Reorganisation
Christchurch admits defeat in reorganisation battle
Christchurch BC’s leader has apologised after admitting defeat in his attempt to save the council from local government reorganisation.
Reforming two-tier arrangements
Reorganisation has proved controversial in many parts of the country. James Maker suggests pooling new and existing powers at the strategic level could offer a more politically attractive devolution agenda in county areas.
Peace offerings in wake of reorganisation divisions
Olive branches have been offered up in two areas where relationships have been strained by local government reorganisation.
Christchurch reorganisation challenge defeated
Christchurch BC may launch an appeal after a High Court judge today refused its challenge to local government reorganisation plans.
Oxfordshire leader stands by unitarisation despite ministerial pause
Oxfordshire CC’s leader has vowed to keep his unitary proposals on the back-burner after local government minister Rishi Sunak backed a pause in reorganisation plans.
Leicestershire districts unite over reorganisation
District and borough councils in Leicestershire have offered the county council an olive branch over the issue of reorganisation.
Districts push back against county unitary plans
Districts have pushed back against county council plans for local government reorganisation.
Chief executive appointed to head new partnership
Oxfordshire CC and Cherwell DC have appointed Yvonne Rees as their joint chief executive.
Nottinghamshire leader steps up unitary push
Nottinghamshire CC’s leader has stepped up her push for a unitary council to cover the county.
Building local government from scratch
Christian Wall imagines how we might structure local government if we had the opportunity to start afresh
Panel argues the future may not be unitary
Unitary councils may not be the future of local government, according to a panel discussion held by the Taxpayers' Alliance.
Economy of scale not possible in Torbay, mayor says
A new model of governance is the only way to stave off a budgetary crisis, Torbay’s mayor has said.
Financial pressures could turn unitary to district
A unitary council is considering reverting back to district status in a bid to avert a financial crisis.
East Midlands unitaries 'would help region compete'
Leicestershire CC’s leader has outlined his vision for unitary councils covering the East Midlands so the region can compete with the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).
Davies takes forced mergers off table
Wales’ cabinet secretary for local government Alun Davies has taken forced council mergers off the table.
Let local government drive health care
Back in 1954, secretary of state for health in the UK, Aneurin Bevan, examined reforming local government and the role it plays in the health of the nation in an article for The MJ
Council’s legal challenge to Dorset reorganisation to proceed to High Court
Christchurch BC has been given permission to take its case against local government reorganisation in Dorset to the High Court.
Scrap all districts says Heseltine
District councils should be scrapped and 60 unitary counties created instead across England led by directly-elected mayors according to former Cabinet minister Lord Heseltine
The end of a beautiful relationship
It’s always sad, not to mention slightly awkward, when a couple finds themselves going their separate ways after the end of a relationship.
Northamptonshire intervention bolsters sector's credit quality
Local government’s high credit quality has been bolstered by the Government’s intervention at Northamptonshire, an expert has said.