Grenfell Tower
Healey disputes Javid's no funding request claim
Shadow housing secretary John Healey has disputed the claim made by communities secretary Sajid Javid that not a single council has asked his department to fund fire safety work.
Tower blaze council: Appoint commissioners, says opposition
The leader of Kensington & Chelsea's Labour group said he wants to see commissioners brought in, in the aftermath of the Grenfell tower fire that killed 80 people.
Release results of cladding tests, says LGA chairman
Cladding tests on high rise buildings need to be done with transparency, the chairman of the Local Government Association (LGA) has urged.
Tower blaze council downplays cabinet changes
Kensington & Chelsea RLBC has downplayed expected changes to its senior councillors after a petition with more than 1,500 signatures demanded the entire cabinet quit.
Government open to Kensington & Chelsea takeover
The Government will 'take over' Kensington & Chelsea RLBC if necessary, the communities secretary Sajid Javid has said.
Delegates upbeat despite central-local deep freeze
Michael Burton casts a personal view on the major highlights of last week’s LGA conference
Local government is not in crisis after Grenfell
Grenfell fire could have happened to any council. Ben Page says the tragedy highlights how stretched services are and how any disaster could push things over the edge.
Are things getting too complex?
Over-complexity is making solutions more difficult to achieve, writes Dan Corry as he argues that keeping things simple just might be the key to solving many of today’s local authorities’ problems
Dawes suggests council cash for high-rise safety work
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has moved to make funding available to councils for safety work on high-rise buildings after the Grenfell fire, The MJ understands.
Gwynne: Stop talking down councils and councillors
Local authorities need to be given back decision-making powers, the shadow communities secretary has said.
Dealing with disaster
Disaster management expert Richard Stokoe considers what went wrong in Kensington & Chelsea after the Grenfell tragedy, and how other authorities can avoid making the same mistakes.
Javid’s low blow over Grenfell does not reflect us all
When the public has lost confidence in their council, a democratic mandate is sometimes not enough. However, central government is in no position to do any better, argues Heather Jameson.
Javid: Sector must rebuild public trust
Councils have been warned they are facing a ‘looming crisis in confidence’ in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire by communities secretary Sajid Javid.
A tribute to the unsung heroes of public service
In the shadow of a series of national tragedies and the loss of her father, a town councillor, Sandra Dinneen delivers a heartwarming tribute to those who serve day in and day out within their communities.
Counting the cost of Grenfell
Government pressed for ‘emergency funds’ as local authorities face mounting costs in the aftermath of the Grenfell fire.
Government rejects call for intervention in tower blaze council
The Government has rejected calls for commissioners to run Kensington & Chelsea RLBC after it was blamed for mishandling the response to the Grenfell Tower fire.
Grenfell fire impact reverberates through sector
Camden LBC evacuates residents as councils fail cladding tests while Kensington & Chelsea RLBC chief executive, Nicholas Holgate, resigns following criticism over the local authority’s response to the Grenfell Tower fire.
100% business rates retention legislation dropped
The Local Government Finance Bill has been dropped from the legislative programme, leaving plans for business rates retention in limbo.
Tower blaze council under attack
Kensington & Chelsea RLBC and the Government have come under attack, with difficult questions about the Grenfell Tower fire remaining unanswered this week.
Terror, a tragedy and a lost reputation
The last few weeks have seen Britain hit by terror attacks and now the Grenfell Tower fire. The horror of watching an inferno, knowing there are people inside, will stay with us all for years to come.