equally as Government seeks to rewire the state
14/10/2026 Council chief executives have warned Whitehall that local authorities must be treated as equal partners as the Government plans to rewire the state. |
East Sussex council launches legal challenge to reorganisation plans
13/10/2026 East Sussex County Council has formally launched a legal challenge to Government plans to reorganise councils in East Sussex and Brighton & Hove. |
Epping Forest waste teams manage downed power line hazard
13/10/2026 Epping Forest District Council has revealed that its waste crew recently combatted a ‘potentially life-threatening scene’ during its litter rounds. |
Pilot scheme launched to help communities combat flooding
13/10/2026 The Government has announced plans to pilot new Flood Performance Certificates (FPCs) to help homeowners access information about their property’s flood risk and increase resilience. |
Kent CC presses ahead with reorganisation legal challenge
13/10/2026 Kent County Council is proceeding with a legal challenge against the Government's decision on local government reorganisation. |
Croydon tenants who downsize could receive home redecorations
12/10/2026 Croydon Council is seeking approval for a home downsizing pilot that could provide residents with housing upgrades and redecorations. |
Call for 'Singapore-style' planning pilots in Manchester and Birmingham
12/10/2026 A 'Singapore-style' planning system should be trialled in major city-regions, with mayoralities such as Manchester and Birmingham leading reform, says report. |
Petition urges Khan to scrap Harry Potter Christmas lights over transphobia
09/10/2026 Thousands of people have signed a petition calling on London Mayor Sadiq Khan to cancel Harry Potter-themed Christmas lights planned for Oxford Street. |
NILGA conference calls for stronger local government partnership
09/10/2026 At the Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA) conference, members and experts discussed ‘practical priorities for stronger local delivery’. |
Lewisham launches strategy to boost community-led housing
09/10/2026 Lewisham Council has begun work on a new strategy to help community groups and housing co-operatives deliver more affordable homes across the borough. |
Councils pocket £200m in developer fees as planning delays persist
08/10/2026 Local planning authorities are increasingly relying on developer-funded payments, yet decisions on new housing are still being held up, house builders argue. |
Changes to empty homes powers 'particularly concerning'
08/10/2026 Landlords have voiced alarm over plans to bolster council powers to bring empty homes back into use. |
Stafford council leader calls for tougher powers over derelict buildings
07/10/2026 The leader of Stafford Borough Council has called for stronger powers to tackle derelict buildings after the owners of a long-standing eyesore were fined. |
Council launches legal action to protect district in LGR row
07/10/2026 Lewes District Council is taking legal action over the Government's Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) proposals. |
Councils struggling to meet rising demand for safe accommodation
07/10/2026 Councils are receiving over one request per day for safe accommodation from people affected by domestic abuse. |
London retail parks could host 11,200 new homes, study finds
06/10/2026 Nineteen London retail parks could accommodate around 11,200 new homes through mixed-use redevelopment, according to research by consultancy Lichfields. |
Council launches High Court challenge over solar park
06/10/2026 Lincolnshire County Council has launched a High Court challenge against the Government's approval of a solar development. |
Survey reveals audit still struggling
05/10/2026 Joe Lepper reports on Public Sector Audit Appointments’ latest council finance leaders survey. |
Council defends retail park deal amid Abu Dhabi questions
05/10/2026 Manchester City Council is under the spotlight over property agreements involving Abu Dhabi United Group. |
County council considers legal action over reorganisation
05/10/2026 Lancashire County Council could pursue legal action to stop the Government’s plans to overhaul local government in the county. |
EXCLUSIVE: Reorganisation door open for 2028
02/10/2026 Some two-tier areas could still be encouraged to stick to the original reorganisation timetable despite the Government pausing the process, The MJ understands. |
New home building slows as planning approvals decline
01/10/2026 Planning approvals for new homes have hit a record low, research has found. |
Nearly £80m handed to communities for tree-planting
01/10/2026 A cash boost of £79m is to be provided to support the delivery of up to 500,000 trees across local communities. |
Ready, steady, go: Oxfordshire’s traffic filter trial begins
01/10/2026 Oxfordshire County Council’s traffic filter trial has commenced as of Monday this week. |
Homeless deaths rise to 1,720 in 2025, research finds
