Breaking down England's fiscal devolution plans
David Phillips of the IFS tells LocalGov why England's regional finance reforms are modest by global comparison and what ministers still need to get right.
Council urges communities to plan for weather emergencies
26/08/2026 East Suffolk Council leader is urging communities to prepare for future weather-related emergencies, following a year marked by wildfires in Dunwich. |
London faces £36bn-a-year climate bill by 2050s, report warns
20/08/2026 Extreme heat and climate change could cost London up to £36bn a year by the 2050s without further action, according to a new report. |
Devolution's clean air dividend
17/08/2026 Jane Burston of Clean Air Fund argues that tackling air pollution is one of the clearest ways for local leaders to prove devolution can transform lives. |
Caution urged due to wildfire risk across communities
17/08/2026 The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has called for a long-term wildfire strategy amid the increasing risk of wildfires that are threatening homes. |
Local farmers and wildlife come under pressure as drought spreads
11/08/2026 A warning has been issued about the impacts of dry weather on local farmers and wildlife as nearly three quarters of England enters drought status. |
Waste body warns fridge recycling system nearing breaking point
07/08/2026 NAWDO is calling on the Government to help local authorities cope with mounting pressure on the UK's fridge and freezer recycling infrastructure. |
Council receives objection to ‘deficient assessment’ of oil site expansion
05/08/2026 A campaign group has submitted an objection to Surrey County Council, in an attempt to prevent an oil site development being approved. |
Council takes ‘robust action’ following waste dumping arrests
05/08/2026 Four arrests have been made following a large-scale illegal waste dumping operation in Wigan, prompting the council to support enforcement action. |
South Tyneside prepares to abandon climate declaration
27/07/2026 Reform-led South Tyneside Council is voting this week on a proposal to rescind its Climate Emergency declaration. |
Council supports clean-up operation for plastic pellet spillage
23/07/2026 South Tyneside Council has called for residents to report sightings of plastic pellets on the coastline after a spillage caused by a vessel collision on Sunday. |
North Warwickshire BC celebrates victory in Bromford Tunnel appeal
03/07/2026 North Warwickshire Borough Council has been vindicated in the Bromford Tunnel dispute after the Court of Appeal found that the environmental effects of the extension should have been assessed. |
North Yorkshire explores drone-based solution to coastal monitoring
29/06/2026 North Yorkshire Council has approved a funding application for a drone monitoring project to support its coastal erosion management work. |
Mayor launches London's first ever heat plan as record temperatures strike
25/06/2026 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has unveiled Heat Ready London – the capital's first ever heat plan – as temperatures threaten to hit 40°C this week. |
London air pollution deaths fall 40% since ULEZ launch
24/06/2026 Deaths linked to air pollution in London have fallen by around 40% between 2019 and 2024, according to new independent analysis. |
£1bn film studio plans backed by council
23/06/2026 Camden Council has approved plans for a £1bn film quarter development that pledges to deliver hundreds of new homes. |
Council-backed robot targets poisonous weed in farm trials
04/06/2026 A smart robot designed to kill a harmful weed plant is in its final stages of testing by Dorset Council. |
Council boosts biodiversity in country parks with new bug hotels
03/06/2026 Wrexham Council has announced the rollout of new habitat installations to help combat insect decline in the borough. |
Reform UK council wants ‘to axe climate emergency’
03/06/2026 Reform UK-led Suffolk County Council has announced plans to scrap the local authority’s climate emergency declaration and overhaul its environmental spending. |
Bedford BC takes ‘robust action’ against environmental crime
03/06/2026 Bedford Borough Council has revealed its progress in fighting environmental crime as it announces a series of recent waste-related prosecutions. |
Councils target air pollution hotspots to protect rare heathlands
21/05/2026 Dorset Council and BCP Council have completed a major air quality monitoring project to help protect the county's heathland habitats from traffic pollution. |
Watchdog finds only 64% of waste sites compliant
14/05/2026 A watchdog has found that only 64% of waste sites can be confirmed compliant under what it characterises as a ‘flawed’ Environment Agency inspection regime. |
What are the Green Party’s priorities in local government?
