Welsh council tax rises finalised
13/03/2024 The average council tax rise for Welsh local authorities will be just over 8% next year. |
Regulator calls for 'substantial' planning intervention
26/02/2024 The planning system requires ‘substantial intervention’ by the Government to ensure consistent delivery of new homes, a major study has concluded. |
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. |
Pembrokeshire council proposes record 21% council tax hike
08/02/2024 Pembrokeshire County Council has proposed the highest ever percentage increase in council tax in Wales. |
Welsh government announces £25m for councils
07/02/2024 The Welsh government has announced an additional £25m to support cash-strapped local authorities in 2024-25. |
Call for ‘different approach’ to brownfield
24/01/2024 A more ‘systematic, interventionist and collaborative’ method could ‘significantly’ increase the regeneration of brownfield sites in Wales, according to a new report. |
Welsh councils commit to improving benefits system
22/01/2024 All local authorities in Wales have signed up to a new charter, committing to work with the Welsh Government to develop a consistent benefits system. |
Welsh minister backs tax reforms
03/01/2024 One of the candidates to become first minister of Wales has backed reform of council tax. |
‘Very difficult year ahead’ for Welsh councils
19/12/2023 Council bosses say local authorities in Wales face a 'considerable' funding gap despite the devolved nation’s planned cuts in other departments to protect local services. |
Wales passes workplace recycling law
08/12/2023 New Workplace Recycling Regulations have been passed in Wales, which will require all businesses to separate recyclable materials. |
Wales consults on council tax reform
14/11/2023 The Welsh Government has launched a consultation on redesigning the country's council tax system. |
Councils sign cross border partnership
13/11/2023 Two English councils, Herefordshire and Shropshire, and two Welsh county councils, Monmouthshire and Powys, have signed a partnership agreement. |
How AI surveys show councils need a new approach on litter
31/10/2023 Gavin Ellis, co-founder and director of Hubbub, discusses how litter survey projects on Glasgow and Cardiff roads suggest that a new approach is needed by local authorities. |
Welsh councils face £750m shortfall
25/10/2023 Local government finances in Wales are on an ‘unsustainable path’, according to a report from Cardiff University’s Wales Governance Centre. |
Extra cash for Welsh social care in emergency spending revisions
17/10/2023 Council budgets will remain largely unchanged, but there should be more cash for social services, following the Welsh Government’s emergency public spending revisions. |
Welsh government urged to improve diversity in local politics
17/10/2023 Women, ethnic minorities, and people with disabilities are under-represented in Welsh local government, according to a new Senedd committee report. |
Home Office ditches Stradey Park asylum plans
10/10/2023 The Home Office has withdrawn its controversial plans to house asylum seekers at the Stradey Park Hotel in Furnace, Llanelli. |
Care workers in Wales feel undervalued, poll reveals
05/10/2023 Social care workers in Wales feel undervalued by the public and underpaid for the work they do, a new survey has revealed. |
Wales to automatically register voters
03/10/2023 The Welsh Government is set to establish automatic voter registration for local government and Senedd elections. |
Welsh local services at ‘mortal risk’, council chiefs warn
15/09/2023 Local authority leaders in Wales have warned the UK Government that local services could be at ‘mortal risk’ if further funding was not forthcoming. |
Watchdog uncovers ‘weaknesses’ in councils’ workforce plans
12/09/2023 Weaknesses in Welsh councils’ workforce strategies could hamper their ability to deliver in the long term, Audit Wales has found. |
Welsh councils press for more housing support
11/09/2023 The Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) has called on the UK Government to prioritise housing and homelessness services. |
Wales to consider funding bids straddling English border
11/09/2023 Wales’ economy minister has said he would consider funding bids from a new council partnership that crosses the Welsh and English border. |
Audit reveals ‘deficiencies’ councils’ record keeping
07/09/2023 Auditors have found ‘significant deficiencies’ in the financial management and record keeping of Ammanford Town Council and Llanferres Community Council. |
EXCLUSIVE: Housing pressures may push councils into effective bankruptcy
04/09/2023 Rising housing pressures will force some councils to effectively declare bankruptcy, a local authority chief executive with more than 40 years of experience in the sector has warned. |
Weaknesses in Newport counter-fraud approach
17/08/2023 ‘Weaknesses’ have been found in Newport City Council’s approach to fraud, a finance watchdog has reported. |
Alarm over Welsh budget warnings
