How Local Authorities Can Lead Smarter, More Inclusive Procurement
The 2025 Local Government Procurement Report ranks councils on SME, VCSE, and local spend, with strategies to boost social value in procurement.
Peers pass fire and hire exemption
23/07/2025 Councils with financial problems that are placed under government intervention may be exempt from a ban on sacking and then rehiring employees. |
Councils back three mainland unitaries
21/07/2025 Hampshire CC and East Hampshire DC have backed three unitary mainland councils, with the Isle of Wight remaining as a standalone authority. |
Councils fear riots repeat
16/07/2025 Councils fear a repeat of last summer's riots without ‘significant government investment in community cohesion', a report has found. |
Fears over lack of teeth behind mandatory reporting duty
14/07/2025 Government plans to make it a mandatory duty to report child sexual abuse need to be backed up with an effective deterrent, human rights committee has said. |
Ministers tell pension pools to merge
15/04/2025 Two local authority pension pools have reacted angrily after their plans to meet new standards were rejected by ministers. |
Reorganisation proposals average 544,000 population
14/04/2025 Reorganisation proposals submitted by councils would produce new unitaries of varying sizes but with an average population of 544,837, analysis reveals. |
Welsh council tax rise of 7.2%
14/04/2025 Local authorities in Wales are raising council tax by an average of 7.2% in 2025/26 - the second largest rise for more than 20 years. |
Providing sanctuary for refugees
10/12/2019 Neil Merrick finds out what councils across the country are doing to welcome and resettle Syrian refugees. |
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PWLB hike: A rise too far?
09/12/2019 What impact will the increase to the Public Works Loan Board rate have on councils’ housing and other capital schemes? Neil Merrick investigates. |
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Navigating the rules of purdah
25/11/2019 Neil Merrick voices his frustration over how different councils interpret purdah rules. |
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How accurate is the annual rough sleeping count?
21/10/2019 With some councils changing from estimating the number of homeless people on the streets to actually counting them, do recent figures genuinely reflect the success of the government's rough sleeping initiative? Neil Merrick investigates. |
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The safety of social housing
26/09/2019 Neil Merrick explores how councils are improving the safety of social housing two years after the Grenfell Tower tragedy. |
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Safeguarding shake-up
24/09/2019 With local safeguarding children boards being abolished, Neil Merrick finds out what new arrangements councils are setting up in their local areas. |
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Forced into aggressive debt collection?
08/07/2019 With more households falling behind in council tax payments, are councils becoming too aggressive in the way they collect arrears? Neil Merrick investigates. |
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A licence to let
04/07/2019 With the government’s recent focus on regulating the private rented sector, Neil Merrick explores how councils are using licensing scheme to tackle rogue landlords. |
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The rise of the ‘super’ parish council
26/06/2019 With figures showing parish precepts have risen by 4.9% this year, Neil Merrick explores how parish councils are using the extra revenue to deliver increased and better services. |
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Has the Government ‘gone cold’ on the Northern Powerhouse?
02/04/2019 Neil Merrick talks to the Northern Powerhouse minister Jake Berry about the progress of developments in the North. |
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Redefining the shape of local government
20/03/2019 With the new authorities of East Suffolk and West Suffolk launching from next month, what final hurdles do the councils face in coming together? Neil Merrick reports. |
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Supporting victims of domestic abuse
21/01/2019 More than a year after the Government promised a domestic abuse bill, Neil Merrick explores what councils are currently doing to help protect victims. |
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Is bankruptcy an option?
10/01/2019 Neil Merrick finds out what consequences a council may face if it is unable to provide statutory services or deliver a balanced budget. |
