Staying Safe in Local Elections: Challenges and support for candidates
With local elections nearing, rising abuse fears are deterring candidates - this analysis explores risks, definitions, and new guidance to support safer campaigning.
Reform defends £700m council savings claim
16/04/2026 A senior Reform UK figure has defended the party's claim it has found £700m of savings at the councils it controls. |
'Hard to see' what underpins LGR other than politics, says Reform
07/04/2026 Reform has said it is ‘hard to see' what lies behind Labour's reorganisation plans other than ‘carving out places they think they can still win'. |
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. |
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. |
Government should have 'leeway' to seek new council leaders' LGR views
04/03/2026 Government should have ‘leeway' to offer newly-elected council leaders the chance to put forward a formal view on reorganisation, think-tank chief says. |
Councils' unaudited accounts remain 'a cautionary tale', NAO chief will say
10/02/2026 Backlogs of unaudited accounts mean English local government ‘remains a cautionary tale', the head of the public spending watchdog will say today. |
Exclusive: London borough is top for productivity
05/02/2026 Kensington and Chelsea LBC is the most productive council in England, the latest IMPOWER Index Top 10 has revealed. |
CIPFA: Councils' demand and deficit risks deepen
20/01/2026 Councils are holding higher debt levels and lower usable reserves, leaving the system more leveraged overall, a key financial index has revealed today. |
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. |
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. |
Exclusive: Cleverly criticises Labour's 'short term fixes'
02/10/2025 The shadow local government secretary has accused Labour of leaving councils with ‘short term fixes', identifying asylum hotels as an area ‘showing strain'. |
LGR 'making senior recruitment difficult', says Kent's Reform UK leader
08/09/2025 The Reform UK leader of Kent CC has said local government reorganisation (LGR) is ‘disrupting business as usual' and making recruitment ‘very difficult'. |
Judge temporarily bans new arrivals at Epping asylum hotel
18/08/2025 A judge has ordered a hotel not to accept any new applications from asylum seekers until his ruling on Epping Forest DC's request for a temporary injunction. |
Reform-controlled county agrees to back two unitary model
10/07/2025 Reform-controlled Derbyshire CC has agreed to back a two unitary model with a north south configuration. |
St Helens peer challenge expected to conclude council has 'transformed'
01/04/2025 St Helens MBC's corporate peer challenge is expected to conclude the council has been ‘transformed over the past five years'. |
Birmingham's post Oracle scrutiny portal 'should help to better understand risks'
20/03/2025 A new online information site for scrutiny teams at Birmingham CC should lead to a better understanding of risk after the Oracle IT scandal, councillor says. |
'Devil in the details' of welfare reform plans, says SIGOMA
19/03/2025 The ‘devil will be in the details' of the Government's proposed reforms to welfare, says SIGOMA leader. |
Leicestershire pushes for 'transparent' talks with districts on reorganisation
27/02/2025 District councils have ‘excluded' Leicestershire CC from meetings and discussions about future plans for reorganisation. |
State will operate 'more like a start-up'
10/12/2024 The launch of a £100m fund to pioneer public sector reform and deliver the Government's Plan for Change will see the state operate ‘more like a start-up', a minister has pledged. |
Budget: Chancellor promises to permanently lower business rates
30/10/2024 The chancellor prioritised delivering permanently lower business rates from 2026-27 in the Budget by lowering multipliers for retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties. |
