Birmingham remains in a “fragile” position, minister warns
Birmingham City Council remains in a "fragile" position, as an ongoing dispute over its waste service escalates to a "major incident”, the Local Government Minister has warned.
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London councils call for bespoke devolution deal in English Devolution Bill
Council leaders across London have called for bespoke devolution arrangements in London to be included in the Government's forthcoming English Devolution Bill.
Combined authority issued with best value notice
The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has issued Tees Valley Combined Authority with a best value notice over governance and culture concerns.
Birmingham has better understanding of work required for recovery but “cultural dysfunction” is among risks to progress: Commissioners
Birmingham City Council continues to face significant challenges in finances, equal pay, culture, governance, services, and transformation, the local authority's Commissioners have reported.
Former Liverpool mayor denies bribery and misconduct charges
Former Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson has vowed to clear his name after appearing in court on bribery and misconduct charges.
High Court awards £20,000 in damages to parish clerk over defamatory Facebook posts by councillor
A parish clerk has been awarded £20,000 in damages after defamatory social media posts by a parish councillor, who was “consumed with a very strong personal dislike” of the clerk, were found to have caused serious harm to their reputation.
Spring Statement could mean reduction to MHCLG budget: County Councils Network
The County Councils Network (CCN) has expressed concern after reporting that the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Spring Statement indicates the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) could see reduced funding over the course of this Parliament.
Councils entitled to create standing orders regulating circumstances in which a member will be entitled to vote: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has unanimously dismissed an appeal concerning whether Tower Hamlets Council was entitled to make a rule that only councillors who had been present when a planning application had previously been considered could vote on the deferred application.
Council drops plan to demote monitoring officer after CIPFA review
Somerset Council has adopted a staffing restructuring plan that places the monitoring officer in the second tier of the organisation, following a CIPFA report that criticised proposals to move the role to a fourth-tier position.
All 21 areas met deadline for submitting interim plans for reorganisation: McMahon
Every single area of two-tier authorities and their neighbouring small unitaries responded to the Government’s invitation to submit interim plans for reorganisation by the deadline of 21 March, the Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution has confirmed.
Electoral staff facing “intolerable” conditions with more than half reporting abuse, survey finds
While the 2024 general election was well-managed, the resilience of electoral processes is "questionable", with staff consistently reporting time and resourcing problems, the Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) has warned.
Standards watchdog calls on public sector organisations to foster culture of openness in bid to address early warning signs of emerging problems
Public sector organisations must facilitate a culture where speaking up about concerns and learning from mistakes are "seen as a personal duty and are valued by everyone in the organisation", the Committee for Standards in Public Life has urged.
