Cheaper bus fares extended to younger passengers across Wales
03/11/2025 More young people across Wales will now benefit from reduced bus fares as the £1 fare pilot scheme expands to include all 5–15-year-olds. |
EXCLUSIVE: Intervention cost hits £9.5m
30/10/2025 Councils have been forced to shell out £9.5m on Government intervention over the last four years, research by The MJ has found. |
Chancellor failed to get licence to rent out home
30/10/2025 The PM has declined calls for an investigation after Chancellor Reeves apologised for renting out her family home without a licence from Southwark Council. |
Scrapping two-child limit could lift 330,000 children out of poverty, report finds
30/10/2025 The Government could reduce the number of children growing up in poverty by an estimated 330,000 if it scrapped the two-child limit, according to think tank. |
Councils accused of homelessness ‘gatekeeping’
29/10/2025 A third of young people in England who approached their local authority for help in 2023/24 were not assessed under the Homelessness Reduction Act (HRA) 2017. |
Warning issued after seizure of 3,600 illegal vehicle parts
29/10/2025 Authorities have seized more than 3,600 counterfeit vehicle parts worth over £100,000 from a self-storage facility in South Gloucestershire. |
Tourist tax could pave way to greater fiscal devolution
29/10/2025 Enabling mayors in England to levy tourist taxes could pave the way for greater fiscal devolution, a think-tank has suggested. |
PAC calls for ‘clear strategy’ on bus services
29/10/2025 MPs have urged the Government to set out a clear vision for local bus services, amid concerns over accessibility for elderly and disabled passengers. |
Building Safety Regulator delays prompt rethink
28/10/2025 Elements of building safety could be removed from the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) and returned to local authority control. |
MP calls for new mayors to take legal action on climate
28/10/2025 Green MP Siân Berry has proposed a new statutory duty on mayors created under the English Devolution Bill, urging them to take action on climate change. |
Community cohesion concerns over Inverness asylum plans
28/10/2025 Plans to house asylum seekers in Inverness have raised concerns over community cohesion within the relatively small community. |
Company faces ‘zero tolerance’ penalty for fire safety failings
28/10/2025 A company has been fined £50,000 by Birmingham City Council for an ‘unacceptable’ failure to implement essential building improvements. |
MPs urge overhaul of developer levies
28/10/2025 The system for capturing developer contributions is failing communities, leaving vital public amenities like schools and GP surgeries underfunded, MPs say. |
Landmark bus bill becomes law
28/10/2025 The Bus Services Act has officially become law, giving local authorities the power to step in when vital routes are under threat. |
Council reveals ‘substantial tightening’ of air quality target
28/10/2025 Oxford City Council has announced plans to establish a new air quality target. |
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. |
Nine councils in Derbyshire unite behind two unitaries
27/10/2025 Proposals for two unitaries covering Derbyshire are set to be formally considered by councillors at the eight district and boroughs and Derby City Council. |
Councils key to New Towns success, say peers
27/10/2025 Councils must have a key role to make a success of the New Towns programme, peers have urged. |
Three unitary councils proposed for Staffordshire shake up
27/10/2025 Three southern Staffordshire councils have unveiled a local government reorganisation plan aimed at creating three new unitary authorities. |
Scottish councils demand £750m social care lifeline
24/10/2025 Scotland’s political leaders have been told they face a ‘defining moment’ for local services — with social care at the centre of a new call for action. |
EXCLUSIVE: Fair funding fightback
24/10/2025 An alliance of urban authorities is pressing the Government to change tack on the fair funding review. |
London’s ULEZ cuts pollution, but challenges remain
23/10/2025 A new study shows that London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) has delivered a significant drop in roadside nitrogen dioxide (NO2). |
Lancashire leaders call for delay to council shake-up
23/10/2025 Lancashire County Council has asked the Government to delay the county’s planned local government reorganisation. |
Two new councils proposed in Cambridgeshire overhaul
23/10/2025 Cambridgeshire County Council has formally approved a major plan to reorganise local government, paving the way for the creation of two unitary authorities. |
Government delays SEND overhaul
22/10/2025 The long-awaited schools white paper, intended to overhaul special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision in England, will now be delayed. |
Edinburgh to miss 2030 net zero target
22/10/2025 Edinburgh City Council will not meet its ambition to be net zero by 2030, according to a report discussed by councillors yesterday. |
