Policy
Councils hit with new productivity demands
Ministers have demanded councils improve their productivity in the same week as the Government quietly published a report revealing Whitehall makes the sector less efficient.
Betts backs Homes England review
Parliament’s housing committee chair has backed calls to remove some responsibilities from Homes England so the agency can focus on affordable housebuilding and regeneration.
Reform author pushes back on devo criticisms
The author of a report that proposed devolving NHS England’s £168bn budget and most services to local government has hit back at criticisms.
Next Government urged to look at devolving air passenger duty
The leader of a Labour council in the shadow of Heathrow Airport has urged the next Government to look at devolving air passenger duty (APD).
Government shelves rollout of council powers
The Department for Transport (DfT) has shelved the further rollout of powers for English councils to enforce moving traffic violations like dangerous driving outside schools.
Craig hails tourist tax 'success'
The leader of Manchester City Council, Bev Craig, has hailed the UK’s first city tourist tax a ‘success’ a year on from its introduction.
LGA looks to do more to help officers
The Local Government Association (LGA) is looking to do more to help officers fulfil their roles as part of a policy shift for the politically-led organisation.
Think-tank's call for landfill tax devolution
A think-tank has called for a portion of the proceeds from landfill tax to be devolved to councils.
Officer-councillor tensions affecting outcomes, review finds
‘Clear and obvious tensions’ between Teignbridge DC’s executive and senior leadership team are ‘inhibiting progress and damaging the council’s reputation,’ a review has warned.
Government 'may have underestimated' mandatory reporting impact
The Home Office may have underestimated the additional number of child sexual abuse (CSA) cases when mandatory reporting is introduced, experts have warned.
Judgment day
Kent and Home Office face growing pressure over asylum-seeking children.
Limited exemptions for empty homes powers
Councils will face only a limited number of exemptions from new powers allowing them to levy higher taxes on empty homes, ministers have confirmed.
Experts in fresh push for fiscal devolution
An independent group of experts is preparing to pile pressure on ministers to back fiscal devolution, The MJ understands.
Right to Buy lobbying fails as Treasury ends temporary boost
The Treasury has confirmed councils will no longer keep 100% of Right to Buy (RTB) receipts after the current financial year despite lobbying by the sector.
Craig's call for asylum change
Manchester City Council’s leader has urged Whitehall to implement ‘simple changes’ to asylum policy to ease huge pressures on major urban centres.
CIPFA pleads for Oflog costs to be kept down
It is ‘unrealistic’ to think the Office for Local Government (Oflog) will not pile fresh resource pressures on councils, finance experts have warned.
Home Office 'chaos' leaves thousands of illegal arrivals in 'perma-backlog'
The Government’s struggling asylum policy has heaped significant demand on cities’ housing services, experts have warned.
Fresh wave of devolution could reduce regional inequalities, says report
An overhaul of the local government system and a fresh wave of devolution have been put forward as solutions to regional inequalities in a report.
Lack of AI policies could have 'catastrophic consequences'
More than three out of four UK councils do not have usage policies for artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace, according to data obtained using the Freedom of Information Act.
Government timetable could push councils to issue section 114s, treasurers warn
The Government’s proposed timeline for implementing changes to tackle risky borrowing by some councils could end up pushing local authorities into section 114 territory, district treasurers have warned.