Mark Conrad
Bristol officers accused of 'misleading' over development
Officers at Bristol City Council have been accused of providing ‘misleading’ advice linked to a decision to approve a controversial 28-storey development.
NAO warning over childcare reforms
Just one in 10 councils predict they will meet the deadline to create 85,000 Government-funded childcare places by autumn 2025, spending watchdogs have warned.
'No appetite' for Scottish equal pay unit
Scottish Government ministers are unlikely to establish a national equal pay unit despite calls from the trade union that led strikes over the snowballing issue.
UK first as council approves stake in low-carbon firm
Shropshire Council is to become joint owner of a firm producing low-carbon materials worth an estimated £133,333 annually to the authority.
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.
Scots government 'unlikely' to create equal pay body
Scottish Government ministers are unlikely to establish a national equal pay unit, despite calls from the trade union that led to strikes over the snowballing issue.
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.
Struggles continue for scandal-hit council contractor
A council contractor previously at the centre of a residential care abuse scandal has continued to struggle since it closed the sites.
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.
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.
Third council in biometrics warning
A third council has warned it faces potential fallout from new entry checks at UK borders earmarked for October.
Homes England urged to strengthen relations with local government
An independent review of Homes England has urged officials to 'build closer relationships' with councils.
Association in tax havens crackdown
Council directors have praised the Children’s Homes Association (CHA) for tightening its membership criteria to crack down on firms based in tax havens.
Council chiefs receive cyber espionage warnings
Council chiefs have been warned their email accounts, phones and computers will ‘almost certainly’ be targets for ‘cyber espionage operations’ before local and national elections.
'Business as usual' for Lancashire councillors despite resignations
Councillors in Lancashire have insisted it will be ‘business as usual’ despite 20 resignations in protest at the leadership of the national Labour party.
Support for Zane's Law gathers momentum
Two more councils have backed calls for greater transparency over contaminated land and waters following the death of a seven-year-old boy.
Auditors concerned by slow transformation
Scotland’s Accounts Commission is ‘extremely concerned’ by slow transformation at Moray Council, which faces a £31m deficit despite years of warnings to improve.
Proposed law could ease housing emergencies
Scottish councils may be required to assess the condition of private rented accommodation under a proposed law.