12/05/2026 From climate action to housing and transport, the Green Party’s growing role in local government highlights its expanding influence across councils. |
Council turns to beavers to combat flooding
06/05/2026 Leicestershire County Council is considering bringing back beavers to help mitigate flood risk. |
Nature recovery strategy launched for Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin
27/04/2026 A landmark plan to restore wildlife and habitats across Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin has been published. |
North Yorkshire Council urged to reject fracking application
21/04/2026 Campaigners have urged North Yorkshire Council to reject a controversial planning application that would allow fracking to take place near Scarborough. |
Clean-up begins at Kidlington illegal waste site
15/04/2026 A major operation to clear an illegal waste site in Kidlington, Oxfordshire, is now underway, the Environment Agency has announced. |
APSE: Half of councils facing street cleansing cuts
07/04/2026 Half of local authorities expect their street cleansing budgets to shrink over the next year, according to a new national survey. |
New Simpler Recycling rules come into effect
31/03/2026 A major overhaul of England’s waste system comes into force today, as the Government’s ‘Simpler Recycling’ scheme mandates consistent collection rules. |
Uniform reuse scheme aims to cut costs for London families
23/03/2026 A uniform reuse initiative has been launched by four waste authorities in the capital. |
Liverpool City Region launches plan to reverse wildlife decline
20/03/2026 Steve Rotheram has launched the Liverpool City Region’s first Local Nature Recovery Strategy, setting out a plan to reverse decades of environmental decline. |
New waste action plan uses ‘zero-tolerance approach’
20/03/2026 New Government rules could see waste criminals face punishments of up to 20 hours of unpaid work to deter them from illegal dumping. |
Solar-powered bin scheme drives efficiencies in Sheffield
18/03/2026 New solar-powered smart bins are to be launched in Sheffield to help meet the city’s environmental goals. |
Higher council spending linked to stronger climate action, report finds
18/03/2026 New research from Climate Emergency UK has found that councils with greater spending power are more effective at delivering climate action. |
Council mowing sees volunteers’ planting efforts foiled
16/03/2026 Residents have expressed upset following the Bristol City Council’s mowing of 30,000 bulbs that had been planted in a park. |
Government defends planning reforms amid environmental concerns
12/03/2026 The Government has defended its planning reforms, insisting there are ‘numerous safeguards’ in place to balance housebuilding with environmental protection. |
Most councils not confident of hitting net-zero targets
24/02/2026 Two-thirds of local authorities in England are not confident they will meet net-zero targets by 2050, new freedom of information (FOI) requests have revealed. |
Wakefield Council expands protections to safeguard district’s heritage
20/02/2026 Wakefield Council has strengthened heritage protections across the district with the approval of two new conservation areas and boundary updates. |
Specialist drone unit launched to fight fly-tipping
20/02/2026 The Environment Agency has launched a specialist drone unit to track down illegally dumped waste from the air, stepping up its crackdown on fly-tipping. |
Wales rolls out 150 cameras in fly-tipping crackdown
19/02/2026 The Welsh Government is stepping up efforts to tackle fly-tipping with new funding for surveillance cameras and a review of penalty levels. |
Gloucestershire CC supports nature recovery with new local strategy
18/02/2026 Gloucestershire County Council has produced a strategy to promote nature recovery and enhance biodiversity across the region. |
West Midlands Mayor urges climate action to protect economy
17/02/2026 Climate inaction could cost the West Midlands almost £3bn by the 2050s, the mayor has warned. |
Lincolnshire CC seeks to revise ‘unachievable’ net zero goals
16/02/2026 Lincolnshire County Council is considering removing its 2050 carbon neutral target. |
Council to consider scheme to prevent residents leaving bins on streets
13/02/2026 Tewkesbury Borough Council could begin to fine residents for leaving empty wheelie bins on the pavement. |
Investigation launched into illegal waste dump
12/02/2026 An illegal waste site containing roughly 30,000 tonnes of rubbish is being investigated in Knowsley. |
Government announces £1bn for community energy projects
10/02/2026 The Government has announced a new programme of investment to support the development of community energy projects across the country. |
Waste plant explosions prompt warning from environmental association
09/02/2026 Explosions of nitrous oxide canisters are causing energy-from-waste power plants to close for repairs, a trade association has cautioned. |
Council defers gas wellsite decision upon Government request
29/01/2026 North Yorkshire Council has postponed a decision on a planning application for a gas wellsite scheme. |
TPOs: The missing piece in insurers’ climate logic
