Laura Sharman 16 December 2015

Top 100: Our most popular local government stories of 2015

See our countdown of the 100 most popular stories on LocalGov during 2015, with jobs cuts, Pickles squeezing cash from councils and that infamous bake sale dominating the headlines.

1. Budget 2015: Osborne clamps down on high earners in social housing

2. Revealed: Top 10 daftest queries to council call centres

3. Sex toy forces closure of council bake sale

4. Exclusive: UKIP reveals ‘unnecessary’ jobs councils should eliminate

5. County to cut 2,500 jobs amid £685m savings drive

6. Pickles: Still ‘awful lot’ of money to be saved in councils

7. Budget 2015: Osborne cuts benefits cap amid sweeping tax credit reform

8. Northamptonshire to outsource all services and save £68m

9. Councils announce ‘heartbreaking’ job cuts

10. Local government staff named in New Year’s Honours list

11. Council workers sacked after being accused of sneaking off for shower sex

12. Union paves the way for illegal strike action

13. Council leader slams TV documentary following local backlash

14. Government crowns 16 councils as ‘open data champions’

15. Teenage school drop-outs costing over £800m, say councils

16. UKIP council candidate unmasked as adult movie star

17. Osborne reveals £230m spending cut for DCLG

18. Council staff offered two-year pay increase

19. Sexual job advert gaffe leaves council red-faced

20. 1,200 staff to transfer to private company at Yorkshire council

21. UKIP pledges to abolish all ‘non-essential’ council jobs

22. Councils agree staff merger, sparking job loss fears

23. Councils warned they could face 40% extra spending cuts

24. Squeeze councils for more cash, says Pickles

25. Man ejected from Penzance Town Council Meeting in 'horrendous' scene

26. Bedroom tax policy ruled ‘unlawful’ in landmark case

27. Council leaders recognised in Queen’s birthday honours

28. Councils spend £5bn ‘re-hiring staff’

29. Watch: Mayor feels flushed after leaving microphone on during toilet trip

30. Housing associations vote in favour of voluntary Right to Buy deal

31. David Cameron involved in row with local council over cuts

32. Spending Review: Osborne to phase out council-run schools

33. Row erupts over council's £86,000 new image

34. Abolish every English council and replace them with 'mini-parliaments'

35. Council worker sacked after defrauding authority

36. Woman charged £6,500 for one hour of parking

37. Watch: Game of Thrones spoof shames ‘unfair’ council funding

38. South Oxfordshire council fires: Car hits offices and man arrested

39. Public sector faces staff exodus over Osborne’s pay cap, warn unions

40. Council requests parking payment in cheese

41. UKIP councillor expelled for 'jaw-dropping' remarks

42. Councils say ‘sorry’ after voting blunders

43. UK’s worst areas for air pollution revealed

44. Mass resignation at Rotherham after damning report into child sexual exploitation

45. Council takes £1.88m loss after planning error

46. Council manager stole £23k from family budgets

47. Clark urged to tackle £47bn local government pension deficit

48. Pickles issues notice over council newspaper

49. Pay freeze causing ‘staffing crisis’ in local government

50. Four departments agree 30% spending cuts

51. Failed pirate world record attempt cost council £56k, letter reveals

52. Council leader demands Capita meeting after jobs U-turn

53. Budget 2015: Councils spared further cuts

54. Pickles to be given knighthood

55. Three councils warned over FOI delays

56. Council forced to apologise for ‘scandalous’ waste of taxpayers' money

57. Former councillor pretended to be a barrister

58. Theft of thousands of election ballots forces council re-think

59. LGA names winners of digital fund

60. Borough banned from printing weekly newspaper

61. Peerages for local government figures

62. Spending Review: Warning that councils at financial tipping point

63. Councils allowed to charge for property searches following landmark ruling

64. Council staff could face prison for abusing surveillance powers

65. Three UK cities named among world's most sustainable locations

66. County could have lost £1m after bus lane camera not turned on

67. Council defends 'ludicrous' yellow lines less than a metre long

68. Council set to demand demolished pub is rebuilt ‘brick by brick’

69. Councils ‘wasting’ two million hours every year re-keying data

70. Tower Hamlets mayor found guilty of corrupt practices

71. Council commits ‘worst-ever bungle’ by submitting court papers a day late

72. Councillor refuses to resign despite moving to USA

73. Spending review could floor local services, warns LGA

