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.
Surrey to remain divided on unitary plans
16/04/2025 Surrey's borough and district councils have revealed the region is set to defy government requests for unity on final reorganisation proposals. |
Kensington & Chelsea launches legal action against Grenfell companies
10/04/2025 Kensington & Chelsea LBC has launched legal action worth around £360m against companies involved in the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower. |
Exclusive: Ministers set to reject social care trust plans
27/03/2025 Ministers are likely to reject plans for children’s or adult social care trusts that come as part of local government reorganisation (LGR), The MJ understands |
Spring Statement: Chancellor banks on house building adding £6.8bn to economy
26/03/2025 The Spring Statement has highlighted the benefit of housebuilding for improving public finances and focused on defence investment for regional growth. |
LGR will have 'failed' if frontline services suffer
19/03/2025 Local government reorganisation (LGR) will be judged a failure if frontline services are negatively impacted. |
Government insists counties hand over reorganisation data
17/03/2025 The Government has insisted district councils should be given access to data by counties to build robust cases for their unitary reorganisation plans. |
East Midlands mayor suggests LGA not the right 'fit'
17/03/2025 East Midlands mayor Claire Ward has said the Local Government Association ‘might not be' the place where combined and strategic authorities ‘fit'. |
Minister: 500,000 figure for unitaries an 'average'
13/03/2025 Jim McMahon has said a population size of 500,000 could end up as the ‘average' when unitary government is completed across the country. |
Ministers in urgent plea for council help with Afghan refugees
11/03/2025 Councils have been urged to support an Afghan resettlement programme under which regions will be handed an allocation from the 6,000-7,000 annual arrivals. |
Hillingdon facing possibility of s114
03/03/2025 Hillingdon LBC has been warned it faces the possibility of having to issue a section 114 notice if its finances aren't brought into line. |
Hollinrake: Leaders to blame for s114 notices
19/02/2025 Conservative local government spokesperson Kevin Hollinrake has said council leaders are primarily responsible for their authorities having to issue section 114 notices. |
Ministry confirms 18 councils seeking election postponement
16/01/2025 The Government has officially revealed that it has received requests to postpone elections this year from 18 councils. |
Fifteen county areas bid to fast-track devolution and reorganisation
10/01/2025 Fifteen county areas are bidding to be on Labour's fast-track for new devolution deals and local government reorganisation (LGR) with all applying to postpone May elections to make this possible. |
Bumper profits for SEN private providers
03/01/2025 Revenue at privately-run special schools has reportedly soared as councils continue to battle to manage rising costs in the area. |
Councils to be 'accountable' for care improvements as commission launched
03/01/2025 The Government intends to hold councils ‘accountable' for improving care in their areas as part of its social care reforms. |
Tories set five tests for restructuring
24/12/2024 The Conservatives have set five tests for local government restructure as they hit back at Labour attempts to ‘dictate' to councils over the move. |
Funding settlement to target deprivation
28/11/2024 The Government has confirmed it will target council funding more towards areas ‘that need it most' through an increased focus on deprivation. |
Woking contacts police following auditor report
28/11/2024 Woking BC has contacted the police after an auditor's report found officers failure to ensure its finance and business was managed ‘prudently or lawfully'. |
Woking's debt hits £2.1bn
21/11/2024 Woking BC's commissioners have revealed its ‘spiral of debt' has reached £2.1bn and further intervention is needed. |
Suffolk talks devo with minister
19/11/2024 Suffolk CC's leader has said he remains committed to devolution in the county ‘streamlining local government' following a meeting with minister Jim McMahon. |