Councils urged to step up as pothole breakdowns soar
21/10/2025 Councils face renewed pressure to maintain roads as new RAC figures reveal a 25% rise in pothole-related breakdowns over the summer compared to last year. |
Salford Council mural demolition sparks heritage outcry
21/10/2025 A campaign has been launched to stop Salford City Council from demolishing a ‘rare and beautifully crafted’ post-war mural. |
Devon’s district councils unveil reorganisation plan
21/10/2025 Devon’s district councils have published a new reorganisation blueprint to reshape how local government works across the county. |
Essex CC leaves 'bitter taste' with 'underhand' reorg move
21/10/2025 Relations between Essex local authorities have been soured after the county council spent nearly £37,000 informing residents of its preferred LGR option. |
‘Suck it up’: Leaked video leads to Reform UK suspensions
20/10/2025 Reform UK has suspended four councillors following the leak of a video from a virtual Kent County Council meeting. |
1.6 million drivers fined for yellow line parking
20/10/2025 More than 1.6 million drivers were slapped with Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) in 2024 for parking on single or double yellow lines, according to The AA. |
CIL funds are not reaching communities due to 'systemic problems'
17/10/2025 A new report from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has identified ‘a number of problems' with Community Infrastructure Levies (CIL) and other developer contribution systems, which means cash has failed to reach local communities. |
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. |
‘Transformative’ social housing complex wins architectural recognition
17/10/2025 A social housing complex has been awarded the Stirling Prize for architectural excellence. |
Record 172,000 children trapped in temporary housing
16/10/2025 One in five families with children in temporary accommodation (TA) in England have been living there for five or more years, official statistics reveal. |
Reorganisation and fair funding will 'throw cards up in the air' on budgets
16/10/2025 The impact of reorganisation and the fair funding review will ‘throw all the cards up in the air' for councils trying to hit budget, sector expert has warned. |
Reform council backs county unitary
15/10/2025 Reform-led Warwickshire CC has backed a plan for a county unitary and a bid to join the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). |
Social housing regulator flags serious failings at Canterbury council
15/10/2025 Canterbury City Council has been issued a C3 grading by the Regulator of Social Housing after inspectors found it had failed to meet key consumer standards. |
Approval of largest solar farm scheme branded ‘appalling’
15/10/2025 A 3,000 acre solar farm project in Lincolnshire has received Government approval despite opposition from the county council. |
EXCLUSIVE: London boroughs shunning fixed-term tenancies despite housing pressures
15/10/2025 The MJ has found a majority of London councils still providing lifetime tenancies by default despite the capital's burgeoning temporary accommodation costs. |
Cumbria devolution plan gets final sign off
14/10/2025 Cumbria is set to gain greater powers and funding after councillors in both Cumberland and Westmorland and Furness approved the Government's devolution plan. |
Council leader accuses critics of ‘gerrymandering’
14/10/2025 The leader of Norfolk County Council has accused opponents of proposals for a single county-wide unitary authority of 'wilful gerrymandering of figures'. |
Ministers seek 'holding direction' powers
14/10/2025 The Government is seeking to gain more powers to prevent councils refusing planning permission. |
Right to Buy leaves councils thousands of homes short
14/10/2025 An investigation by The Big Issue has revealed the lasting impact of the Right to Buy scheme on England’s social housing stock. |
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. |
Reform-led council leader reports street abuse
14/10/2025 George Finch, head of the Reform UK-led Warwickshire County Council, has reported being verbally attacked while in Nuneaton town centre on Friday evening. |
Budget deficit warning over two unitary plan
13/10/2025 One of two unitary authorities proposed for Warwickshire amid local government reorganisation ‘would exist with a budget deficit from day one', report warns. |
Public footpaths facing barriers nationwide
13/10/2025 Over 30,000 public rights of ways are blocked in England and Wales, research has found. |
Decision on Chinese embassy plans to be delayed
13/10/2025 The UK Government is reportedly set to postpone its final decision on the Chinese Government’s proposed new embassy near the Tower of London. |
Metro mayors urged to discourage city car trips
Call for better monitoring of energy efficiency standards
Man ordered to repay £30,000 after council housing fraud
Devon councils set out reorganisation proposals
