Legislation
Scotland to exclude pension strain from exit cap
Scotland will not follow England by counting the mandatory cost of pension strain towards the £95,000 cap on public sector exit payments, finance secretary Derek Mackay has said.
'Radical shake-up' for planning
The Scottish Government has hailed a ‘radical shake-up’ after the passing of the Planning Bill yesterday.
Combined strategy call to tackle homelessness
The Government should commit to a coherent combined housing and homelessness strategy, a report published today by a commission of experts has urged after a year-long investigation.
English Devolution Bill calls dismissed
The Government has dismissed calls for an English Devolution Bill in the first Queen’s Speech after the UK has left the EU.
EXCLUSIVE: Security fears after candidate addresses published
Security concerns have been raised after a loophole forced councils to publish the home addresses of candidates standing in the EU elections.
Councils lose legal bid to halt Heathrow expansion
The High Court has dismissed arguments against Heathrow expansion and found that the Government is free to ignore the Paris agreement on climate action until it forms part of UK law.
Call for greater focus on culture change in integration drive
Huge cultural and behavioural differences between health and care need more consideration, consultancy Impower has urged.
Move forward on business rates admin
The Government has taken the next step towards modernising the administration of business rates to ‘make them fit for the 21st century’.
Further delay to devolution drive
The Government’s repeatedly-delayed devolution framework will not be published until after Brexit, minister Jake Berry has admitted.
EXCLUSIVE: Government to hear Brexit legal base fears
Continuing concerns around the future legal base of regulatory work after Brexit will be raised at the next EU exit local government delivery board, The MJ understands.
Government review to look at council audit response
The Government will use its planned review of a key law to look at how councils respond to issues identified by auditors, The MJ has learnt.
Government homelessness funding 'not enough'
Two out of three councils do not think £73m Government funding to help them fulfil their statutory duty to prevent homelessness is enough, a survey has found.
EXCLUSIVE: Frustration mounts on Brexit legislation list
Frustration is growing as the Government stalls on requests to provide a comprehensive list of secondary legislation affecting councils that needs to pass before Brexit.
Rebuilding lives lost to slavery
Local authorities must do more than meet the ‘bare minimum of the Modern Slavery Act’, writes Paul Gerrard. With councils spending more than £40bn a year, there is leverage that can and should be used for social good
A charter to tackle County Lines
Islington LBC’s first report on the local implementaton of the Charter Against Modern Slavery shows it has led to progress in earlier identification of children at risk of exploitation through County Lines. Ann McGauran reports
£100m cost of EU elections if Brexit delayed beyond June
The UK could be landed with a £100m bill to host EU elections separately from May’s local polls if Article 50 is extended beyond June, the Government has been warned.
May defends 'record' SEND funding
Theresa May has defended her Government’s funding of special educational needs and disability (SEND) as she faces of a chorus of calls for more cash.
Campaigners press for audit legislation review
Campaigners have pressed for review of the five-year-old Local Audit and Accountability Act to ensure it works ‘in the interest of local citizens’.
Union dilution warning over merging of roles
The union that represents senior local government managers has called for the independent roles of chief financial officer and chief executive to be kept separate.
Grenfell and Carillion prompt Freedom of Information call
A watchdog has called for an extension of the Freedom of Information Act to cover outsourcers and other providers of public services.