Northern Ireland
EXCLUSIVE: Councils warned to budget for 4% pay increase
Councils have been warned by local government employers to budget for pay rises of at least 4% this year, The MJ understands.
Scottish workers prepare for industrial action
Thousands of local government workers in Scotland are preparing to take industrial action over pay.
Government unveils £2.6bn UK Shared Prosperity Fund
The Scottish and Welsh Governments say they have been short-changed by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Town halls must find more cash for wages
Councils have been warned they will have to find more in their budgets to fund the sector’s increasing wage bill.
EXCLUSIVE: Week-long strike over pay to hit sector
Council workers are expected to strike for a week this month in the first coordinated industrial action to hit the sector in a decade.
Challenging financial future for Northern Irish councils
Northern Ireland’s financial watchdog has warned of challenging years ahead for the region’s councils.
Northern Irish councils in devolution call
The sector is pressing for increased powers to help the country to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Northern Ireland’s big redesign moment
Central and local government have come together in Northern Ireland to transform the planning system through a user-friendly digital first approach. Angus Kerr and Ed Baker explain.
Minister eyes council intervention
The Northern Ireland communities minister has said she will not hesitate to intervene in troubled Mid and East Antrim BC.
Ombudsman launches planning probe
The Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman has launched an investigation into how a council dealt with a complaint about a planning application.
EXCLUSIVE: Employers dig in as they refuse to reopen pay talks
Council employers have dug in to defend their ‘full and final’ pay offer despite warnings that months of disruption could lie ahead.
Disruption warning as unions ask for pay talks to resume
Unions have urged council employers to return to the negotiating table with an improved pay offer amid warnings that months of disruption could lie ahead.
Government moves towards all-in deposit return scheme
The Government is moving towards backing an all-in deposit return scheme (DRS) for all plastic bottles, glass bottles and aluminium drinks cans, The MJ understands.
Unison warns of strike action over pay
Trade union Unison has warned of future strike action unless local government employers improve their pay offer.
Minister backs council finance review
A full review of council finances will take place in Northern Ireland after minister Conor Murphy endorsed the proposal.
Localism is important to the electorate
Janice Morphet looks at the electoral response to the management of the pandemic in England, and considers what the results mean for future devolution.
Employers offer 1.5% 'paltry' pay rise
Councils are facing a £279m increase to the national pay bill after offering 1.5m employees a 1.5% increase for 2021-22.
Queen's Speech: Controversial voter ID plans roll forward
Voter ID is expected to be introduced by May 2023 after the Government pledged to introduce legislation to ‘ensure the integrity of elections’.
N Ireland chief robustly defends decision to send Brexit letter to Cabinet Office
The chief executive of Mid and East Antrim BC has robustly defended her decision to send a controversial letter on Brexit and the Northern Ireland Protocol to the Cabinet Office.
No simple north-south divide, says report
There is no simple north-south divide, a new report by Legal and General (L&G) has argued.
