Local government is braced for further Whitehall interventions in the wake of ministers launching reviews of two councils within days of each other.

Nottingham City Council is undergoing a government review into its handling of Robin Hood Energy, over which the authority incurred millions of pounds in losses, while Croydon LBC, which last week issued a Section 114 notice, is the subject of a separate rapid review, focusing on its governance, culture and risk management.