74. Council workers must speak fluent English

75. Council loses court case against man who accidentally dropped orange peel

76. All staff at Argyll and Bute Council to be offered voluntary redundancy

77. Our study reveals extent of income generation in local government

78. Betts calls for inquiry into ‘outrageous’ LOBO loans

79. Councils call for tighter controls on freedom of information requests

80. Council worker jailed for stealing half a million from care funds

81. Pickles names leaders to take over Rotherham Council

82. Local government on a ‘cliff-edge’ warns Commission

83. Spending Review: Osborne accused of 'dodgy arithmetic'

84. Cost of academy conversion leaves councils in millions of debt

85. Bromley staff balloted for strike action over ‘privatisation’ plans

86. Budget 2015: Osborne launches 20 housing zones

87. Machine-to-Machine technologies could save councils £400m a year says research

88. Councils cutting 11,766 jobs warns union

89. Osborne pledges review of senior council staff pay

90. Clark stresses spending review was 'good result' for local government

91. Council targets self-sufficiency by 2016

92. Petition calls to reduce 'deeply offensive' chief's pay

93. Tories launch own trade union movement

94. Fire service shouldn’t be ‘messed around with’, LGA warns

95. City leader resigns after High Court defeat

96. Council launches Ebay store to sell unwanted items

97. York mayor refuses to wear 'disgusting' chains of office

98. Sacked council employee goes on hunger strike

99. Redundancy payments to council staff to be capped at £95,000

100. ICT report describes urgent need to improve ‘poor service’ at council

#Budgets #Housing #Outsourcing #Council staff #Performance

Sizewell C and NSIPs through a local lens

Cllr Richard Rout, Suffolk County Council, looks at Sizewell C and Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) from a local perspective.

Local government needs to measure for citizen and employee experience

Christina Butterfield outlines how citizens and employees can be engaged and have positive and streamlined experiences.

Most Popular News

Council chiefs warn of 'disastrous' financial crisis

Council and unions agree ‘strong pay offer’ for lowest paid staff

Councils invited to join community energy scheme

Gove says new body will 'shine light' on sector failures and successes

Underfunding of social care to tip councils ‘over financial edge’

New Products

The Costs of Dealing with Housing Disrepair Claims can Dramatically be Reduced

New Early Pay Product to Help Local Authorities Support Small Businesses

Bradshaw releases third-generation T800

WPS launches new open and adaptive parking solution at Intertraffic 2022

APT SKIDATA launches Charge, an integrated park and EV charging solution

XL Litter Bin to collect more waste

Over Unwanted Sound? Siderise Launches Mullion Overclad System

New and improved Toro mower for greater productivity

Supporting net zero ambitions: New solar PV enhancement from Marley

Nordic Copper Defines a New Generation of Finnish Libraries

Siderise launches masonry passive fire protection package

UltraCrete launches innovative installation aid

Panasonic’s new Smart Multi-site Control Solution provides advanced HVAC control and management

Innovative technology for face-to-face meetings

Leafield’s New 310-litre Envirobank Recycling Bin

Electric performance from the Ariens Zenith E

PAC announces new version of EasiNet Residential

New high ‘defender’ TSI Edge Bollards to protect cyclists

Toro leads the way of Stage V compliant out-front rotaries

APT Skidata Launches New Touchless Parking Solution

SmartCell fire detection system – the smartest investment for HMO properties

Eye-catching EcoArc Recycling Station

APT SKIDATA launches new smart remote assistance tool to further enhance its digital solutions

Tavola Baffles mean a creative ceiling design has never been easier

New Classic Community Litter Bins

New easy to install Cycle Lane Separator Bollards

Hunter Douglas Architectural launches new rounded panel HeartFelt® line

On-the-go recycling for green spaces

New Personal Protective Equipment Bin

UK manufactured bins with antimicrobial protection

Contour Release New Health Check Station

Thame launches first UK ‘take a ticket’ app for safer and smarter queuing at local retailers

Encouraging social distancing with Forbo's new Coral entrance mats

Companies join forces on vehicle-based visual asset inspection and verification system

Case Studies

City of York tackles congestion and pollution with Alchera Technologies

Panasonic Heats Renovated Chapel in Devon with Unique Air Source Heat Pump & Fan Coil Solution

