Reform UK councillor suspended over WhatsApp messages
Agency workers join escalating Birmingham bin strike
Reed: Reorganisation will contribute to 'fair' pay
Labour refuses to use devo Bill to protect councillors' addresses
Digital Transformation, AI and Local Government: The Case for Workforce Upskilling
The new LocalGov and Multiverse report explores how workforce upskilling is driving smarter, more efficient, and inclusive local government transformation.
Fresh finance officer warning
12/11/2025 The recruitment crisis for section 151 officers is destined to get worse, a local government adviser with 25 years of public sector experience has warned. |
Isle of Wight Council ‘dysfunctional’, report finds
12/11/2025 A new report has warned that Isle of Wight Council faces serious governance failings and risks Government intervention unless urgent reforms are made. |
‘Captain Chaos’: Row erupts over Kent fire authority
11/11/2025 A firefighters’ union has raised serious concerns about the governance of Kent and Medway Fire Authority, calling the body ‘in disarray’ after suspensions. |
Tougher sanctions to tackle town hall misconduct proposed
11/11/2025 Local authorities could be granted new powers to suspend councillors for serious misconduct, according to proposals to improve standards in local government. |
Councils spend over £70k removing flags
10/11/2025 Local authorities up and down the country have spent at least £70,000 removing unauthorised flags, according to freedom of information (FOI) requests. |
Councils urged to transform Gen Z recruitment strategies
07/11/2025 Only 5% of people working in local government are aged under 25, research has revealed. |
Council welcomes ‘crucial funds’ with £750k number plate sale
07/11/2025 A historic mayoral number plate has been sold by Leeds City Council for more than £700,000. |
Professional body for monitoring officers to be launched this month
07/11/2025 A professional body for monitoring officers will be launched later this month to serve those working in a role that has expanded significantly. |
EXCLUSIVE: Reorganisation should be last resort, says Unison boss
05/11/2025 Local government reorganisation should only be happening where there is ‘no choice’, general secretary of trade union Unison, Christina McAnea, has said. |
EXCLUSIVE: Succession headache for sector
05/11/2025 Councils are ‘on the brink of staffing crisis’ due to their ageing workforce, public sector trading organisation Commercial Services Group (CSG) has warned. |
Multi-million-pound redundancy bill in shake-up of Worcestershire councils
04/11/2025 The business case for creating a single unitary authority in Worcestershire estimates that up to £24.2 could be required for redundancy payments. |
Care home fraud uncovered by Dudley Council
30/10/2025 An investigation by a council’s trading standards team has found former care home bosses guilty of having ‘financially abused’ an elderly resident. |
Councils need more backing to manage investment risks, Localis warns
29/10/2025 Think-tank calls for government action to help finance directors balance investment risk and growth goals. |
Mayors call for real Living Wage for care workers
28/10/2025 Mayors Andy Burnham and Kim McGuinness have signed an open letter urging Government to guarantee all adult social care workers are paid the real Living Wage. |
Reform UK councillors expelled after leaked video
28/10/2025 Two suspended Reform UK councillors from Kent have reportedly been expelled from the party due to misconduct allegations. |
Councils to fund half of increased labour costs under fair pay agreement
27/10/2025 Local authorities are projected to fund over half of increased labour costs passed on by providers as a result of the fair pay agreement for social care. |
Local colleges invited to consider council careers
27/10/2025 Students have benefitted from the opportunity to participate in council officer activities to boost interest in local politics. |
Roney legal case collapses
24/10/2025 A court case accusing Birmingham City Council chief executive Joanne Roney of an antisemitic slur has collapsed as ‘there was not a shred of evidence’. |
Audit contracts extended by two years
23/10/2025 Public Sector Audit Appointments (PSAA) has extended its current audit contracts by two years following mutual agreement with the appointed firms. |
LGPS bigger than it has ever been
23/10/2025 Local Government Pension Scheme has continued to grow in size and is bigger than it has ever been, the latest release of statistics from the MHCLG has shown. |
Council pension fund launches poll on responsible investment
22/10/2025 Lewisham Council is inviting members of its pension fund to take part in a new survey on responsible investment, helping guide investment decisions. |
Reform UK election challenge dismissed by High Court
22/10/2025 A Reform UK candidate who contested a tied local election result in Worcestershire has had her legal challenge dismissed by the High Court. |
Local Government Associations unite against abuse
21/10/2025 The UK's Local Government Associations have issued a statement reaffirming their commitment to protecting democratic participation and civility in public life. |