10/08/2023 The Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) has warned a return to austerity would be ‘devastating’ following budget warnings from the devolved Government. |
Pay dispute to stretch into autumn
07/08/2023 The local government pay dispute is destined to stretch into the autumn as trade union Unite warned ‘coordinated industrial action’ was ‘inevitable’. |
‘Real fears’ that post-Grenfell safety legislation won’t be delivered
31/07/2023 Auditor General for Wales has raised concerns over the devolved government’s implementation of building safety legislation that was created after Grenfell. |
Wales and Cornwall strengthen ties in new agreement
18/07/2023 The Welsh government and Cornwall Council have formed a ‘strategic alliance’ to strengthen their historical, cultural and linguistic ties. |
Cardiff Council leader calls for investigation into Ely collision
23/05/2023 The leader of Cardiff Council has called for an investigation into the events that led to the deaths of two teenagers and a riot on Monday night. |
'Widespread industrial action' warning
10/05/2023 Unite has warned the Scottish Government and employers there ‘could be widespread industrial action’ without a ‘significant increase’ to the current pay offer. |
Welsh village opposes plans to house refugees in hotel
09/05/2023 Villagers in Wales have vowed to fight plans for 400 asylum seekers to be lodged in a former hotel. |
Welsh Government to detail council tax reform later this year
03/05/2023 The Welsh Government has revealed it will announce details of its council tax reforms later this year. |
Pavement parking ban parked after 'frustratingly slow' jibe
04/04/2023 The Welsh Government has shelved a consultation on banning pavement parking after councils apparently claimed they were too busy to engage with it. |
Welsh council chiefs welcome free school meal extension
10/03/2023 Councils in Wales have welcomed the Welsh government’s announcement that free school meals will continue for children from lower income families over holidays. |
Digitisation must not lead to ‘two-tier society’, auditor says
09/03/2023 Spending on internet infrastructure must be balanced with measures to prevent creating a two-tier society when it comes to services, Welsh government says. |
Welsh councils need to encourage resilience, auditors say
24/01/2023 Local authorities in Wales must do more to encourage and grow community resilience against a backdrop of cuts, auditors have said. |
Watchdog raises safeguarding concerns at Powys
20/12/2022 A watchdog has taken Powys CC to task over the lack of ‘control’ of its safeguarding arrangements. |
Auditors warn of workforce shortages in flooding sector
15/12/2022 Local areas in Wales are facing a shortage of workers with experience in dealing with the impact of floods, auditors say. |
‘Difficult decisions’ ahead despite £400m settlement boost
14/12/2022 Councils in Wales have warned ‘difficult decisions’ on spending remain despite receiving an 8% increase in funding from the Welsh government. |
Labour outlines huge devolution push
05/12/2022 Labour proposes removing ‘dead hand of centralisation’ by devolving to local government wide-ranging powers over employment, growth, transport and education. |
Welsh councils urged to engage more with social enterprises
01/12/2022 Local authorities in Wales should do more to ‘maximise the impact’ of social enterprises in their areas, auditors say. |
Interim chief given role permanently
23/11/2022 Swansea City & CC has appointed its interim chief executive on a permanent basis. |
20mph speed limit could save £100m in first year, research finds
07/11/2022 A 20mph speed limit across Wales could save £100m in the first year due to a reduction in deaths and injuries, new research has found. |
Welsh councils struggle to tackle poverty
01/11/2022 Local authorities in Wales are struggling to tackle poverty because of a wide variety of approaches and a ‘complicated partnership landscape’, auditors find. |
Welsh digital and green sector gets £3m boost
17/10/2022 The Welsh government has announced a £3m boost to help support the development of skills in the digital and green sector. |
Workload warning over voting pilots
11/10/2022 Proposals to introduce automatic voter registration in Wales could cause confusion and add to already heavy workloads, election officers have warned. |
Welsh councils warn of 'serious harm' to budgets
03/10/2022 Welsh local authority leaders have warned the Government that market turmoil is causing ‘serious harm’ to council budgets. |
The future of EV charging in Wales: Making experience count
26/08/2022 Anne Buckingham explains how SWARCO Smart Charging is helping councils across Wales install the right infrastructure. |
Council defrauded of nearly £240,000 due to failure of financial checks
17/08/2022 Poor governance and financial management left Maesteg Town Council vulnerable to a fraud that cost nearly a quarter of a million pounds, auditors say. |
Traveller communities in Wales face ‘widespread racism’
