Martin Ford
Oracle project costs soar from £3m to £40m
The budget for replacing an IT system with Oracle has ballooned from £2.6m to almost £40m, councillors in West Sussex have heard.
Best Value inspections to examine debt concerns
Spelthorne and Warrington BCs are facing Best Value inspections amid concerns over debt levels at both authorities.
Commissioners to depart Liverpool
Commissioners at Liverpool City Council are to hand all remaining powers back to the authority and be replaced with an assurance and improvement board.
'Outstanding' Leeds chief Riordan announces departure
Leeds City Council’s chief executive Tom Riordan has announced he will leave the authority at the end of the year.
Edinburgh to confirm new chief executive
Paul Lawrence is expected to become the new chief executive of Edinburgh City Council.
Government relents over broadening forms of voter ID
Complaints were raised by ex-servicemen who were turned away at polling stations after attempting to produce veteran cards as proof of ID.
Local funding reform key to growth agenda, says report
The next government must relinquish centralised control to realise ambitions for growth, a report concluded today.
Councils pay £1m in data breach compensation
More than £1m has been paid out by 39 councils in compensation for data breaches in the past three years.
UPDATED: Tories hold Tees Valley despite heavy losses
Ben Houchen retaining the Tees Valley mayoralty for the Conservatives proved to be the party's only glimmer of hope among a bleak set of local election results.
SEND improvement notice for London borough
Bexley LBC has been issued with an improvement notice ordering it to make improvements to its services for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
'Blunt tool' ranks council finances
Rushcliffe BC is the highest-ranked council in England for finance with Leeds City Council coming bottom, according to metrics.
DCS churn nears record levels
The number of changes in directors of children’s services (DCS) postholders has reached near record levels, it has been revealed.
Call for powers to back up funeral director inspections
Councils have said they ‘urgently’ need more powers and resources after being tasked with inspecting funeral directors.
Vote warning
Elections officers have warned of the impact of changes to postal vote rules as polls open across England and Wales today.
Political battle over National Care Service
Competing visions of the future of social care have been set out by Labour and the Conservatives as they prepare for a General Election.
Social housing tests could heavily impact London
London boroughs are likely to be most heavily impacted by the Government’s proposed UK connection test for social housing.
Councils propose shared chief executive
Two Welsh local authorities have proposed appointing a shared chief executive.
Gove open to giving mayors Whitehall voice
Local government secretary Michael Gove has not ruled out a ‘formal structure’ for mayors to work more closely with central government.
Minister rules out Oflog role on audit
A minister has quashed suggestions oversight of audit should be handed to the Office for Local Government (Oflog).
Peers call for action on private ownership of children’s homes
Peers have called for action to tackle private companies’ dominance of the children’s homes market.