27/01/2026 Sarah Dodd, a local government lawyer specialising in tree law, highlights the missing piece in insurers’ approach when it comes to TPOs and felling trees. |
LGA: Councils best place to decarbonise housing
21/01/2026 Local authorities are best placed to lead the effort to decarbonise the country’s housing stock, the LGA says in response to the Warm Homes Plan announcement. |
DCN: Surge in river maintenance costs can be ‘devastating’ for councils
14/01/2026 The District Councils’ Network has warned that councils are facing a rise in river maintenance spending due to the Environment Agency cutting back its work. |
Bradford Council wins international recognition for nature reserve
09/01/2026 A nature reserve managed by Bradford Council has been highlighted in a ‘seven wonders of the world’ list for 2026. |
Shropshire canal incident sees residents rescued by firefighters
22/12/2025 Shropshire Council has reported a ‘major incident’ following the collapse of a local canal bank. |
Councils adopt long-term coastal erosion strategy
22/12/2025 Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council and New Forest District Council have formally adopted a strategy for tackling coastal erosion. |
City’s clean air zone generates £180m in less than two years, say academics
17/12/2025 Bradford Council’s clean air zone initiative has generated an estimated £180.8m in benefits to the city since it was launched just under two years ago. |
EXCLUSIVE: Ministers threatened with food waste refusal
10/12/2025 Council leaders have warned ministers some local authorities will refuse to collect food waste. |
West Midlands mayor unveils nature recovery strategy
27/11/2025 A new plan to protect and enhance green spaces, waterways and wildlife across the West Midlands has been published by Mayor Richard Parker. |
Call for stricter enforcement to combat ‘roadside litter epidemic’
24/11/2025 The AA has called for greater council powers to address roadside littering as research reveals an escalation of the issue across the UK. |
Bristol announces trial for green events scene
17/11/2025 Bristol is to benefit from a clean power generator to support the sustainability of large-scale events. |
Ministers accused of 'scapegoating' nature
17/11/2025 Ministers have been accused of ‘scapegoating' nature as they attempt to build 1.5 million homes during this Parliament. |
Councils urged to unite in the fight against fly-tipping
10/11/2025 Fly-tipping is a persistent blight on communities. Speaking to LocalGov, Dr Anna Scott, Keep Britain Tidy, urges councils to unite against waste crime. |
Councils sound alarm as fly-tipping soars
10/11/2025 Keep Britain Tidy is calling for urgent action to tackle a surge in fly-tipping, as new research shows the majority of councils see issue as a growing problem. |
Call for stricter enforcement around megafarm applications
06/11/2025 An advocacy group has urged councils to deny permission for livestock facilities that provide incomplete climate information. |
Metro mayors urged to discourage city car trips
04/11/2025 A think tank has recommended that metro mayors encourage a shift from cars to public transport by making car use less attractive for journeys to city centres. |
MP calls for new mayors to take legal action on climate
28/10/2025 Green MP Siân Berry has proposed a new statutory duty on mayors created under the English Devolution Bill, urging them to take action on climate change. |
Council reveals ‘substantial tightening’ of air quality target
28/10/2025 Oxford City Council has announced plans to establish a new air quality target. |
London’s ULEZ cuts pollution, but challenges remain
23/10/2025 A new study shows that London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) has delivered a significant drop in roadside nitrogen dioxide (NO2). |
Edinburgh to miss 2030 net zero target
22/10/2025 Edinburgh City Council will not meet its ambition to be net zero by 2030, according to a report discussed by councillors yesterday. |
Council pension funds pile pressure on firms over climate
20/10/2025 Firms have been put under renewed pressure by the Local Authority Pension Fund Forum (LAPFF) to allow shareholders a vote over their climate transition plans. |
Cornwall Council rethinks climate goals
10/10/2025 Cornwall Council is considering pushing its net zero target back until 2045. |
EXCLUSIVE: Councils warn of 'devastating' axing of net zero fund
07/10/2025 Councils have warned of the ‘devastating' impact after the Government failed to commit further investment in a fund viewed as key to net zero plans. |
CoastCraft: Minecraft launches climate change game
06/10/2025 Cornwall Council and partners have launched an interactive learning tool to teach young people about climate change and coastal erosion. |
Government announces £10m sewage repair scheme
03/10/2025 Communities are to receive more than £10m funded by water company fines to support local cleanup projects. |
Consensus emerges over statutory climate change duty
03/10/2025 A ‘clear consensus' has emerged among councils for the sector to be subject to a statutory climate change duty, Local Government Association (LGA) has said. |
