Cowan to chair London Councils
Three in four council workers 'one bill away from crisis'
Planning staff shortages threaten 1.5 million homes target, warns union
Council enforcement agents sacked after threatening resident
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.
Union issues strike threat over 3.3% local government pay offer
15/06/2026 Hundreds of thousands of council and school workers could walk out on strike after their union vowed to ballot members over what it called an unacceptable pay offer. |
Bonus scheme launched to drive nursery staff recruitment
12/06/2026 Deprived communities are to benefit from a higher number of qualified nursery teachers following the introduction of a £4.5k boost for graduates. |
Union calls for body cams for refuse workers and street cleaners
10/06/2026 Refuse workers and street cleaners should be equipped with body cameras to protect them from escalating verbal and physical attacks, GMB has demanded. |
Somerset housing workers lobby council over outsourcing fears
28/05/2026 Housing maintenance workers at Somerset Council are lobbying councillors over plans to transfer staff to a building services contractor. |
LGPS: Council pension costs fall by a fifth
27/05/2026 Local government employers are set to benefit from significantly lower pension costs following a sharp improvement in the financial health of the LGPS. |
GMB branch secretaries to go on strike against own union
27/05/2026 GMB branch secretaries are to stage two days of strike action against their trade union over their ‘two tier' employment status. |
Derby council defends ceremonial use of Dr Dre track
26/05/2026 Derby CC has defended the use of Dr Dre's 1999 hit ‘Still D.R.E.’ at its Mayor Making ceremony, after a councillor branded the choice 'highly inappropriate.' |
Cotswold councillor who became UK's youngest mayor resigns
26/05/2026 A Liberal Democrat councillor who was once one of the youngest elected politicians in England has resigned after 15 years in local government. |
Minister says chief candidates must have 'critical skillset'
26/05/2026 Ministers have urged Surrey's shadow unitary authorities to prioritise permanent recruitment of heads of paid service due to Woking's ‘financial challenges'. |
Historic first as gay couple take Leeds's top civic roles
26/05/2026 Cllr Stephen Holroyd has been confirmed as Lord Mayor of Leeds, becoming part of the first openly gay couple to hold the offices of Lord Mayor and Consort. |
Five arrested over alleged fake candidate plot in Tameside
22/05/2026 Five people have been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud following allegations of electoral fraud in last month's local elections in Tameside. |
Devon County Council calls for volunteers to fill in potholes
22/05/2026 Devon County Council is calling for more volunteers to join its community road warden scheme as it marks a decade since the initiative was rolled out. |
Tribunal rules home working refusal may be disability discrimination
22/05/2026 An employment tribunal has found that refusing home working arrangements to an employee with agoraphobia can amount to disability discrimination. |
Housing sector urged to act on equality and diversity gap
21/05/2026 Housing organisations across England are being called on to take more targeted action on equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI). |
Reform UK council hit by trebling of councillor conduct complaints
18/05/2026 Peers have raised concerns about the impact of increasing reports of negative member behaviour on staff morale and retention at a Reform UK-led council. |
CCN launches new business plan following local elections
14/05/2026 The CCN has launched a new business plan, pledging to do more for member councils as new administrations take shape following last week's local elections. |
Reform urged to expel a dozen new councillors over extremist views
13/05/2026 Campaigners have called on Reform UK to kick out 12 newly elected councillors for racism – including antisemitism and Islamophobia – and praising the Nazis. |
Printing fault sees council distribute ballots by hand
07/05/2026 Cardiff Council has been required to deliver voting packs by hand following a printing error that resulted in nearly 1,400 ballots not reaching applicants. |
West Midlands Mayor threatened while canvassing in Coventry
07/05/2026 The Mayor of the West Midlands has described being threatened and followed by a member of the public while out canvassing in Coventry. |
Councillor found in breach of code of conduct over disrespectful comments
07/05/2026 A Leicester CC standards panel has found a Green councillor in breach of the council's code of conduct for disrespectful comments. |
Former council leader Dame Shirley Porter dies aged 95
06/05/2026 Former leader of Westminster City Council Dame Shirley Porter has died at the age of 95. |
Mayor steps into chief executive row with Reform UK councillors
06/05/2026 Doncaster's Labour mayor has stepped into the row between chief executive Damian Allen and Reform UK councillors by backing her chief executive officer. |
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. |
Council staff face abuse over flag removal policy
