Wales
Wales launches 'resident-focused' council tax reforms
Council tax debtors in Wales will no longer be at risk of imprisonment as part of a new initiative to encourage councils to take a more ‘resident-focused’ approach to debt.
Consultation floats new legal duty in violence crackdown
A new legal duty to support a multi-agency approach to preventing and tackling serious violence could be introduced.
Government review into Caerphilly pay row
The Welsh Government is stepping into the long-running dispute over senior council officers’ pay at Caerphilly CBC.
Scotland and Wales 'ignored by Westminster'
Scottish and Welsh ministers say they are still ignored by Westminster despite 20 years of devolution, according to a report from the Institute for Government.
Steepest council tax rise in 15 years
The steepest climb in council tax in 15 years in Wales will take place in 2019/20, the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) has found.
Welsh councils in £1.2m Brexit boost
An extra £1.2m has been allocated to help Welsh councils prepare for Brexit, housing and local government minister, Julie James, announced today.
Powys: Restructure will help improve performance
Powys CC has pledged that a children’s services restructure that will be in place by April will provide ‘better support and outcomes for families’.
Welsh Government gives £24m boost to councils
Welsh councils will be handed an extra £23.6m in 2019/20 on the condition that they commit to regional working.
Allegations 'fuelled despair' of Welsh minister prior to death
A Welsh Government minister found dead at his home had been suffering from depression, an inquest has heard
Welsh council leaders welcome cash injection
The Welsh Government has raised the funding floor from -1% to -0.5% to allow council leaders to address the most significant service pressures.
Auditor: Powys failing to improve
Embattled Powys CC is still failing to improve performance standards, an annual audit report has found.
Budget 2018: Lifting of cap could lead to £15bn extra debt
The abolition of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) borrowing cap in this week’s Budget could enable councils to take on up to £15bn in extra debt, according to property adviser Savills.
Minister embroiled in 'Oliver Twist' row
Welsh local authorities have called on the First Minister to consider sacking his colleague in charge of councils after he labelled councillors ‘Oliver Twists’.
LGPS expenditure rises
The total expenditure of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) in England and Wales was £12.7bn in 2017/18, newly-published statistics have shown.
Finance settlement has 'gravest implications'
Councils have dismissed today’s Welsh Government’s finance settlement as a ‘bread and butter budget’ in which town halls ‘get the crumbs again’.
Community councils should cover whole of Wales
Community councils should be extended to cover the whole of Wales, a study for the Welsh Assembly has concluded.
Conwy defends ‘monthly’ bins regime amid complaints
Conwy Council has defended its decision to move to monthly rubbish collections, amid claims a local trial led to increased fly-tipping and unsanitary streets.
Burnham: Devolution is our best hope
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has argued that devolution ‘offers the best hope of making Brexit work for the regions and uniting our uncertain nation’.
Unison calls for pensions fund merger
The largest trade union representing members of the Scottish Local Government Pension Scheme (SLGPS) has called for the 11 funds to be merged.
Council tax revaluation calls grow
Finance chiefs have said it is ‘untenable’ for local government to rely on the creaking council tax system without a politically-challenging revaluation of properties.