Councils struggling to make EV charging accessible, research finds
26/03/2026 Half of UK local authorities are finding it difficult to make public electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure accessible to disabled drivers, study finds. |
Final reorganisation decisions for four priority areas announced
25/03/2026 The shape of local government reorganisation in four devolution priority areas has been unveiled by the Government today. |
Guildford council first to upgrade to top consumer housing rating
25/03/2026 Guildford Borough Council has become the first local authority in England to upgrade from a C3 to a C1 under new social housing standards. |
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. |
Council tax goes up by £10bn in five years
25/03/2026 England's council tax bill has gone up by more than £10bn in five years, new government data has revealed. |
New guidance announced to help councils boost street safety for women and girls
25/03/2026 One in three young women are deterred from walking locally due to safety concerns, research has found. |
Charity calls for end to council tax imprisonment threats
24/03/2026 Councils in England threatened 1,500 residents with prison over council tax arrears in five years, a debt charity has found. |
Monmouthshire CC becomes first Welsh county council to receive Council of Sanctuary status
24/03/2026 Monmouthshire has been declared the first Welsh county council to be awarded Council of Sanctuary status following an expert assessment. |
Top schools accused of shutting out pupils with SEND
24/03/2026 Top state schools admit far fewer disadvantaged special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) pupils than local averages, according to the Sutton Trust. |
Noise complaints fall sharply since Covid peak, data shows
23/03/2026 Noise complaints and enforcement action by local authorities in England and Wales have declined significantly since the Covid-19 pandemic, according to new data from the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH). |
Uniform reuse scheme aims to cut costs for London families
23/03/2026 A uniform reuse initiative has been launched by four waste authorities in the capital. |
Shadow minister warns devolution Bill will 'die' without talks
23/03/2026 Opposition politicians have warned the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill will fall unless the Government listens to their concerns. |
West of England £1 bus fare cap to last until 2029
23/03/2026 The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority has extended the children’s £1 bus fare cap for a further three years. |
Over 300 schools to open nurseries in childcare cost drive
23/03/2026 The Government has announced that more than 300 schools across England will open or expand nurseries from September. |
Northamptonshire councils consider joint devolution plan
20/03/2026 North and West Northamptonshire Councils will align under a joint devolution proposal should their preferred option continue to falter. |
Liverpool City Region launches plan to reverse wildlife decline
20/03/2026 Steve Rotheram has launched the Liverpool City Region’s first Local Nature Recovery Strategy, setting out a plan to reverse decades of environmental decline. |
New waste action plan uses ‘zero-tolerance approach’
20/03/2026 New Government rules could see waste criminals face punishments of up to 20 hours of unpaid work to deter them from illegal dumping. |
Government tightens intervention in Tower Hamlets
20/03/2026 The Government has strengthened its Tower Hamlets intervention after accusations the council is more interested in protecting its image than reforming. |
Oxford approves £32m boost to temporary accommodation to cut hotel use
19/03/2026 Oxford City Council has approved a £32m investment to expand its temporary accommodation provision and reduce reliance on costly hotel placements. |
London councils collect just a third of fines issued to rogue landlords
19/03/2026 London councils have recovered only a third of fines imposed on landlords over the past two years, according to the NRLA. |
District Councils’ Network announces rebranding amid LGR
19/03/2026 The District Councils’ Network has relaunched as the Local Councils Network (LCN), marking a significant shift as local government undergoes reorganisation. |
Disabled man slept on floor after council failure, Ombudsman finds
19/03/2026 A disabled man was left sleeping on the floor after a council failed to properly respond to his homelessness application, Ombudsman finds. |
Bristol CC to overhaul tenancy procedures after Ombudsman ruling
19/03/2026 Bristol City Council has announced sweeping changes to its tenancy processes following a damning finding of severe maladministration by the Housing Ombudsman. |
Government to introduce local scrutiny committees for mayors
19/03/2026 The Government is proposing to establish ‘local scrutiny committees' to oversee strategic authorities. |
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. |
Government announces five pooled budgets pilots
18/03/2026 The Government has announced details of pilots to test pooled budgets in five areas, ahead of setting out a vision for public service reform later this year. |