05/05/2026 A council is reporting a surge in abuse, harassment and intimidation directed at staff linked to the removal of unauthorised flags from street furniture. |
Bodycams rolled out to support safety of Staffordshire road workers
01/05/2026 Staffordshire County Council’s highways crews have been equipped with bodycams to help protect them from threatening behaviour. |
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. |
Reform council refuses to name recipient of £455k exit pay-out
28/04/2026 Reform UK-led Staffordshire CC has remained tight-lipped over reason for a £457,000 pay off made under the previous Conservative administration to an officer. |
Doncaster chief exec threatens legal action over Reform UK motion
28/04/2026 City of Doncaster Council chief executive Damian Allen has threatened legal action against the leader and deputy leader of the council's Reform UK group. |
'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'. |
PPMA 2026: Call to rethink statutory roles
27/04/2026 Local government should redefine the role of statutory officers, amid suggestions the role of HR director could be made statutory. |
Combined authority holds landmark first board meeting
23/04/2026 The newly formed Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority (CWCA) has held its inaugural board meeting, marking a significant moment for the region. |
Late councillor commemorated by Essex authorities
23/04/2026 Local authorities have paid tribute to a councillor in Essex who has passed away unexpectedly at aged 80. |
Nottingham taxi scheme supports careers of women drivers
21/04/2026 A city council has backed a movement to increase the number of female taxi drivers in Nottingham, following a call from the founder of a women-led taxi and private hire drivers alliance. |
LGA interim chief revealed
17/04/2026 Former Camden LBC chief Jenny Rowlands is to take on the role of interim chief of the Local Government Association (LGA), The MJ can reveal. |
EXCLUSIVE: Dramatic fall in LGA staff morale revealed
16/04/2026 Morale among LGA employees fell dramatically during the year leading up to restructuring though problems were mounting as far back as 2024. |
Bury Council election cancelled following candidate's death
16/04/2026 A local election in Bury has been cancelled after the death of one of the candidates standing in the Moorside ward. |
Stafford trio join Churchill in borough's highest honour
15/04/2026 Stafford Borough Council has unanimously voted to award its highest honour to three individuals in recognition of their service to the area. |
EXCLUSIVE: Two unions reject pay offer
15/04/2026 Trade unions Unison and Unite have both rejected the employers' offer of a 3.3% pay increase. |
Record number of council staff earning over £100k
14/04/2026 A record 4,733 local authority employees across the UK received total remuneration of more than £100,000 in 2024-25, according to a new analysis. |
LGPS performing well, pension advisers say
07/04/2026 The Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) is performing well and managing risk responsibly during a time of economic uncertainty, according to pension advisers Hymans Robertson. |
Sector mourns loss of 'giant of English devolution'
07/04/2026 Tributes have been paid to the former chief executive of Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), Eamonn Boylan in the wake of his death. |
Councils apologise for poll card ‘confusion’
07/04/2026 Braintree DC and Essex CC have issued a joint apology after poll cards sent to voters across the district named the wrong council. |
Teachers win £15m in compensation claims
02/04/2026 Teachers received over £15m in compensation for successful claims, including one which involved a six-figure payout for a teacher who was hit by a toaster. |
Court sentences man involved in council officer assault
01/04/2026 A man responsible for assaulting a Flintshire County Council officer has now received a court sentence. |
Warning: Fake beach hut listings target coastal hopefuls
01/04/2026 Aspiring beach hut owners are being urged by a Kent council to exercise extreme caution as scammers target those seeking a slice of the local coastline. |
Oxfordshire issues legal warning over unauthorised flags
31/03/2026 Oxfordshire CC has issued a formal legal notice to the group ‘Raise the Colours’ following the unauthorised installation of flags on highway infrastructure. |
Call for trading standards funding as high street branded ‘lawless’
31/03/2026 Local government reorganisation represents an opportunity to properly fund trading standards and stop ‘dangerous goods’ being sold on high streets, says CTSI. |
Commission demands end to candidate abuse ahead of May polls
30/03/2026 Electoral Commission has issued a plea for respectful debate in the run up to the local elections in May following ‘unacceptable’ levels of intimidation. |
Sarah Ferguson stripped of City of York honour
27/03/2026 City of York Council has voted to strip Sarah Ferguson of the freedom of the city due to her links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. |
Councillor set to make history as Oxford's first Black Lord Mayor
24/03/2026 Cllr Chewe Munkonge is set to become the first Black Lord Mayor of Oxford, following an announcement made at a full council meeting this week. |
