Beyond the Leisure Centre: How to make the case for active wellbeing investment
This special report from LocalGov and Alliance Leisure makes the case for repositioning council leisure provision as prevention infrastructure.
Suffolk leader accuses Reed of overruling civil service on reorganisation
26/06/2026 Suffolk CC is rethinking its legal challenge against local government reorganisation plans, after newly released correspondence sheds light on LGR decision. |
BT fined £24k after Cumberland Council street works prosecution
26/06/2026 BT has been fined after pleading guilty to four offences relating to street works safety failures, following a prosecution brought by Cumberland Council. |
Brighton faces 'unquantifiable' liability over equal pay claims
25/06/2026 Brighton and Hove City Council is unsure about the level of financial exposure it faces from more than 1,000 unresolved equal pay claims, auditor warns. |
High Court injunction cracks down on late-night car meets
25/06/2026 Kensington and Chelsea Council has secured a High Court injunction to stamp out late-night car meets after some areas became hotspots for dangerous driving. |
London councils take Mayor to court over affordable housing cuts
25/06/2026 Seven London councils are backing a judicial review of the Mayor's decision to cut the proportion of affordable housing developers are required to build. |
Hampshire and Portsmouth to challenge local government reorganisation
25/06/2026 Two of the largest councils in Hampshire have become the latest to launch a legal challenges against local government reorganisation (LGR). |
Council wins High Court injunction over unauthorised flag placements
24/06/2026 Oxfordshire CC has secured a court injunction preventing individuals linked to the group Raise the Colours from placing unauthorised flags on the highway. |
Reed defied officials' advice on DPP reorg plans
18/06/2026 Essex and Norfolk CCs have hit out at ministers ignoring the advice of Whitehall officials over reorganisation plans. |
Council seeks High Court injunction over unauthorised flags
18/06/2026 Oxfordshire CC has applied to the High Court for an injunction to prevent the continued unauthorised placement of flags on or near the public highway. |
Council launches safeguarding review after toddler's death
16/06/2026 Oldham Council has confirmed an independent child safeguarding practice review is underway following the death of 13-month-old Preston Davey. |
South Norfolk Council sets aside £250k to fight LGR
16/06/2026 South Norfolk Council has agreed to spend £250,000 on legal advice as it considers challenging the Government's plan to reorganise local government in Norfolk. |
Council wins High Court order to clear 20 unauthorised caravans
10/06/2026 Tandridge District Council has won a High Court injunction ordering the removal of unauthorised static caravans from a site in Warlingham, Surrey. |
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. |
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. |
New Forest boundary challenge has no ‘chance of success'
29/05/2026 New Forest DC has been advised that a legal challenge to the Government's controversial boundary changes in Hampshire would have no real chance of success. |
City of London censures Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor
27/05/2026 City of London Corporation has censured Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor after he failed to respond to a request to relinquish his Freedom of the City of London. |
Suspended Tory councillor considers legal action over ‘defamatory’ remarks
26/05/2026 The deputy leader of Worcestershire County Council is considering legal action against the Conservative Party chairman after being suspended from the party. |
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. |
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. |
Reform-controlled Essex CC launches reorganisation legal challenge
19/05/2026 Essex County Council has begun legal proceedings against the Government over its local government reorganisation proposals, the leader-elect has confirmed. |
Eight-year-old launches legal challenge against SEND consultation
12/05/2026 An eight-year-old severely autistic girl is seeking a judicial review of the Government's consultation on its proposed special educational needs reforms. |
85,000 homelessness cases linked to relationship breakdown
07/05/2026 More than 85,000 homelessness applications across England and Wales between 2020 and 2025 were linked to relationship breakdown, according to new research. |
High Court ruling worth 'millions' to councils