Wiltshire Council outlines next steps after Local Plan setback
18/03/2026 Wiltshire Council has set out its next steps after planning inspectors rejected its draft Local Plan after nearly a decade of work. |
Nine locations named on City of Culture 2029 longlist
18/03/2026 Nine places across the UK have been longlisted for the UK City of Culture 2029 title, the Government has announced. |
Chancellor to give local leaders control over national taxes
18/03/2026 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has promised to give ‘local leaders' control of some national taxes in a ‘permanent transfer of power and resources' to regions. |
CCN: Planning reforms risk undermining local voices
17/03/2026 County council leaders are warning that the Government's planning reforms will strip local communities of their voice. |
£50m boost to help households hit by soaring heating oil costs
17/03/2026 Over £50m in Government support has been announced to help low-income families struggling with rising heating oil costs due to conflict in the Middle East. |
Youth Jobs Grant welcomed as councils call for coordinated local delivery
17/03/2026 The Government has unveiled a major employment drive aimed at creating 200,000 jobs and apprenticeships for young people, including a new Youth Jobs Grant. |
£1.4bn flood defence funding announced
17/03/2026 The Government has announced a £1.4bn investment in flood defences to better protect homes, businesses and infrastructure across England. |
ALARM: Record £18.6bn road repair backlog despite funding boost
17/03/2026 Local roads across England and Wales face a record £18.62bn repair backlog that would take 12?years to clear, according to the latest ALARM survey. |
South Yorkshire transport refresh pledges to prioritise people
17/03/2026 A new South Yorkshire People’s Network has been launched to enhance the region’s transport system. |
Court rules that council’s traffic orders were lawful
16/03/2026 A campaign group’s challenge against North Yorkshire Council’s transformation scheme has been dismissed by the Court of Appeal. |
Call for London to embrace mid-rise housing
16/03/2026 London is missing out on thousands of potential new homes by failing to embrace mid-rise housing, according to a new report. |
Seven pubs lost for every new vape shop, report finds
16/03/2026 Britain has lost nearly 1,800 pubs and bars in the last decade while vape and tobacco shops have proliferated, according to new research. |
‘Litter louts’ could lose driving licences under new Government plans
16/03/2026 Fly-tippers could have points added to their driving licences under new measures being considered by the Government as part of a crackdown on waste crime. |
Welsh Government confirms £11m for storm recovery
16/03/2026 The Welsh Government has announced £11.2m in funding to help councils recover from the severe storms that struck communities across Wales in late 2025. |
Council's legal battle over asylum seeker hotel comes to an end
16/03/2026 Epping Forest District Council has exhausted its legal options in a bid to remove asylum seekers housed at the Bell Hotel in Epping. |
Future Forum: Councils must put 'rules and tools' in place ahead of political change
13/03/2026 Councils need to put ‘rules and tools ‘ in place if they are expecting a political change ‘or a lot more challenge', the Future Forum has heard. |
Gloucestershire Airport sale collapses after talks fail
13/03/2026 Plans to sell Gloucestershire Airport have fallen through after councils confirmed they were unable to reach an agreement with a prospective buyer. |
Government defends planning reforms amid environmental concerns
12/03/2026 The Government has defended its planning reforms, insisting there are ‘numerous safeguards’ in place to balance housebuilding with environmental protection. |
Future Forum: Reorganisation threat to transformation
12/03/2026 Fears that ambitions to include transformation alongside local government reorganisation may not be realised have been voiced at The MJ's Future Forum. |
TfL allocates nearly £95m to London boroughs for safer streets
12/03/2026 Transport for London (TfL) is set to invest £94.8m in the 32 London boroughs and the City of London in 2026/27 to make streets safer and more accessible. |
Leaders united on devo despite reorg rivalry
12/03/2026 Council leaders in Hertfordshire have insisted they remain united over devolution despite presenting the Government with a range of reorganisation options. |
Council backlash over asylum reforms
11/03/2026 The Government was this week accused of shifting the burden of supporting asylum seekers to councils. |
Over £1m confirmed to drive brownfield land development in Manchester
10/03/2026 The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has delivered an investment of over £1.6m to deliver new homes on brownfield land. |
High Court rules developers must fund infrastructure contributions
10/03/2026 The High Court has ruled that developers must provide financial contributions to local authorities for necessary infrastructure. |
London social housing system ‘opaque’, committee warns
£27bn plan launched to rebuild ageing roads
Increasing homelessness blamed for council company failure
Government confirms 80 new Youth Hubs
