Essex council scrambles to send out postal votes after delay
Around 2,600 postal votes have been sent out late by Uttlesford District Council due to human error, the council's chief executive has said.
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Electoral administrators call for earlier postal vote deadline as demand is "overloading" system
The current postal voting system should be reviewed and earlier deadlines for absent voting applications implemented amid a 20% increase in postal voting from the 2019 General Election, the Association of Electoral Administrators has said.
Thinktank calls for planning, procurement and capacity reforms from next government
Localis has criticised the Labour Party and Conservative Party over their "common neglect of the need of local government for immediate capacity uplift" in an analysis of their manifestos.
Councillor convicted of threatening and abusive language in street towards another councillor
A Cheshire West and Chester Council member has been found guilty of using threatening and abusive language with intent to cause distress after rowing with a fellow councillor in the street.
Unitary takes over governance of parish council after mass-resignation leaves it with no members
A public backlash over a parish council's response to a man who cut grass on a verge free of charge has led to the entire council stepping down.
Boost local government accountability through governance, ethical, and risk management improvements: CIPFA
CIPFA has made a series of recommendations to improve governance standards and support mechanisms in the UK public sector in response to a consultation from the Committee on Standards in Public Life.
Ex-councillor refusing to pay council tax over devolution concerns
A former councillor who refuses to pay council tax over concerns that Cheshire West and Chester Council, Cheshire East Council and Warrington Borough Council could participate in a new devolution deal has been issued with a liability order by a magistrates' court, it has been reported.
Tribunal rejects appeal over refusal by district council to disclose all information requested on Code of Conduct review panel hearing
A man who argued health and safety legislation should "reign supreme" over the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000 in an appeal of South Kesteven District Council's refusal of an FOI request has had his appeal dismissed by the First Tier Tribunal (FTT).
Report highlights “glacial” pace of implementing Levelling Up agenda
The Government's Levelling Up agenda has been progressing at a "glacial" pace, and on many metrics, "the UK as a whole has gone into reverse", a report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has claimed.
Think tank warns of significant risk more councils could be pushed to financial "breaking point"
A report that highlighted the "almost complete silence" on council funding from the main political parties ahead of the general election has warned that cuts to some council services are "highly likely".
Councillors secure permission to appeal court order that forced them to adopt local plan
Councillors at Wrexham County Borough Council have obtained permission to appeal a High Court order which forced the local authority to adopt a local development plan (LDP) that councillors had previously voted against on two separate occasions.
Standards regime needs more “teeth”, town and parish councils say
Monitoring officers and standards committees lack the organisational capacity to promote, monitor and maintain ethical standards, the National Association for Local Councils (NALC) has warned.