07/05/2026 Sunderland City Council and Middlesbrough Council have fended off a legal challenge that could have cost millions of pounds. |
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. |
Leeds City Council suffers huge fuel theft as Middle East conflict continues
30/04/2026 Leeds City Council has had 12,000 litres of fuel for its fleet of vehicles stolen as prices rise with continued conflict in the Middle East. |
High street heatmap reveals 'dodgy shop' hotspots
30/04/2026 Birmingham, Liverpool and London top a new national heatmap of high street hotspots for organised crime. |
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. |
Family of asbestos victim receives over £1m compensation
27/04/2026 The family of a Yorkshire joiner who died from an asbestos-related disease have been awarded more than £1m in compensation. |
Businessman admits pocketing millions from Thurrock Council
24/04/2026 A businessman has reportedly admitted taking a ‘substantial part’ of hundreds of millions of pounds of public money from Thurrock Council. |
EXCLUSIVE: Ministers face legal LGR threat from furious Sussex leaders
10/04/2026 Sussex leaders are to demand ministers fully explain why they have delayed a final reorganisation decision, or they will consider launching a judicial review. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
Essex threatens legal action over reorganisation
26/03/2026 Essex CC is looking to mount a legal challenge to the Government's decision to reorganise the county into five unitary authorities. |
Charity calls for end to council tax imprisonment threats
24/03/2026 Councils in England threatened 1,500 residents with prison over council tax arrears in five years, a debt charity has found. |
LocalGov Weekly Round Up
20/03/2026 A pivotal week for councils sees fresh devolution plans, new service pilots and key legal and political battles, writes LocalGov editor William Eichler. |
Unite fined £265k over Birmingham bin strike injunction breaches
18/03/2026 Birmingham CC has welcomed a High Court ruling that fines the trade union Unite £265,000 for breaching an injunction during the long-running bin strike. |
Court rules that council’s traffic orders were lawful
16/03/2026 A campaign group’s challenge against North Yorkshire Council’s transformation scheme has been dismissed by the Court of Appeal. |
‘Litter louts’ could lose driving licences under new Government plans
16/03/2026 Fly-tippers could have points added to their driving licences under new measures being considered by the Government as part of a crackdown on waste crime. |
Council's legal battle over asylum seeker hotel comes to an end
16/03/2026 Epping Forest District Council has exhausted its legal options in a bid to remove asylum seekers housed at the Bell Hotel in Epping. |
High Court rules developers must fund infrastructure contributions
10/03/2026 The High Court has ruled that developers must provide financial contributions to local authorities for necessary infrastructure. |
Coventry sets aside £27m to cover potential equal pay claims
09/03/2026 Coventry CC has set aside £9m a year over the next three years to cover the potential financial impact of ongoing equal pay claims from female employees. |
Epping Forest DC challenges High Court on Bell Hotel ruling
09/03/2026 Epping Forest DC has returned to court in an attempt to secure an injunction against the use of the Bell Hotel for asylum seeker accommodation. |
Croydon LTNs to be scrapped by order of judge
06/03/2026 Croydon Council’s low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) have been deemed unlawful by a High Court judge. |
Councils’ wood burning campaign prompts stove industry backlash
05/03/2026 Councils have been warned of possible legal action from the stove industry due to their campaigns cautioning about the dangers of wood burning. |
Court fines for fly-tipping lower than council penalties, LGA warns
04/03/2026 Criminals prosecuted through the courts for fly-tipping are routinely being fined less than the on-the-spot penalties councils can issue directly, LGA warns. |
Weapons seized in Manchester Central Mosque incident
26/02/2026 Local leaders in Manchester have expressed ‘deep concern’ after two men carrying a bag containing weapons walked into Manchester Central Mosque. |
Shetland civic head banned from company directorship over unpaid taxes
25/02/2026 The civic head of Shetland Islands Council has been disqualified from acting as a company director after her pub business failed to pay over £170,000 in taxes. |
Brum council secures waste depot injunction