01/10/2026 At least 1,720 people, including 51 children, died while homeless in the UK in 2025, a 6.8% rise on the previous year, according to new research. |
Devolution plans threaten councils' existence, Localis warns
01/10/2026 Devolution without decentralisation of decision-making powers risks marginalising local government to the point of an existential threat, warns Localis. |
London boroughs identify sites for 50,000 council homes
01/10/2026 London boroughs have identified sites for more than 50,000 new council homes in the capital, if enough funding is available, according to new analysis. |
Humberside PCC urges PM to back Humber-wide combined authority
30/09/2026 Humberside's Police and Crime Commissioner and his deputy have urged Prime Minister Andy Burnham to rethink devolution in the region and create a Humber-wide combined authority. |
Worcestershire reorganisation row erupts
30/09/2026 A row has erupted at Worcestershire CC over the future of reorganisation for the county. |
Two councils handed C3 housing grades by regulator
30/09/2026 Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council and Thanet District Council have each received a C3 consumer grade from the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH). |
Ashfield DC welcomes new leader after predecessor convicted
29/09/2026 A new leader of Ashfield District Council has been appointed to replace the former head, who was recently convicted of fraud. |
COSLA: Staff must shape Scottish council reform
29/09/2026 Council staff must have a meaningful say in the future of local services, COSLA has said. |
Traction gained in efforts to ban school attendance prosecutions
28/09/2026 A petition to ban fines and prosecutions for school non-attendance has reached nearly 140,000 signatures. |
£210m fund to revive derelict high streets
28/09/2026 Derelict shops, cinemas and shopping centres are to be transformed into cafes, shared workspaces and community hubs under a £210m Government package. |
Councils get powers to reclaim empty homes faster
28/09/2026 Councils in England will be able to step in much sooner on long-term empty properties under reforms announced by the Government. |
Gloucester City Council temporarily without leader
28/09/2026 The leader of Gloucester City Council has been ousted following a vote of no confidence. |
Building fraud gang jailed for more than 60 years after £1m scam
25/09/2026 Members of a 22-strong criminal network behind a £1m building fraud have been jailed for a combined total of more than 63 years at Teesside Crown Court. |
Scrap Jobcentre Plus and devolve support to Mayors, think tank urges
25/09/2026 Employment support should be devolved to mayoral strategic authorities (MSAs) and Jobcentre Plus scrapped entirely, according to a new report. |
Public backs devolution but wants deprived areas prioritised
25/09/2026 Devolution must deliver tangible economic change for England's left-behind towns and neighbourhoods if it is to retain public support, report argues. |
Council tightens governance after temporary accommodation procurement gap found
24/09/2026 Havant Borough Council (HBC) is introducing enhanced staff training and governance after officers identified a gap in its temporary accommodation procurement processes. |
Salisbury approves citywide rollout of children’s medals
24/09/2026 Salisbury City Council is expected to spend up to £30,000 on the delivery of anniversary medals for the city’s 800th anniversary. |
Londoners underpaying £3.1bn in property tax, think tank reveals
24/09/2026 Londoners are underpaying billions of pounds a year in property tax because council tax remains based on 1991 property valuations, think tank says. |
Reform seeks to withdraw Bradford Council’s sanctuary status
23/09/2026 Opposition councillors have criticised Bradford Reform UK Group’s proposals to withdraw the council from its Local Authority of Sanctuary status. |
Bristol council leader defends flight after banning high-carbon ads
23/09/2026 The leader of Bristol CC has defended flying to New York for a climate summit days after the council banned advertising for high-carbon industries. |
Five Leicestershire councils challenge Government’s LGR plans
23/09/2026 Five Leicestershire councils have issued a pre-action letter to the Government, the first formal step towards a possible legal challenge over reorganisation. |
London boroughs welcome devo plans but warn of £5.2bn funding gap
23/09/2026 London Councils has warned of a widening £5.2bn funding gap facing the capital's boroughs by 2030, even as it welcomes Government devolution plans. |
St Helens landlord hit with £35k fine over unlicensed HMO
23/09/2026 A landlord in St Helens has been fined £35,000 after failing to license a property let out to multiple tenants, following enforcement action by St Helens BC. |
Council publishes fly-tipping suspects' photos
Government sends inspectors into Tees Valley Combined Authority
Councils accused of using 'blank cheque' powers
Rayner expected to send in commissioners to Bedford BC