A DLUHC-funded PropTech win uses 3D images and voice technology to bring local planning into the modern age

Protecting Cumbria’s dark skies – a collaborative effort between Thorn Lighting and Cumbria County Council

Adur & Worthing Councils verify property discounts and exemptions using Aspire

Warwickshire Pub Installs Panasonic nanoe™ X to improve indoor environment

Milton Keynes Council automate completion notice issuing process

Wandsworth Council leads the charge on EV infrastructure

Mortar Buoy® increases speed and saves money

Greater Manchester bus network drives into the digital age

Boosting local retail - three more local authorities sign up to Local Rewards scheme

Norwich City Council Awarded for Innovative Approach to Tackling Rising Debt Concerns

21st Century upgrades passenger information across the East Midlands

APT SKIDATA Wins Contract to Upgrade Seafront Car Park in North Ayrshire

Places for People rolls out new technology in the management of damp in homes

Document automation saves TfL payroll team 160 days' admin time per year

Leading by example: The City of London Corporation specifies FORS in supply chain contracts

Vent-Axia’s Lo-Carbon PoziDry Compact Pro Combats Mould in Housing Association Property

Innovative Highways Alliance brings benefits to roads & residents

Thorn Lighting Isaro Pro luminaires provide the perfect solution for the Safer Streets Fund Initiative

Essex County Council completes first stage of digital transformation journey

St Helens MBC: Dream team looks to a bright future

New Harold Wood Station plaza opens

Essex County Council selects Telensa for the next stage of its smart streetlight project

New open data portal presents a bigger picture of Stockport residents

Wales delivers a first for technology-enabled care through Covid response

New Otterbine restores fountain to former glory at Newquay Boating Lake

How £1.3bn Metro tuned into digital radio comms

Hunter Douglas Architectural supplies 17,000m2 of new ceiling for Rotterdam Ahoy

SWARCO Traffic installs new speed warning signs for Angus Council

Thorn ensures the perfect setting at Queens Quay and Titan Crane Basin

Traffic Management Contract secured in Thurrock

SWARCO and APT Skidata provide the technology solution for Wembley car parks

Thorn’s Urba bollards lead the way at Coed Melyn Park

Panasonic Aquarea A2W Heat Pumps provide heating and hot water for new rural housing development

On-the-go Recycling Success by Leafield’s Cup Bins

Vent-Axia’s Datalogging Lo-Carbon Revive 7 Protects Landlord in Disrepair Case

Dedicated app simplifies parking permit renewals for Nottingham drivers

Truespeed lights up map of South-West - announces full fibre broadband roll-out in Bath and environs

Hunter Douglas Architectural ceiling gets ‘Royal’ seal of approval

Telematics Triumph for Metropolitan Thames Valley

Charity fundraisers drafted in to deliver Covid-19 home testing service

Kier record 82% reduction in repeat visits thanks to UltraCrete Tough Patch®

Council forecasts £1m savings in school transport using online planning tool

Northeast Group once again confirms Telensa as Global #1 in Smart Street Lighting

Dublin City Council give green light for green weed control

Safety barriers protect pedestrians in Sheffield city centre

School installs barriers to reduce risk of spreading coronavirus

Lambeth Council rewards APCOA Parking for outstanding service delivery

Devon County Council and SSE Contracting select Telensa for smart streetlighting project

Bermondsey Bar & Kitchen is first venue to win COVID Accreditation in Gov pilot scheme

TechnologyOne continues to expand its enterprise Software as a Service (SaaS) presence in Northern Ireland

Council puts customers first with new digital platform

Lakeshore Copper Building

Europe’s First Smart City Quarter powered by Panasonic

Liverpool supporting vulnerable citizens with Community Helper platform

Company Anouncements

Fellowes champions IAQ in education with the clean air for classrooms initiative

Customers to benefit as Amberol and Leafield Environmental join forces

Zutec Digital Cladding Remediation Solution Now Available for Housebuilders, Developers and Owners

UltraCrete and Telent join forces to tackle failed ironwork

Vent-Axia Shares Tips to Love your Lungs and Stay Healthy this Clean Air Day

SWARCO companies from across the UK & Ireland come together at Traffex 2022

APT SKIDATA to demonstrate digital transformation in parking at Parkex 2022

Local Resilience adds Debfibrillator Management Process to pre-built Procedures

Panasonic Exhibiting at Housing 2022

Cadcorp launches new hosted Data Service

Bringing logical cloud-based collaboration to the Public Sector

Triple Point announces new £8m revolving credit facility for MLL Telecom

Social Housing Building Regulations Webinar to Set Out Changes to Ventilation in Existing Homes