Green bus shelters rolled out to boost biodiversity
02/10/2025 Three ‘insect friendly’ bus shelters have been introduced across West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire. |
Kent CC votes to scrap climate emergency declaration
19/09/2025 Reform UK-led Kent County Council has voted to rescind its climate emergency declaration despite criticisms it is ‘ignoring scientific evidence’. |
Allotment pressures see councils shrink plot sizes
15/09/2025 Over three quarters of councils have limited the size of allotment plots, the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) has found. |
Greater Manchester launches North’s first nature recovery strategy
04/09/2025 Greater Manchester has launched the first Local Nature Recovery Strategy in the North, aiming to reverse decades of wildlife decline and improve green spaces. |
Resident fined over £100k for felling ancient tree
26/08/2025 A resident has been fined over £100,000 for illegally cutting down an ancient tree protected by a preservation order. |
Extreme heat threatens thousands of care home residents
12/08/2025 Nearly 10,000 care homes are in parts of England facing extreme levels of heat, increasing the chances of heat-related deaths, campaigners have warned. |
Mayor of London triggers air pollution alert
12/08/2025 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has issued an air pollution alert as temperatures threaten to rise above 30C, creating dangerously high ozone levels. |
‘Local landmark’ tree to be preserved in Battersea
11/08/2025 Wandsworth Council has called for the protection of a ‘landmark’ grapefruit tree in Battersea. |
Not zero: Core cities admit they will fail to hit ambitious climate targets
08/08/2025 Core cities have called for billions of pounds of investment to transition to net zero after admitting they will fail to hit their ambitious targets. |
Bristol council misses net zero target
31/07/2025 Bristol City Council is set to fall short of its goal to be a net zero council by the end of this financial year. |
AI-enabled CCTV to fight fly tipping
31/07/2025 AI-enabled CCTV cameras are to be introduced by East Riding of Yorkshire Council to help reduce fly tipping. |
Cities ranked by new ‘smell score’
30/07/2025 Reading is the nicest smelling city in the UK while Leeds has been identified as the smelliest, according to a ‘smell score’ scale. |
Pesticide use persists despite health concerns
30/07/2025 Over half of councils in the UK continue to use pesticides in public spaces, such as parks and playgrounds, despite environmental and health concerns. |
Packaging levy to raise £1.1bn for waste services
28/07/2025 A new levy on packaging is set to raise over £1bn of extra funding for council waste services in England, according to Defra. |
Wiltshire Council votes to retain carbon targets
25/07/2025 Wiltshire Council has rejected a motion to ditch the local authority’s carbon reduction targets. |
Private allotment site receives council approval
24/07/2025 North Somerset Council has provided planning permission for a private allotment site in Abbots Leigh. |
Council forgoes lake ownership following algae issues
21/07/2025 A council has handed over its lease on a lake after ‘toxic blue-green algae’ is found in the water. |
Council warned against gas well project proposals
07/07/2025 Environmental group Friends of the Earth (FoE) has urged North Yorkshire Council to oppose a gas well planning application. |
Judge set to consider campsite dispute
19/06/2025 Wadhurst Parish Council is undertaking legal proceedings to protect an ecological site from ‘inappropriate developments’. |
Data centre development project sparks local strife
10/06/2025 Havering Council’s proposal to develop a data centre on green belt land has been met with resistance from residents and local Reform party representatives. |
Council prepares greening strategy for cabinet meeting
10/06/2025 Gloucester City Council’s Urban Greening Strategy will be considered by cabinet members this week. |
Council launches goat-based ground maintenance scheme
05/06/2025 A local authority in Pembrokeshire is introducing goats to help manage overgrowth in the town churchyard. |
Stockpiling vapes could ‘cost lives’, says the LGA
30/05/2025 Stockpiling single-use vapes ahead of the ban could cause severe health and fire hazards, council chiefs warn. |
Government proposes easing environmental protections to boost housing
28/05/2025 The Government has announced a raft of reforms aimed at easing planning regulations and environmental protections to support smaller housebuilders in England. |
High Court rules Lambeth LTN ‘unlawful’
12/05/2025 Lambeth Council's controversial low traffic neighbourhood (LTN) scheme has been ruled ‘unlawful’ by the High Court. |
Call for kerbside collections amidst battery-fire crisis
28/04/2025 Universal kerbside collections for waste batteries and electricals across the UK could save £6bn by boosting recycling and tackling the battery fire 'epidemic'. |
Carbon tax could cost councils billions, LGA warns
25/04/2025 A scheme aimed at reducing carbon emissions from the burning of waste could place ‘billions of pounds’ of unavoidable costs on local authorities, LGA warns. |
