National and Devolved Politics

A shocking eight out of ten workers have lost confidence in the future of council services, survey finds

18.06.18: Council services are failing residents with over two thirds believing they don’t receive help and support when they need it, a new survey has found. Severe spending cuts to budgets of local authorities around the UK means that many co...

Brexit's long shadow over devolution

18.06.18: The EU Referendum and the stop-start Brexit negotiations have left a looming shadow of uncertainty over devolution in the UK, writes Anthony Salamone, research fellow at strategic a at the Scottish Centre on European Relations. Brexit is un...

On a cliff edge: The Barnett Formula

14.06.18: David Phillips, associate director at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, gives his analysis of the Barnett Formula post-Brexit and asks: how will we replace EU funding to the devolved governments and local areas of the UK? The UK is due to...

Unresolved business rates appeals divert £2.5bn away from public services

13.06.18: Over 130,000 business rates appeals from 2010 remain unresolved, according to the LGA. In the past eight years, over a million businesses have challenged their business rates bills, but the latest figures show that 133,060 appeals have yet to b...

Somerset should form three unitary authorities, MP suggests

12.06.18: Bath and North East Somerset Council leader, Tim Warren, has revealed that he would be open to a council merger, backing MP James Heappey’s recent suggestion of forming three new councils. Writing for the Western Daily Press recently, Hea...

Wales council mergers ‘not in interests of residents,’ says Denbighshire

12.06.18: Denbighshire County Council has warned that plans to force councils across Wales to merge would “undermine their ability to deliver services.” In a special council meeting yesterday, the council agreed to a formal response to the gr...

Virgin Media to go to court with council over land usage

11.06.18: Virgin Media have launched an unprecedented legal challenge against Durham County Council over accusations it is blocking plans to bring ultrafast broadband to homes in the area. Tension between the two parties was caused by Virgin’s...

Councillors reject merger plans, tell minister to ‘stick green paper in the bin’

08.06.18: Anglesey councillors have unanimously rejected plans to merge with neighbouring Gwynedd Council, telling first minister Carwyn Jones to “stick his green paper in the bin where it belongs.” The Welsh Government’s consultative g...

Bankrupt council’s departing LGSS boss handed £66k retirement pay-off

08.06.18: The managing director of the Local Government Shared Services (LGSS) jointly run by the struggling Northamptonshire County Council – which is now under the leadership of government commissioners after being effectively considered bankrupt...

Most leaders expect some councils to face ‘serious financial crisis’ next year

08.06.18: Almost three-quarters (74%) of council leaders are expecting some local authorities to plunge into a “serious financial crisis” next year. The ‘Local state we’re in 2018’ report surveyed 81 local authority chief ex...

Council mergers on the rise as almost 500 shared services deals agreed to cope with austerity

07.06.18: Local governments around England have made at least 486 agreements to share services with other councils in the past seven years in an effort to trim costs in times of austerity. The signed deals have saved authorities at least £657m...

Struggling Somerset council plans to boost children’s services budget

07.06.18: Children’s services and children with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) will be given more budget focus as part of Somerset Council’s meeting next week. The authority’s board papers, due to be discussed at th...

MPs say Glasgow council asleep at wheel for accepting mystery Rolls-Royce gift during austerity

07.06.18: Scotland’s largest local authority has been criticised for accepting an anonymous donation of a Rolls-Royce for use of Lord Provost Eva Bolander. The donation of the two-year-old Rolls-Royce Ghost— which will replace one of Glas...

Southwark leader elected chair of London Councils

06.06.18: Councilor Peter John OBE has been elected as chair of the London Councils network. Cllr John was elected at London Council’s annual general meeting, held yesterday. He is Leader of Southwark Council and was formerly deputy chair of Lo...

Sheffield council rejects over a third of Amey-related FOI requests in last three years

04.06.18:  Sheffield City Council have rejected over a third of Freedom of Information (FOI) requests regarding private contractor Amey’s involvement with tree-felling in the area. A total of 5,843 requests were made to the council since 2...