11/08/2022 Members of the Senedd have called on councils to take ‘action’ to provide sites for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities who face widespread prejudice. |
Welsh councils get £1.85m to clean up chewing gum
08/08/2022 Five local authorities in Wales are to receive a funding boost in order to help them remove used chewing gum from their streets. |
Neath Port Talbot leisure services moving ‘in-house’
02/08/2022 Leisure services in Neath Port Talbot are set to be brought back in-house next year, local authority says. |
Call to simplify devolved-benefits in Wales
28/07/2022 A new report has called on the Welsh Government to simplify the benefit system to help more people during the cost of living crisis. |
‘Significant flaw’ in UK Shared Prosperity Fund
18/07/2022 Welsh councils with large populations could lose out on tens of millions of pounds from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), new analysis has concluded. |
Welsh parliament votes for 20mph default
13/07/2022 The Welsh Senedd has approved legislation to lower the default national speed limit on residential roads and busy pedestrian streets in the country from 30mph to 20mph. |
Council tax revaluation announced for Wales
11/07/2022 The Welsh Government has announced it will revalue all 1.5 million properties in the country under bold plans to modernise the council tax system. |
Welsh councils to get new powers over second homes
05/07/2022 Welsh councils will be given new powers to limit the number of second homes in their community under plans revealed by the First Minister. |
Welsh bus industry receives £48m boost
29/06/2022 The bus industry in Wales is set to receive £48m to help it recover from the pandemic and cope with the financial challenges, Welsh government announces. |
Welsh government launches £20m care leavers pilot
28/06/2022 The Welsh government today launched a pilot scheme that will see care leavers receive £1,600 per month to support their transition into adult life. |
Welsh councils launch new armed forces status
27/06/2022 Schools in Wales that go the extra mile to support service children are to be recognised by a new status awarded by their local authority, WLGA announces. |
Universal free school meals in Wales to start from September
20/06/2022 Every primary school pupil in Wales will receive a free school meal by 2024, the Welsh Government has confirmed. |
Welsh auditors: NHS waiting lists could take seven years to clear
31/05/2022 It could be seven years before Wales sees its NHS waiting lists come back down to pre-pandemic levels, Welsh Auditors have claimed. |
First Welsh council joins digital Local Land Charges register
19/05/2022 Swansea has become the first Welsh local authority to move its local land charges to a digital register. |
Gender equality campaigners in Wales warn of ‘glacial’ progress
25/04/2022 Councils have been urged to increase the number of women in local politics as campaigners warn Welsh local democracy won’t see gender equality until 2050. |
Welsh councils to receive £1.1m to become Age Friendly
20/04/2022 Local authorities in Wales will have access to £1.1m funding to help the country become Age Friendly. |
Welsh government invests £8m in employment services
14/04/2022 Welsh government is investing £8m in employment services that help people recovering from physical, mental ill-health and substance misuse remain in work. |
All regions told to take asylum seekers
14/04/2022 All regions of England, Scotland and Wales will be expected to take a share of asylum seekers under a new system of ‘full dispersal,’ the Government has told councils. |
Government unveils £2.6bn UK Shared Prosperity Fund
13/04/2022 The Scottish Government has said it has been short-changed by its allocation of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. |
Welsh councils receive £10m to support domiciliary care
06/04/2022 A further £10m will be provided to local authorities in Wales to support domiciliary care and increase service provision, the Welsh government has announced. |
Auditors warn of social care direct payments ‘lottery’
06/04/2022 Direct payments for adult social care in Wales help residents maintain their independence but implementation is inconsistent, auditors say. |
Solar panels to be installed on public buildings in Wales
05/04/2022 Public buildings in Wales are set to have solar panels installed as part of the Welsh government’s efforts to promote community owned renewable energy. |
Welsh government announces £25m to roll out free school meals
31/03/2022 The Welsh government is investing £25m in school kitchen and dining infrastructure to roll out free school meals to all primary school children in Wales. |
Merthyr Tydfil improvement board ends
16/03/2022 Independent oversight of Merthyr Tydfil CBC has come to an end following improvements to its governance and sustainability. |
Welsh council tax premiums on second homes increased to 300%
