Robert Jenrick
Call for investigation into ‘unlawful’ development approval
Local government secretary Robert Jenrick is facing demands for an investigation after his decision to grant planning permission to a major housing development was declared unlawful.
Councils locked out of plans to lift lockdown
Plans to lift the lockdown for people who have been shielded were not revealed to local government before they were announced at the weekend.
EXCLUSIVE: LGA split over worker bonus
A cross-party agreement that the Local Government Association (LGA) would lobby for a coronavirus payment to staff was ditched after senior councillors blocked the move, The MJ can reveal.
Fresh funding row brews
Another row was brewing this week over how much councils have spent on coronavirus and how much the Government will cover.
EXCLUSIVE: No bail outs for commercial investments
Plans to bail out councils struggling with their finances could vary between authorities - but they will not cover commercial investments, The MJ understands.
EXCLUSIVE: Lincoln and Stevenage latest to make Section 114 warning
Lincoln City Council and Stevenage BC have become the latest local authorities to warn ministers they may soon have to consider issuing a Section 114 notice.
Labour push for LGA to 'shout louder'
Labour politicians have called for the Local Government Association (LGA) to ‘shout even louder’ amid warnings that the sector faces an ‘existential crisis’.
Finance chiefs say Government could underwrite tax losses for councils
The Government could protect councils from financial collapse by underwriting the potential loss of council tax and business rates, finance chiefs have claimed.
LGA 'rapidly refocuses' improvement work
The Local Government Association (LGA) has ‘rapidly refocused’ its improvement work to help councils deal with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jenrick: Government will not pick up the bill for everything
Communities secretary Robert Jenrick has warned the sector that the Government will not pick up the bill for every coronavirus-related cost to councils.
Jenrick unveils £76m funding for ‘most vulnerable’
The communities secretary has announced £76m funding to support the ‘most vulnerable’ in society during the pandemic.
Jenrick tells councils to pass cash to care providers
Communities secretary Robert Jenrick has told councils to pass on government funding to care providers amid the coronavirus crisis.
Districts win in latest allocations
Districts have won a significantly higher share of funding in the latest allocations of government cash to help councils cope with coronavirus.
Councils need another £12.8bn to cope with coronavirus - LGA
Councils may need up to another £12.8bn from the Government to get through the coronavirus crisis, the chairman of the Local Government Association (LGA) has suggested.
Districts warn of council tax and business rates hit
Some district councils are forecasting an overall reduction of 10% in council tax and business rate payments, The MJ understands.
Crisis fund split yet to be decided
The Government has yet to decide how extra cash for councils to deal with the coronavirus crisis will be divided up.
Councils are at the forefront of the national coronavirus response
Local government minister Simon Clarke commends the sector’s positive response to the pandemic and outlines Government measures to aid local authorities financially.
Councils need a 'rock-solid' commitment on crisis funding
Chairman of the LGA Cllr James Jamieson says Robert Jenrick has reiterated his promise that councils will get all the resources they need to cope with this pandemic. He adds: 'This will need to be rock-solid.'
Concern grows as carers face drastic PPE shortage
Carers on the hidden frontline are continuing to work without a guaranteed future supply of adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), putting them at risk of dying.
Only chip shop chips will do
At these times of social distancing, the local government Twitterati have perhaps been more active than normal.
