Title

CLIMATE CHANGE

Councils face 'Kafkaesque' barriers to net zero

Local authorities face ‘Kafkaesque’ barriers to achieving net zero goals, a new report backed by the Government’s net zero Tsar has concluded.

Local authorities face ‘Kafkaesque' barriers to achieving net zero goals, a new report backed by the Government's net zero Tsar Chris Skidmore MP has concluded.

Published today by the campaign group UK100, the report said many councils were still waiting for the Government to provide the resources and powers needed to reduce carbon emissions.

The report said local authorities faced ‘counterintuitive' planning rules on housing and onshore wind.

Net zero Tsar Chris Skidmore said the local powers to achieve net zero were 'theoretical rather than actual'.

Membership and insights director at UK100 Christopher Hammond, a former leader of Southampton City Council, added: ‘Local-led action is the fastest, most cost-effective route to net zero.'

CLIMATE CHANGE

Downgrading councils who use illegal children's homes holds sector to 'unattainable standard'

By Ann McGauran | 29 September 2026

Ofsted proposals to downgrade councils that use unregistered placements would hold local authorities (LAs) to an ‘unattainable standard’, children’s care chi...

CLIMATE CHANGE

EXCLUSIVE: Councils call for more regulation amid facial recognition rollout

By Dan Peters | 23 September 2026

Councils across England have called for more regulation as the sector increases its use of controversial facial recognition technology.

CLIMATE CHANGE

Planning for the worst

By Martin Ford | 22 September 2026

As the UK faces a myriad of large-scale threats that only grows longer with each passing year, how well equipped is local government to cope? Martin Ford rep...

CLIMATE CHANGE

Working together in Wales

By Dan Peters | 21 September 2026

As shellshocked English council leaders bemoan the loss of trust in government over the delay to reorganisation, the picture in Wales couldn’t be more differ...

Popular articles by William Eichler

-->