23/02/2026 Birmingham City Council has secured a High Court injunction against ‘persons unknown’ aimed at preventing blockading at the authority’s waste depots. |
Reform council chair resigns following illegal HMO operations
02/02/2026 A council chairman has resigned after being found to have unlawfully operated unlicensed houses in multiple occupation (HMO). |
Council secures High Court sentence over planning breaches
26/01/2026 Tewkesbury Borough Council has secured a High Court sentence after a landowner repeatedly breached planning control and a court injunction. |
Council advances legal proceedings due to ‘reckless’ tree felling
22/01/2026 Enfield Council has started forfeiture proceedings against Mitchells & Butlers following the company’s partial felling of an ancient oak tree. |
Epsom & Ewell mulls suing leisure operator
21/01/2026 Epsom & Ewell BC has ‘retained legal expert support' as it considers suing the former operator of a leisure centre handed over needing repairs. |
Resident told to pay council £18,000 for ‘dishonest’ accident claims
16/01/2026 A resident has been fined over £18,000 for making false claims in attempt to seek compensation from the council. |
Major £300m fraud investigation into social housing sector launched
15/01/2026 The UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has launched an inquiry into the past management of Home REIT amid allegations of fraud and bribery. |
Mayor ‘appalled’ by destruction of Holocaust memorial bench
09/01/2026 Salford mayor Paul Dennett has said he is ‘deeply saddened and appalled’ following the destruction of a Holocaust memorial bench in Clowes Park. |
Beach hut owners question legality of council tax change
08/01/2026 Beach hut owners on the south coast have questioned the legal basis of classing huts as second homes for the purposes of council tax. |
Councils that boycott Israel could face legal action, Reed warns
07/01/2026 Labour-run local authorities could face legal action if they pursue boycotts against Israel, Communities Secretary Steve Reed has warned. |
Durham CC takes ‘last resort’ legal action against landlord
05/01/2026 Durham County Council has secured a banning order to temporarily prevent a landlord from renting out properties. |
Former councillor accused of raping ex-wife
23/12/2025 A former Tory councillor from Swindon has appeared in court charged with drugging and raping his ex-wife. |
Dudley Council secures £200k in debt recovery action
15/12/2025 Dudley Council has won back over £200,000 following a successful debt recovery case. |
Council tax prison call
11/12/2025 England should follow Scotland and Wales in scrapping the sanction of imprisonment for non-payment of council tax, a charity has urged after latest figures from the Ministry of Justice revealed 19 people received suspended sentences last year. |
Illegal waste site investigation sees council seize vehicles
10/12/2025 Bromley Council has seized four vehicles following the discovery of what is believed to be an illegal waste site. |
Councillors donate to crowdfunder supporting jailed colleague
09/12/2025 Councillors, including the leader of Somerset Council, have donated to a crowdfunder to help meet the legal costs of a colleague who has been jailed for taking part in a Just Stop Oil protest. |
Epping Forest to appeal Bell Hotel decision despite Supreme Court set back
03/12/2025 Epping Forest District Council is to appeal a High Court injunction to stop the use of a hotel, which has been the focus of protests in the area, being used for asylum seeker accommodation. |
Council appeals Bell Hotel court decision
26/11/2025 Epping Forest DC has voted to appeal against a recent High Court decision to allow the use of The Bell Hotel as temporary accommodation for refugees. |
Wimbledon Park planning ‘struggle’ continues as campaigners appeal
20/11/2025 A local campaign group will be appealing against the planning approval secured by All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) for Wimbledon Park’s expansion. |
Parish council pays residents £100k plus for park-plaints
17/11/2025 A council has been ordered to grant £130,000 to residents following noise complaints about games in a children’s park. |
Majority of councils failing to prosecute landlords, FOI reveals
17/11/2025 Two-thirds of councils in England have not prosecuted a single landlord in the past three years, new analysis shows. |
Facial Recognition: Balancing safety, privacy, and trust in local communities
13/11/2025 Tony Oliver, Head of Physical Security, North, explores how facial recognition technology can help local authorities enhance public safety. |
Breaking: Council loses asylum hotel battle
