Protecting the public realm without shutting it down
As Martyn's Law approaches, this free special report from LocalGov and Hill & Smith sets out how councils can protect public spaces without shutting them down.
NILGA conference calls for stronger local government partnership
09/10/2026 At the Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA) conference, members and experts discussed ‘practical priorities for stronger local delivery’. |
Councils struggling to meet rising demand for safe accommodation
07/10/2026 Councils are receiving over one request per day for safe accommodation from people affected by domestic abuse. |
Ealing to discuss future of six stalled housing sites
06/10/2026 Ealing Council is seeking approval to market six small development sites where building was halted in 2023. |
AI camera trial rolled out to enhance West Sussex highway inspections
06/10/2026 West Sussex County Council has introduced new artificial intelligence (AI) technology to support the efficiency of highway inspections. |
Lambeth to review potential for four-day week trial
06/10/2026 Lambeth Council has confirmed that it is due to review the possibility of introducing a four-day week trial. |
Care leaders lack regulatory clarity around AI governance, research finds
05/10/2026 Social care providers need more support to help them implement artificial intelligence (AI) safely, a charity has urged. |
Call for stronger enforcement to prevent vape and nicotine ‘loopholes’
05/10/2026 The Local Government Association (LGA) has warned that ‘loopholes’ exist in restrictions around vaping and nicotine products. |
Essex CC accepts recommendations after SEND transport failures
02/10/2026 ‘Serious and repeated failings’ have been identified in an Ombudsman investigation into Essex County Council and its handling of transport arrangements for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). |
New home building slows as planning approvals decline
01/10/2026 Planning approvals for new homes have hit a record low, research has found. |
Nearly £80m handed to communities for tree-planting
01/10/2026 A cash boost of £79m is to be provided to support the delivery of up to 500,000 trees across local communities. |
Ready, steady, go: Oxfordshire’s traffic filter trial begins
01/10/2026 Oxfordshire County Council’s traffic filter trial has commenced as of Monday this week. |
Councils generate £1.4bn surplus from parking fines
30/09/2026 Councils’ profit from parking charges hit £1.4bn last year, research has revealed. |
Town council to offer £1 for town hall purchase
30/09/2026 Penistone Town Council (PTC) has backed a motion to offer £1 to purchase Penistone Town Hall. |
Ashfield DC welcomes new leader after predecessor convicted
29/09/2026 A new leader of Ashfield District Council has been appointed to replace the former head, who was recently convicted of fraud. |
Traction gained in efforts to ban school attendance prosecutions
28/09/2026 A petition to ban fines and prosecutions for school non-attendance has reached nearly 140,000 signatures. |
Gloucester City Council temporarily without leader
28/09/2026 The leader of Gloucester City Council has been ousted following a vote of no confidence. |
Call for better support for unpaid carers
28/09/2026 Three in four (73%) people think that the health and social care system would fail to function without unpaid carers. |
Sustainable pothole-busting trial launched by Maidstone BC
25/09/2026 Maidstone Borough Council is trialling a pothole-filling scheme which involves the use of unwanted clothing items. |
LocalGov’s Next Generation: Inside the OD Advisor role
24/09/2026 Milly's local government career began aged 16 working library shifts. Now she's helping pave the way for the next generation on the council graduate scheme. |
Salisbury approves citywide rollout of children’s medals
24/09/2026 Salisbury City Council is expected to spend up to £30,000 on the delivery of anniversary medals for the city’s 800th anniversary. |
