Councillors
Copeland to ask Government for £1.5m capitalisation
Copeland BC is to ask ministers for access to £1.5m in support after a Government-commissioned review laid bare the financial issues facing the authority.
Auditor finds 'governance breakdown' over chief's payoff
Pembrokeshire CC must ‘regain public trust’ after Wales’ auditor general detailed a ‘serious breakdown in governance’ over the payoff to former chief executive Ian Westley.
Royal recognition for LGA
Senior figures from the Local Government Association (LGA) have received awards in the Queen’s New Year Honours.
Ongoing tensions highlighted at Edinburgh
An independent review of whistleblowing and the wider culture at Edinburgh City Council has highlighted the impact of ongoing tensions between elected members.
Former London borough chief Martin to Ealing
Ealing LBC councillors will be asked to approve the appointment of former London borough boss Paul Martin as its new interim head of paid services.
Government urged to allow remote council meetings
Council leaders have urged the Government to rethink the rules to allow remote council meetings.
Bristol to hold mayoral referendum next year
Bristol City Council will hold a referendum in May on whether to keep its 10-year-old mayoral model or switch to a committee system.
Officers implore Government to rethink remote meeting rules
Legal and democratic services officers have implored ministers to change the rules on remote meetings as the Omicron variant of COVID-19 spreads.
Council blocks mayor 'power grab' plan to axe chief's role
Members of Middlesbrough Council have voted to keep their chief executive, blocking a ‘power grab’ proposal from elected mayor Andy Preston.
LGA lobbies Patel on asylum pressures
Senior councillors have written to ministers expressing their concerns about the resettlement of Afghan refugees.
Sector 'invisible' in COP26 preamble
Local government is ‘invisible’ in the preamble to the Glasgow COP26 agreement, the sector’s representative at the international conference has said.
Government tight-lipped on Thanet response
The Government has refused to disclose how it is responding to long-standing issues at Thanet DC following a request to intervene from its leader.
Powys' savings off target
Powys CC’s savings plans are 22% off target more than halfway through the financial year, senior councillors have been warned.
Hybrid hopes raised by Gove
Hopes that the Government will change the law to allow hybrid meetings have been raised by an intervention from new secretary of state Michael Gove.
Gove: My most exciting job yet
New communities secretary Michael Gove has argued that the renaming of his department is a ‘sign of confidence in local government’.
Gove: Planning reform not off the agenda
New housing secretary Michael Gove has warned councillors that the idea of reforming the planning system was ‘not at all’ off the agenda.
Forbes: We need a new crime to tackle rising abuse
The leader of the Local Government Association’s (LGA) Labour group has called for the intimidation and harassment of public officials to be made a specific crime.
Councillors fear blame for looming tax rise
Senior councillors have expressed fears they will be blamed for raising council tax amid a false perception that the Government has sorted social care.
Councillor jailed over threats to chief executive
Peter Little pleaded guilty to sending an offensive message to Allerdale chief executive officer Andrew Seekings.
EXCLUSIVE: Gove to be quizzed on councillor security
MPs are to question local government secretary Michael Gove on the security of councillors following last week’s fatal attack on MP David Amess.
