William Eichler
COVID passports have ‘significant implications’ for councils
Local authority leaders have called on the Government to work closely with councils on the COVID-19 status certification proposals because of the impact they will have on local enforcement and other areas.
Pre-paid card firms supplying councils acted ‘as a cartel,’ regulator says
Three out of five firms that issue councils with pre-paid cards have admitted breaching competition rules and agreed to pay penalties totalling more than £32m.
Councils taking ‘too long’ to pay support grants to businesses
The Government has written to the leaders of 314 councils in England urging them to pay out grants money to businesses more quickly.
Councils speak out over controversial planning laws
Councils have stressed they continue to need to have a voice in the planning process as new laws came into force.
More cash as Troubled Families rebranded
The Government has rebranded its Troubled Families programme and pledged £165m.
COSLA pay offer ‘slap in the face,’ says union
Trade union Unison has accused the body representing local authorities in Scotland of making a pay offer that ‘falls far short’ of what workers deserve.
COVID exposed true extent of rough sleeping crisis, says PAC
MPs have raised serious questions about the Government’s homelessness strategy after the pandemic exposed the number of people sleeping rough was much higher than Whitehall estimates.
BUDGET 2021: £1bn confirmed for town deals
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has confirmed more than £1bn will be made available for a further 45 town deals across England as part of efforts to tackle regional inequality.
BUDGET 2021: Chancellor confirms £4.8bn Levelling Up Fund
Rishi Sunak has confirmed that the first round of the £4.8bn Levelling Up Fund will be available to local areas to help tackle regional inequalities.
MPs accuse government of lacking clear flood resilience targets
MPs have urged the Government to provide councils with the resources they need to protect vulnerable communities from flooding.
COVID-19 reveals scale of rough sleeping ‘far exceeds’ previous estimates
The scale of the rough sleeping population in England ‘far exceeds’ the Government’s previous estimates and has been made clear during the pandemic.
Council leaders welcome £4.6bn lockdown grants to support businesses
Businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors in England are to receive a one-off grant worth up to £9,000 to support them during the lockdown, chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced.
Jenrick announces delayed £830m high street investment
The Government has finally announced the 72 areas that will benefit from millions of pounds of funding as part of the effort to help high streets recover from the impact of the pandemic.
Jenrick announces revised plan for housing algorithm
The Government has announced a raft of new measures in an attempt to provide much-needed homes in urban areas and on brownfield sites.
Tier three areas offered community testing support
The Government has invited areas in tier three to apply for support for community testing as part of the effort to detect asymptomatic cases of COVID-19.
Tier three communities in north and Midlands ‘stretched to breaking point’
Tier three communities in the north and Midlands will be ‘stretched to breaking point’ once the grant aimed at supporting local business is cut at the end of the national lockdown, according to Labour.
Edinburgh can do more to ‘fulfil its potential,’ say auditors
Edinburgh City Council should do more to ‘fulfil its potential,’ auditors have said.
Seven areas across England set to receive nearly £180m investment
Communities in seven areas across England are set to benefit from up to £178.7m in new Town Deals, communities secretary Robert Jenrick has announced.
Council leaders welcome £7bn care investment call
Local government leaders have welcomed a call from MPs for a £7bn annual increase in social care funding as a first step towards fixing the ongoing crisis.
Planning reforms risk delivery of affordable homes, council leaders warn
Communities could have missed out on 30,000 affordable homes in the past five years if proposed government planning reforms were in place, local leaders have warned.
