Improvement

Latest Improvement

POLICY AND POLITICS

Reform council facing challenge of beginning from 'standing start'

By Paul Marinko | 21 January 2026

Durham CC’s adaptation to future challenges could be delayed due to the Reform UK leadership beginning from a ‘standing start’, a corporate peer challenge has concluded.

Children's services: What good looks like in Solihull

By Paul Johnson | 20 January 2026

Solihull MBC’s journey from Inadequate to Good in its latest Inspection of Local Authority Childr...

LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION

LGA's in need of a welcome revamp

By Heather Jameson | 15 January 2026

Now that the details of plans to reorganise the LGA are out, Heather Jameson says the organisatio...

FINANCE

EFS: Useful tool, not an end state

By Rob Whiteman CBE | 15 January 2026

Applying for Exceptional Financial Support? February could mark a turning point, as more councils...

SEND

Council says 'more to be done' after SEND improvements

By Lee Peart | 05 January 2026

Hertfordshire CC has said there is still ‘more to be done’ after an inspection report noted impro...

CHILDREN'S SERVICES

A landmark judgement for Sandwell's children and families

By Emma Taylor | 18 December 2025

Sandwell’s ‘Good’ rating by Ofsted is the result of sustained leadership, stronger partnerships a...

INTERVENTION

Strikes 'delaying' Birmingham's financial recovery

By Martin Ford | 02 December 2025

Ongoing strikes by bin workers at Birmingham City Council have held back efforts to recover from ...

SOCIAL CARE

The cost of improvement in children's social care

By William Burns | 02 December 2025

William Burns says that improvement to children’s social care is both complex, costly and long te...

CHILDREN'S SERVICES

Review finds council failures ahead of Sara Sharif murder

By William Eichler | 14 November 2025

Children’s services in Surrey failed to identify abuse suffered by 10-year-old Sara Sharif before...

LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION

EXCLUSIVE: Cuts expected after LGA overhaul

By Dan Peters | 13 November 2025

Organisation agrees to new future operating model as chief executive promises ‘step change in how...

POLICY AND POLITICS

EXCLUSIVE: Late funding changes may cost metropolitan councils £121m

By Joe Lepper | 12 November 2025

Late changes to the fair funding review around deprivation and population are expected to cost me...