Councils click into the future of planning
In town halls across the country, planning officers are racing to update their Local Plans — but this time, the process looks very different.
Councils could lose millions in utilities repayments after court ruling
04/12/2019 Local authorities could be facing repayments worth millions of pounds to council tenants in excess water charges, after a High Court ruling last week. |
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Unchaining social value
31/05/2019 A new report reveals some councils are building social value into their procurement – but that senior council decision makers must take more interest in securing broader benefits when commissioning services. |
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Spending Review should put aside £3bn for children's services say MPs
30/04/2019 The Government needs to release at least £3bn of non-ring-fenced funding to local authorities to save children’s services from the ‘crisis’ they are in, MPs have said. |
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Voter ID plans slammed as 'undemocratic'
30/04/2019 Mandatory voter ID requirements will seriously damage democracy, the Electoral Reform Society has warned again ahead of the local elections this week. |
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LGA urges chiefs to challenge children's services directors
03/04/2019 Chief executives should confront directors to ensure children’s services are well delivered, fresh guidance published by the Local Government Association (LGA) has suggested. |
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Commissioner appointed to oversee Blackpool's children's services
26/03/2019 Essex CC has been appointed to take over Blackpool Council’s children’s services after an Ofsted report last year found it was ‘inadequate’. |
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South Yorkshire devolution deadlock broken
25/03/2019 The years-long devolution stalemate in south Yorkshire has finally been resolved. |
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Councils warn £1bn is at risk of being returned to EU
15/10/2018 Nearly £1bn earmarked for local investment will be lost if the Government does not act soon, the Local Government Association (LGA) has warned. |
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Welsh councils warn of £344m funding gap for social care by 2022
19/04/2018 The funding gap in Welsh social services will jump by a whopping three-and-a half times by 2020-2021, the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) has warned. |
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York terminates £9m Interserve contract
10/04/2018 York City Council has terminated a £9m contract with Interserve to redevelop the historic Guildhall after it judged the firm’s cost estimates to be too high. |
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Government oversight of LEPs not good enough, MPs say
16/03/2018 The Public Accounts Committee has stressed its lack of faith in the Government’s oversight of local enterprise partnerships in a critical report published today. |
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Havering selects Wates for £1bn scheme
13/03/2018 Havering LBC has announced construction firm Wates as its joint venture partner in a regeneration project being touted as London’s ‘biggest social housing regeneration’ scheme. |
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Javid backs single unitary council in Buckinghamshire
12/03/2018 Local government secretary Sajid Javid has backed a single unitary council for Buckinghamshire. |
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Councils deplore Government guidance after Grenfell
21/02/2018 The Government’s guidance on fire safety after the Grenfell Tower fire has been ‘mediocre,’ ‘contradictory,’ ‘disjointed’ or non-existent, councils have said in response to a Labour survey. |
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Unison calls for windfall tax on PFI corporations
19/02/2018 Trade union Unison has backed a Labour MP’s call for a windfall tax on private companies delivering public services. |
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£10m for Welsh councils to manage social care pressures
14/02/2018 Councils in Wales will be given £10m to manage social care winter pressures, the Welsh Government has confirmed. |
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Welsh Government moves ahead with vacant land tax
13/02/2018 The Welsh Government has decided to move forward with proposals for a vacant land tax to encourage regeneration and tackle the housing crisis. |
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Government fostering report calls for councils to work with agencies
07/02/2018 Collaboration between local authorities and the private sector would improve foster care for children, a new Government report has suggested. |
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Seven south Essex councils form 'association'
05/02/2018 Seven councils in south Essex have taken the ‘momentous’ decision to form an association to give the region a national voice. |
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Councils urged to form joint ventures with housing associations
02/02/2018 Local authorities should ‘seriously consider’ entering into joint venture partnerships with housing associations, a think-tank has urged. |
