National and Devolved Politics

Neath Port Talbot Council threatens to pull out of £1.3bn Swansea Bay City Deal

17.04.19: A council has threatened to pull out of Swansea Bay’s £1.3bn city deal unless it starts delivering projects in the next six months. Neath Port Talbot Council asked the other authorities involved and the UK and Welsh Governments...

Flintshire council takes over litter enforcement services from controversial Kingdom

17.04.19: Flintshire County Council has taken over litter enforcement services in the county and urged residents to “take responsibility” over waste after it cut ties with the controversy-hit Kingdom Services. The waste disposal enforceme...

City council rejoins ICS after reforms agreed in privatisation and accountability row

17.04.19: Nottingham City Council is to rejoin its local NHS integrated care system (ICS) after significant reforms were made to the way the system runs in order to address concerns over accountability and privatisation. The local authority’s e...

SEND funding cut by more than £1bn as nine in 10 councils hit ‘massive funding shortfall’

16.04.19: Councils have seen a £1.2bn drop in real-terms funding for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) over the last four years as the Nation Education Union (NEU) warns that local authorities have reached “crisis...

Oxfordshire councils explore ‘breaking new ground’ in ambitious joint working partnership

16.04.19: Two Oxfordshire councils reaping the benefits of a “groundbreaking” joint working partnership which includes sharing staff and services are proposing to expand the partnership to a host of other services. Oxfordshire County Coun...

Calls for ‘fundamental review’ of Scottish councils’ funding system with new property levies

15.04.19: A new system of environmental and property levies has been proposed to boost council funding in a call for a “fundamental review” of Scottish local government finances. The joint paper, launched by trade union Unison and the Jim...

Amey tables £300m offer to escape 25-year Birmingham City Council contract

15.04.19: Outsourcing giant Amey has offered Birmingham City Council £300m to free itself from a troubled 25-year PFI contract after a bitter five-year legal battle. Amey, owned by Spanish infrastructure firm Ferrovial, is understood to have ma...

What about social care?

15.04.19: Glen Garrod, president of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS), outlines the challenges facing the social care workforce – which are being shouted down by Brexit. Social care in England provides employment for...

Brexit's systemic fallout

15.04.19: The third in a trilogy of Brexit articles for PSE, Chris Painter, Professor Emeritus at Birmingham City University, considers the wider constitutional and political issues arising from its mishandling. No end in sight Additional concession...

Councils paying for thousands of children in ‘illegal schools’, Ofsted says

12.04.19: Ofsted has warned that local authorities are providing funding for children’s education in unregulated settings, after finding 6,000 children to date receiving education in suspected illegal schools. The education inspectorate has cal...

Council reveals ‘significantly’ different approach to £1.3bn Swansea Bay City Deal in response to criticisms

12.04.19: A Welsh council announced a “significantly” changed approach to the £1.3bn city deal for Swansea Bay after multiple reviews have raised concerns over progress and transparency. Councillors in Neath Port Talbot have said th...

Bob Sleigh to stand down as Solihull Council leader and WMCA deputy

11.04.19: The leader of Solihull Council and deputy mayor of West Midlands Combined Authority is standing down after five years in the role. Bob Sleigh served as deputy leader of Solihull Council for eight years before leading the Conservative group...

Councils to press housing developers to pay for new schools under DfE guidance

11.04.19: The government has published new guidance for councils to encourage housing developers to fund the new schools created by their developments. The Department for Education has published the new advice setting out how local authorities can be...

Council overpaid staff more than £800,000 as watchdog raises national concerns of ‘recurring weaknesses’ in financial control

11.04.19: A Scottish council made more than 800 salary overpayments totalling over £800,000 to current and former employees, Scotland’s spending watchdog has revealed. A report from the Accounts Commission has raised concerns over “...

Dorset parish councils hit by lack of candidates for local elections

10.04.19: Over 130 Dorset parishes and towns in Dorset have failed to attract enough candidates for the upcoming elections, meaning some of the council may not be able to operate from next month. At least 130 of the 163 parishes and towns in the Dors...