Tavistock Relationships offers local authorities Reducing Parental Conflict Training

PayByPhone announces new global and UK leadership structure as the business continues to grow

Alliance Leisure Retains Position As Lead Development Partner On Third Generation UK Leisure Framework

Vemotion showcase latest live video streaming products at Security & Policing

York-based fulfilment business works with Sainsbury’s to bring new grocery voucher to market

Bring your course to life at night with Otterbine's lighting systems

New brand gives boost to long-established bridge parapet manufacturer

Designed to Meet the Demand for Safe and Sustainable Interim Housing

Tempest Resourcing Wins Place on Local Government Resourcing Partnership Framework

Local Authorities Now have Access to Premium Parking Solutions on a Subscription Basis

ENVIROVENT’s ventilation solution CHOSEN for ‘homes OF the future’ PILOT

SWARCO Smart Charging Named as GreenFleet’s Charging & Re-fuelling Infrastructure Provider of the Year

UltraCrete launch industry-leading accreditation scheme

Irwin Mitchell boosts planning and environment department with two new appointments

Electric Vehicle Goupil Range Helping Local Authorities Support Their Green Agenda

Vent-Axia Welcomes Housing Ombudsman’s Report on Damp and Mould

Red Stag driving towards carbon-neutral pothole repairs across UK

Sir Robert McAlpine – building a quality supply chain with FORS

Fimatix appoints head of User-Centred Design in expansion of its practice

Caution Your Blast Announces Rich Cassidy as New Head of People and Delivery

Airtech Urges Everyone to Take Action this Radon Awareness Week

Treat the family more for less this Christmas with £245* worth of savings for public servants from Boundless

Liberty Charge seeks to address on-street charging deficit with fully-funded solution

Telensa first to demonstrate that the open standard protocol, TALQ2, enables interoperability at scale

SWARCO Smart Charging enhances its public sector offering with senior appointment

Airtech Helps Landlords Meet Their Duty of Care and Tackle Condensation and Mould

Call for entries: Panasonic celebrates excellence in HVAC+R projects with 4th European PRO Awards 2021

Four more local authorities sign up to Local Rewards scheme to boost local retail

Toro fleet expansion for CGM Group

Power Roll’s rooftop solar offers councils a viable alternative to greenfield sites

Vemotion Viewer App now with automated Real-time Incident Alert & Review

Airtech Supports Landlords to Help Protect their Residents from Radon this Summer

Celebrating a decade of gold standards and stronger supply chains

Premier Modular wins place on £330m public sector building framework

New leasing company helps councils tackle the climate crisis

PayByPhone continues rapid growth across UK

Open Booking API for the sport & leisure sector to undergo further testing

Panasonic Aquarea units receive Passive House Component Certification

Care home building firm choose FORS to ensure quality supply chain

Accelar helps to pinpoint opportunities to drive down carbon in construction

Blackhawk Network becomes a supplier for The Crown Commercial Service on the Voucher Scheme Framework

Keeping close to residents at Stockport Homes, even in lockdown

Dulux launches innovative platform to find and compare the right contractors for any job

Panasonic’s Cashback Schemes to Continue Despite Government U-turn on Green Homes Grant

Reopening safely: How CO2 monitoring can improve ventilation and lower infection risk

UltraCrete Permanent Pothole Repair certified for 10 years

Facing Change Together – HAUC(UK) Convention 2021

Skilled drivers create an efficient supply chain

Smarter building controls will help schools to go green and reduce costs

Defra appoints Noise Consultants Ltd to lead delivery of an environmental noise modelling system

Minimising sound one step at a time

Passing the test with Fibo

Free event gives insight into Austria’s expertise in Positive Energy Districts

EarthSense Collaborates with WSP to Investigate Air Pollution Around London Schools

Multevo to host first ever live virtual sweeper demo

Clean break for flooring

Safe and green in 2021 to meet new ULEZ and DVS rules

Vent-Axia’s Lo-Carbon PoziDry Pro PIV Successfully Tackles Condensation and Mould in Test Home

PayByPhone donates more than 41,000 trees with its 2020 Green Christmas Campaign

Hassle-free winter maintenance with Toro Parts and Reesink Turfcare

PayPoint provides fast access to cash for school meal vouchers

Are you ready for Winter?

