New SIGOMA chair: ‘We need certainty’ on council funding
Mayor Chris Cooke, new chair of the Special Interest Group of Municipal Authorities (SIGOMA), talks to LocalGov about collaborative governance and funding.
LGA warns councils 'sidelined' by social care Fair Pay Agreement
16/07/2026 Councils are to be ‘sidelined' by a negotiating body representing care workers, the Local Government Association (LGA) has warned. |
Reed acknowledges fair funding 'dramatic shifts' in councils' finances
15/07/2026 Local government secretary Steve Reed has conceded ‘dramatic shifts' in councils' finances resulting from the fair funding review should have been avoided. |
LGA conference: Change journey 'will never end' in Northamptonshire
09/07/2026 North Northamptonshire Council has offered to help councils embarking on their own reorganisation journey. |
Funding pledge could shackle social care reform
07/07/2026 The prospects for social care reform under an Andy Burnham government could be constrained by his tax pledges, experts have warned. |
CIPFA prudential code changes aim for greater council transparency
06/07/2026 Changes to councils' financial reporting are being proposed in a bid to prevent a future collapse on the scale of Woking BC. |
Burnham puts devolution at centre of leadership pitch
29/06/2026 Andy Burnham has pledged the ‘biggest rebalance of power our country has ever seen' as he prepares to enter Downing Street. |
Hampshire and Portsmouth to challenge local government reorganisation
25/06/2026 Two of the largest councils in Hampshire have become the latest to launch a legal challenges against local government reorganisation (LGR). |
Government rejects SEND power expansion for councils
23/06/2026 The Government has rejected calls by MPs to boost councils' powers over health partners to provide Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). |
EXCLUSIVE: Officers warn of looming elections systems failure
18/06/2026 The elections system is under ‘increasing strain' and ‘likely to fail' if put under further pressure, officers have warned. |
Devolution could 'deepen regional imbalances'
02/06/2026 The Government’s chosen path of devolution could make regional inequality in England worse, a think-tank has warned. |
Reorganisation deadline 'tight and frankly unreasonable'
02/06/2026 A district council has branded the Government’s local government reorganisation deadline ‘tight and frankly unreasonable’. |
Three boroughs share chief 'in preparation for LGR'
01/06/2026 Three councils hoping to form a unitary authority under local government reorganisation have agreed to share a chief executive and monitoring officer. |
Councils demand full cost recovery for planning fees
28/05/2026 Proposals to increase planning application fees do not go far enough, the Government has been warned. |
Reed warns of sanctions over service standards
22/05/2026 Local government secretary Steve Reed has warned of sanctions for councils that fail to meet new service standards. |
Lancashire to work 'at pace' to meet Southport Inquiry demands
19/05/2026 Lancashire CC has said it will have to work ‘at pace’ to meet the requirements of the inquiry into the Southport knife attack. |
High Court ruling worth 'millions' to councils
07/05/2026 Sunderland City Council and Middlesbrough Council have fended off a legal challenge that could have cost millions of pounds. |
LGA fails to restore collective bargaining for coroner pay
05/05/2026 The Local Government Association (LGA) has been unable to reestablish collective bargaining to agree pay for coroners. |
EXCLUSIVE: 'Illegal' deal to end Birmingham strike risks £200m equal pay bill
30/04/2026 Birmingham City Council could open itself up to equal pay liabilities worth £200m if a proposed deal unveiled by leader Cllr John Cotton goes ahead. |
'End in sight' for Birmingham strike
27/04/2026 After more than a year of industrial action, Birmingham CC's leader John Cotton has tabled an offer he believes will ‘end the strike once and for all'. |
Southport Inquiry: Councils face challenge to prevent future attacks
23/04/2026 Councils face a challenge to prevent attacks such as those in Southport that claimed the lives of three schoolgirls, children's services directors warn. |
