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Latest Policy and Politics

POLICY AND POLITICS

Four councils reject planning rule change

By Dan Peters | 30 October 2026

Four English councils have rejected government reforms transferring planning decisions from elected councillors to officers despite warnings that non-compliance could lead to legal challenges.

REORGANISATION

April 2029 vesting day for all areas as ministers recommit to reorganisation

By Dan Peters | 29 October 2026

Ministers have insisted Whitehall is ‘committed to seeing local government reorganisation through...

BUDGET 2026

Rewired Budget

By Jonathan Werran | 29 October 2026

Reflecting on the Budget and the fiscal devolution roadmap, and looking ahead to the Rewiring the...

POLICY AND POLITICS

Councils must be 'convenors' on rough sleeping, says LGA chair after No10 summit

By Neil Merrick | 27 October 2026

The chair of the Local Government Association has called on councils to act as ‘convenors’ after ...

PLANNING

Plan submission deadline extended

By Neil Merrick | 26 October 2026

Councils drawing up local development plans under old regulations have been given an extra three ...

POLICY AND POLITICS

Why it's time to stand up for local government

By Heather Jameson | 21 October 2026

'As the spotlight shifts to mayors and strategic authorities, local government must not become th...

POLICY AND POLITICS

Shires failing to match urban economic growth, report finds

By Neil Merrick | 21 October 2026

Shire counties are failing to match the economic growth of urban areas due to poor public transpo...

LEGISLATION

Tower block safety Bill introduced into Parliament

By Neil Merrick | 20 October 2026

A Bill enforcing tougher safety standards in residential tower blocks has been introduced in Parl...

POLICY AND POLITICS

Southport inquiry hears call for clearer council guidance

By Neil Merrick | 20 October 2026

Councils need clearer guidance for dealing with people prone to extreme violence so they are not ...

POLICY AND POLITICS

Burnham: Scotland 'one of most centralised nations in Europe'

By Dan Peters | 16 October 2026

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he wanted to design a fresh model of ‘regional, economic emp...

POLICY AND POLITICS

EXCLUSIVE: Labour-led Brent and Barking and Dagenham miss out on first round of London homes cash

By Dan Peters | 15 October 2026

Labour-led Brent and Barking & Dagenham LBCs are understood to have failed to get anything from t...