Politics
Gove open to giving mayors Whitehall voice
Local government secretary Michael Gove has not ruled out a ‘formal structure’ for mayors to work more closely with central government.
Fresh call for Right to Buy restrictions
Housing experts today called for fresh restrictions on the controversial Right to Buy policy – including a ban on applying it to new builds.
Whiteman criticises lack of prevention focus in productivity demands
Some ministerial productivity demands are ‘populist nonsense’ more likely to appear in election campaigns than ‘plug material gaps’ in council finances, an expert has warned.
Peers call for action on private ownership of children’s homes
Peers have called for action to tackle private companies’ dominance of the children’s homes market.
Ministers in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones
The letter on councils’ productivity, sent by local government minister Simon Hoare this week, borders on farcical, says Heather Jameson.
Councils hit with new productivity demands
Ministers have demanded councils improve their productivity in the same week as the Government quietly published a report revealing Whitehall makes the sector less efficient.
Oflog should be handed audit oversight, MPs told
The Office for Local Government (Oflog) should be handed oversight of England’s broken audit regime – a role earmarked for the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) - accounting experts have told MPs.
Betts backs Homes England review
Parliament’s housing committee chair has backed calls to remove some responsibilities from Homes England so the agency can focus on affordable housebuilding and regeneration.
Clark: Tories and Labour unwilling to address SEND crisis
Labour and the Conservatives have been accused of an ‘unwillingness’ to confront the crisis in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services.
Rayner to be investigated by police after electoral law accusations
Police have launched an investigation into whether Labour’s shadow local government secretary Angela Rayner broke electoral law a decade ago after Tory allegations.
Ministers to make more changes to debt rules
Ministers are poised to impose immediate further changes to local government debt rules – including stricter in-year reporting of unpaid loan repayments due to town halls.
Five million could be disenfranchised by voter ID, polling finds
Five million voters could be disenfranchised by the Government’s new voter ID rules at the General Election, first-of-its-kind polling has suggested.
Next Government urged to look at devolving air passenger duty
The leader of a Labour council in the shadow of Heathrow Airport has urged the next Government to look at devolving air passenger duty (APD).
Transparency calls over monitoring officer departure
Salford City Council’s opposition leader has called for transparency over a settlement agreement The MJ understands was paid to its departing monitoring officer.
Government shelves rollout of council powers
The Department for Transport (DfT) has shelved the further rollout of powers for English councils to enforce moving traffic violations like dangerous driving outside schools.
'Simply not enough money in sector,' says outgoing leader
The outgoing leader of Nottingham City Council has said there ‘simply isn’t enough money’ in local government to ‘run the services our citizens depend on’.
Chief executive rejects MP's 'fraud' claims
Rossendale BC’s chief executive has spoken out to rebuff fraud claims made by the Conservative MP.
Battle lines drawn for local elections
Rows over levelling up have dominated the opening clashes as campaigning kicked off for next month’s local elections.
Ministers urged to 'change course' on high streets law
Councils have urged ministers to ‘change course’ as they push ahead with plans to make them produce improvement plans for some of their high streets.
LGA looks to do more to help officers
The Local Government Association (LGA) is looking to do more to help officers fulfil their roles as part of a policy shift for the politically-led organisation.