11/11/2025 Epping Forest District Council has lost its long-running legal battle to stop asylum seekers being housed in a local hotel. |
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. |
Islington Council wins baby vaccination court battle
06/11/2025 Islington Council has won a High Court battle to vaccinate a baby against her mother’s wishes. |
Rogue trader jailed for stealing £200k
05/11/2025 A Norfolk builder has been imprisoned after stealing over £200k from residents following building and home-improvement work that was never done. |
Man ordered to repay £30,000 after council housing fraud
03/11/2025 A man who falsely claimed to be homeless to secure a council house has been ordered to repay almost £30,000 following an investigation. |
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. |
Warning issued after seizure of 3,600 illegal vehicle parts
29/10/2025 Authorities have seized more than 3,600 counterfeit vehicle parts worth over £100,000 from a self-storage facility in South Gloucestershire. |
Company faces ‘zero tolerance’ penalty for fire safety failings
28/10/2025 A company has been fined £50,000 by Birmingham City Council for an ‘unacceptable’ failure to implement essential building improvements. |
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’. |
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. |
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. |
Council considers court order over unstable building
03/10/2025 Herefordshire Council is seeking legal advice due to safety issues surrounding a high street building. |
Notts council faces legal challenge over media ban
01/10/2025 A newspaper group has launched legal action against a decision by Reform UK-led Nottinghamshire CC to ban its journalists from covering council business. |
Gwynedd to appeal court block on second homes clampdown
29/09/2025 Gwynedd Council is preparing to launch an appeal after losing a legal challenge to its clampdown on second homes. |
Council takes action against ‘Kingdom of Kubala’
26/09/2025 A council has raised concerns about a group camping in the Scottish Border woodlands. |
Council leader resigns after embezzlement charge
23/09/2025 The leader of Perth and Kinross Council has stepped down after being charged with embezzlement. |
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. |
EXCLUSIVE: Judicial review threat for food waste laggards
16/09/2025 English councils that fail to offer separate food waste collections to all homes from April could face judicial review, a Whitehall insider has warned. |
High Court blocks closure of Caerphilly libraries
11/09/2025 Plans to close 10 libraries across Caerphilly county borough have been halted after the High Court granted an interim injunction. |
PAC: Family court delays put social care under strain
10/09/2025 Children and families are being failed by delays in the family justice system, the Public Accounts Committee has warned, with impacts felt in social care. |
Councils seek legal advice amid reorganisation confusion
09/09/2025 Councils facing boundary changes as part of local government reorganisation are seeking legal advice to clarify what proposals they can put forward. |
Epping Forest suffers legal blow
03/09/2025 Epping Forest DC has remained defiant in its opposition to use of The Bell Hotel for asylum accommodation despite a further legal setback. |
Breaking: Epping asylum hotel injunction overturned
29/08/2025 A temporary injunction banning use of the Bell Hotel in Epping to accommodate asylum seekers has been overturned. |
Council worker jailed for £236k fraud
29/08/2025 A council employee who secretly held multiple jobs has been jailed for three years after defrauding local authorities out of more than £236,000. |
'Political' motivation behind Epping hotel injunction
28/08/2025 Epping Forest DC sought an injunction banning the use of the Bell Hotel to accommodate asylum seekers for ‘political' reasons, it has been claimed. |
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. |
Council leader slams Marilyn Manson gig over assault claims
22/08/2025 The leader of Nottingham City Council has criticised an arena’s decision to allow Marilyn Manson to perform due to allegations of sexual assault. |
Council wins temporary injunction over asylum hotel
19/08/2025 Asylum seekers are to be removed from an Essex hotel that has became the focus of protests this summer. |
Pothole Claims: What Councils Need to Know
18/08/2025 Councils face growing pothole claims. Georgia Milton of DWF highlights how strong inspections and AI tools can help balance legal duties, budgets and safety. |