02/03/2022 The maximum level at which local authorities can set council tax premiums on second homes and long-term empty properties in Wales will be increased to 300%. |
Welsh communities 'least empowered in Britain' to protect assets
17/02/2022 Welsh communities are the least empowered in Britain to protect land and assets, a new report has warned today. |
Wales to trial Basic Income pilot for care leavers
16/02/2022 A Basic Income pilot for all young people leaving care will be piloted across Wales. |
Welsh councils call for clarification over council tax rebate
10/02/2022 The Government has reassured council chiefs in Wales that the Welsh government will receive £180m of new funding as a result of the council tax rebate. |
Welsh winter fuel support payments double to £200
01/02/2022 The Welsh government today announced that the Winter Fuel Support Scheme payment will be doubled to £200 as the cost-of-living crisis intensifies. |
Welsh government confirms £120m for Omicron-hit businesses
23/12/2021 Wales’ First Minister has confirmed that the Welsh government will make £120m available for nightclubs, retail, and other businesses affected by COVID-19. |
Welsh councils win £750m funding boost
20/12/2021 The Welsh Government has included a £743m increase in funding for councils in its latest budget. |
Welsh councils offer £100 winter fuel payment
13/12/2021 Eligible people in Wales will be able to claim a £100 payment from their local authority to provide support towards paying their winter fuel bills. |
Plans for council tax reform in Wales
07/12/2021 The Welsh Government has confirmed it will consult on council tax reforms plans next year to 'modernise' the system. |
Councils secure funding to secure private homes for homeless people
30/11/2021 Councils in Wales will receive £30m funding over the next five years to help use private housing to prevent homelessness. |
Welsh government to crack down on second homes
24/11/2021 The Welsh government is to launch a pilot scheme to tackle the negative impact that second home ownership can have on local communities, particularly in Welsh speaking areas. |
Wales’ fuel poverty scheme should be ‘greener’
23/11/2021 The Welsh government's Warm Homes Programme needs to be greener, clearer and more tightly managed, auditors say. |
Welsh government announces £51m package to tackle cost-of-living crisis
16/11/2021 The Welsh government has announced a £51m package of support in order to help families facing the cost-of-living crisis pay their bills this winter. |
Four Welsh councils to pilot flexible voting schemes
09/11/2021 Four councils in Wales will allow people to vote before polling day in next May’s local government elections as part of a pilot scheme. |
Plans to make Wales smoke-free by 2030
08/11/2021 A new plan to make Wales smoke-free by the end of the decade has been unveiled. |
EXCLUSIVE: Employers dig in as they refuse to reopen pay talks
19/10/2021 Council employers have dug in to defend their ‘full and final’ pay offer despite warnings that months of disruption could lie ahead. |
Welsh Government makes final decision on boundary changes
18/10/2021 The biggest ever changes to electoral boundaries in Welsh local government have been confirmed. |
Disruption warning as unions ask for pay talks to resume
15/10/2021 Unions have urged council employers to return to the negotiating table with an improved pay offer amid warnings that months of disruption could lie ahead. |
Unison warns of strike action over council pay
04/10/2021 Trade union Unison has warned of future strike action unless local government employers improve their pay offer. |
Auditors question financial sustainability of Welsh councils
30/09/2021 Auditors have questioned the sustainability of local authorities in Wales despite the improved financial position Welsh councils have experienced as a result of pandemic support. |
New 50mph speed limits in Wales to be enforced
28/09/2021 Motorists exceeding the 50mph speed limits on some of the most polluted roads in Wales could face fines, the Welsh government has warned. |
Welsh councils share £40m social care recovery fund
15/09/2021 Local authorities in Wales have been awarded £40m to help social care services overcome the challenges posed by the pandemic. |
Welsh government confirms £5m town centre funding
08/09/2021 The Welsh government has confirmed that £5m of loan funding will be made available to support the regeneration of town centres. |
Welsh councils must provide ‘ambitious leadership’ to revive high street
02/09/2021 Local authorities in Wales have been urged to use their existing powers and resources to make town centres sustainable. |
Welsh Government looks at holiday home reforms
26/08/2021 Holiday home owners in Wales could be charged the full amount of business rates amid claims people are being priced out of their local area. |
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.
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.
Dougie Belmore explains how one of the main interfaces between you and Bacs is about to change.