Vent-Axia Wins Domestic Ventilation Product of the Year at H&V News Awards

CTEK and EVC sign deal to help meet the growing demands for EV charging in the UK

OnePlan partners with Karantis360 to supply domiciliary care providers with a unique comprehensive care ecosystem

PayByPhone’s cashless parking payment services continue to grow in popularity across the UK

Damp diagnostic a ‘game changer’ for property care

SP Energy Networks seeks participants for major electric vehicle charging trial

Free journey planning widget

Airtech encourages households to protect their lungs by taking action during UK Radon Awareness Week

Data confirms positive input ventilation is effective solution to condensation and mould

Airtech helps landlords tackle condensation and mould protecting their residents and properties

Combat COVID-19 with PureAir

e-One electric refuse vehicle sells out on day one!

Robust bins to keep green spaces clean

SecurityHQ named as supplier on Crown Commercial Service's (CCS) G-Cloud 12 Framework

Slough to launch first e-scooter trial partnering with ‘safety-first’ e-scooter provider Neuron Mobility

Taking Care partner with Brain in Hand to transform the lives of those with learning disabilities & mental health difficulties

Why specify FORS in procurement contracts?

Destin Solutions announce partnership with Wilks Head & Eve providing exclusive access to NEXUS to deliver best in class RV Finder solution

Panasonic’s Highly Efficient RAC Range Provides the Ultimate Heating and Cooling Comfort in Homes

VALE Engineering launches new website for weed control, turf care & winter maintenance

Full range of UV-C disinfection products available from GOLDENSEA UV

QRoutes launches instant eligibility calculator for home to school route travel funding

Open access to UPRNs and USRNs set to unlock the power of place

Collective switches to 100% renewable tariffs

SkedGo journey planner helps local authorities promote greener and active travel

Thrive launches rapid deployment internal comms app to fast track employee communication with frontline teams

PPP Taking Care contribute £100,000 to Age UK’s £10m Emergency Coronavirus Appeal

PPP Taking Care becomes the first and only Which? Approved Personal Alarm Service

WPS continues to support essential workers in critical sectors

CTEK expands into UK electrical vehicle market

Free support tool for councils to help their local businesses

Mitigating information security risks during lockdown

County Council urges businesses to share its recruitment campaign

FORS suspends audits due to coronavirus outbreak

FORS helps local authorities deliver for their communities

Interim Head of Fostering

Negotiable day rate

We are working with a local authority client in London who is looking for an Interim Head of Fostering, the local authority was last inspected as “... London (Central), London (Greater)

Recuriter: Tile Hill

Interim Head of Children in Care and Care Leavers

Negotiable day rate

We are working with a local authority client in London who is looking for an Interim Head of Children in Care and Care Leavers, the local authority... London (Central), London (Greater)

Recuriter: Tile Hill

Head of Regeneration and Economy

£59,593 - £68,094

York is a wonderful place to live and work and it is quite rightly famous across the globe. York, North Yorkshire / Hybrid

Recuriter: City of York Council

Clinical Lead, North Essex

Negotiable

Clinical Lead, North EssexPermanent, Full TimeUp to £57,869 per annumLocation

Recuriter: Essex County Council

Assistant Director Legal,&Governance/Monitoring Officer

£70,340 - £81,589

The Assistant Director role has breadth of responsibility beyond legal services incorporating Constitutional and Democratic Services Rochdale, Greater Manchester

Recuriter: Rochdale BC

Partner Content

Circular highways is a necessity not an aspiration – and it’s within our grasp

Shell is helping power the journey towards a circular paving industry with Shell Bitumen LT R, a new product for roads that uses plastics destined for landfill as part of the additives to make the bitumen.

Support from Effective Energy Group for Local Authorities to Deliver £430m Sustainable Warmth Funded Energy Efficiency Projects

Effective Energy Group is now offering its support to the 40 Local Authorities who have received a share of the £430m to deliver their projects on the ground by surveying properties and installing measures.

Pay.UK – the next step in Bacs’ evolution

Dougie Belmore explains how one of the main interfaces between you and Bacs is about to change.

Need To Know

Who is considered a keyworker?

Purdah and local government