Engagement

Latest Engagement

REORGANISATION

Does the public care about local government reorganisation?

By Michael Burton | 20 April 2026

So far, the public has been pretty disengaged from consultation over the future shape of LGR, but as the new councils are announced residents may rapidly change their minds, says Michael Burton.

FINANCE

Auditors' warning over £134m budget gap

By William Eichler | 05 March 2026

Shetland Islands Council faces serious pressure to address a projected £134m budget gap by 2029-3...

DEVOLUTION

Minister: Devolution failing to capture public imagination

By Neil Merrick | 10 February 2026

Devolution is failing to capture the public’s imagination because councils and central government...

POLICY AND POLITICS

Cross-party talks after Bedford budget rejected

By Dan Peters | 05 February 2026

The leader of Bedford BC’s Conservative minority administration has pledged to ‘keep working with...

WHITEHALL

Feeling of influence drops, Government survey finds

By Dan Peters | 16 December 2025

The proportion of adults who believe they can personally influence decisions affecting their area...

EMERGENCY PLANNING

All of England's LRFs to take part in pandemic exercise

By Martin Ford | 11 August 2025

All of England’s Local Resilience Forums (LRFs) will take part in a simulation exercise designed ...

REORGANISATION

Brighton & Hove expansion 'absolutely outrageous'

By Dan Peters | 31 July 2025

An MP has described Brighton & Hove City Council’s proposal to expand to the east as ‘absolutely ...

PLANNING

Councils click into the future of planning

22 April 2025

Planning in 2025 is no longer business as usual. The pace is faster, the demands are higher, and ...

MHCLG reshuffle after engagement improvements

By Dan Peters | 03 April 2025

Engagement between the UK Government and councils has generally improved since Labour’s General E...

LOCAL DEMOCRACY

A powerful Virtual demonstration of accessible democracy

By Maxine O’Mahony | 14 March 2025

Breckland's Virtual Town Hall brought democratic accountability directly into residents’ homes, e...

PEER REVIEW

Test Valley praised for community approach and political collaboration

By Paul Marinko | 12 February 2025

Test Valley BC has received a glowing peer review which commended its community-first approach an...