Councillors
Leader threatens legal challenge over tunnel
Thurrock Council’s leader has threatened a judicial review of Highways England’s plan for a Lower Thames Crossing.
Northamptonshire seeks to stabilise finances
Cash-strapped Northamptonshire CC has agreed a stabilisation plan to help deal with an in-year forecast revenue overspend of more than £20m.
EXCLUSIVE: Peer review watered down under pressure
Liverpool City Council’s corporate peer review was significantly watered down before publication after pressure from the authority, The MJ has learned.
Isle of Wight open to new devolution deal after Government rejection
A senior Isle of Wight councillor has warned the island will ‘not be bounced into new arrangements’ after Whitehall ditched plans for a combined authority.
Council 'devastated' by death of leader
A council leader and regional LGA vice chair has died.
Wigan councillor bullied and abused staff members
A councillor at Wigan MBC has been ordered to apologise to two employees he was found to have abused.
News you can swear by
Back when Diary was a cub journo, local licensing committees were considered the most unspectacular of the council committees hacks would be sent along to.
Councillors given devolution warning
The slow pace of the Government’s devolution agenda is having unintended consequences, senior councillors have been told.
Integration progress 'slower than anticipated'
Progress on health and social care integration has been ‘much slower than anticipated,’ senior councillors have heard.
Whitehall demands in-year cuts to improvement programme
The sector’s ability to respond to crises such as a care provider failure could be hit after Whitehall demanded cuts to a key improvement programme, senior councillors have been warned.
Sector defends Wigan chief after abuse
Local government figures have rallied around a chief executive after she was subjected to abuse on social media.
Powys faces 'long improvement journey'
Powys CC has ‘much more to do’ to improve its children’s services, senior councillors have been told.
Brum to implement bin strike deal
Beleaguered Birmingham City Council is finally expected to implement the deal that ended an acrimonious bin strike – four months behind schedule.
Council to introduce spending controls
Staffordshire CC is expected to introduce controls on all non-essential spending as part of efforts to bridge a £35m funding shortfall and deliver a legally balanced budget.
Culture change call after extension decision
A senior Northamptonshire CC councillor has called for culture change after failing to be informed about a key decision.
Councillors welcome delay to Labour democracy review
Councillors have welcomed a Labour Party decision to postpone the local government side of its democracy review amid concerns that some proposals were ‘completely unworkable’.
'Radical approach' to improve Surrey's children's services
Surrey CC will take a ‘radical approach’ to improving its inadequate children’s services in a bid to avoid a Department for Education (DfE) takeover, councillors will be told.
Councils reveal emergency savings plans
Two more councils have announced emergency savings plans as counties struggle to balance their books.
Council £6m investment to boost income
West Lindsey DC’s property investments have reached £14m with the purchase of a £6m site in Gainsborough – the authority’s biggest deal to date.
Largest ever transformation could save millions
Oxfordshire CC’s largest ever transformation initiative could save up to £58m a year, officers have estimated.