EXCLUSIVE: Section 151 recruitment crisis warning
21/10/2025 The sector is facing a recruitment crisis for section 151 officers, The MJ has been told. |
Reorganisation plan promises £44m annual savings
21/10/2025 A plan published today sets out how reorganisation across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland could deliver savings of £44m a year by streamlining staffing. |
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. |
Council called out for failing to pay minimum wage
20/10/2025 Coventry City Council has been named among nearly 500 employers found to have underpaid staff the National Minimum Wage, according to the Government. |
Warrington looking at security measures for staff over flag removal
13/10/2025 Warrington Council is looking at implementing costly security measures to protect staff removing St George's cross and Union flags. |
Ballot error costs taxpayers £2,200
13/10/2025 Taxpayers in Birchington face a £2,200 bill following an election error that requires a re-run for the Birchington Parish Council (BPC). |
GMB: Knowsley equal pay claim could cost council tens of millions of pounds
10/10/2025 Knowsley Council ‘could face tens of millions of pounds’ in equal pay claims, the GMB trade union has claimed. |
Social care fair pay 'unlikely to be sufficient'
10/10/2025 Doubt has been cast on whether the adult social care fair pay agreement will have the impact claimed by ministers. |
Waste collection staff reveal declining post-pandemic treatment
07/10/2025 Attitudes towards those working in the waste sector have deteriorated since the pandemic, research reveals. |
Council reveals ‘urgent need’ for drug and alcohol commissioner
02/10/2025 West Northamptonshire Council is looking to appoint a temporary Drug and Alcohol Commissioner. |
Local government warned over rising GDPR breaches
01/10/2025 Local Government is facing a growing HR and wellbeing challenge as new analysis highlights the scale of GDPR breaches across the sector. |
Wiltshire Council sees annual complaints surge
01/10/2025 Wiltshire Council’s complaints have increased by over 60% since 2021-22, figures have revealed. |
Council moves to strengthen £4bn pension fund
01/10/2025 Dorset Council has appointed Local Pension Partnership Investments (LPPI) as the new pooling partner for the £4bn Dorset County Pension Fund. |
COSLA: Zero tolerance for abuse of council workers taking down flags
26/09/2025 COSLA and trade union partners GMB, UNISON and Unite have united to condemn recent incidents of abuse, intimidation and violence directed at council staff. |
Pension funds urged to engage with pools ahead of law change
26/09/2025 LGPS funds should engage with their pools now ahead of changes from the Pensions Schemes Bill passing into law, consultancy urges. |
Planning recruitment at risk as apprenticeship funding cuts bite
25/09/2025 Thirty-three organisations across planning, housing, nature, and energy are urging the Government to provide £7m to recruit and train apprentice planners. |
Council wardens hailed for bravery in knife incident
25/09/2025 Middlesbrough Council Neighbourhood Safety Wardens have been praised as heroes after confronting a knife-wielding man in the town centre. |
Call for greater inclusivity in social housing sector
23/09/2025 Over 90% of tenants believe their organisation is not doing enough to attract tenants from ethnic minority groups into its influencing structures. |
Council leader resigns after embezzlement charge
23/09/2025 The leader of Perth and Kinross Council has stepped down after being charged with embezzlement. |
Joint chief executive departs two districts
19/09/2025 The chief executive of South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse DCs, Mark Stone, has announced he is to stand down. |
EXCLUSIVE SURVEY: 'Women are being failed'
18/09/2025 One in 10 local authority female staff have experienced inappropriate touching by a manager, a landmark sexual harassment survey by Unite has found. |
Ex-Labour councillor charged in ‘honeytrap’ case
18/09/2025 A former Labour councillor has been charged with blackmail and communications offences following a probe into the Westminster ‘honeytrap’ scandal. |
Ministers axe elections holiday compensation
18/09/2025 Ministers have decided the Government will no longer reimburse electoral services staff if a late-notice General Election means they have to cancel holidays. |
Reform council chief announces retirement plans
11/09/2025 Lincolnshire CC's chief executive officer, Debbie Barnes, has announced her plans to retire after 19 years at the authority, including five at the helm. |
LGPS white paper sets path for strategic local investing
11/09/2025 Local government pension funds managing £400bn have backed a new white paper that sets out how the LGPS can scale up local investing to support growth. |
Reform UK council takes flag decisions out of CEO’s hands
10/09/2025 Reform UK-led Warwickshire County Council has removed its chief executive’s flag-flying powers. |
Audit warns of ‘critical governance failings’ at Wrexham Council
09/09/2025 An audit has revealed that Wrexham County Borough Council has made ‘insufficient progress’ in solving ‘critical governance issues’. |
