Martin Ford
Council cuts top jobs to close funding gap
Two of Wyre Forest DC’s most senior officers are facing redundancy following a cost-cutting management review.
Grenfell inquiry hears of dire warnings before fire
Kensington and Chelsea LBC was warned of the dire consequences of a fire at Grenfell Tower years before the blaze that left 72 people dead.
Call for council powers over school exclusions
Relations between schools and councils dominated an evidence-gathering session of the House of Lords' Public Services Committee.
Uttlesford chief executive to stand down
Uttlesford DC chief executive, Dawn French, has announced she is to step down after five years in the role.
Grenfell works not an ‘afterthought’
Kensington & Chelsea LBC’s former housing director has denied the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower before the fatal fire was an ‘afterthought’.
Child protection to be ‘reset’
Child protection will not return to the pre-pandemic norm, a top Department for Education official has pledged.
Lichfield to appoint chief executive
Lichfield DC has announced a new chief executive after being forced to return to the drawing board.
A level of uncertainty
A Levelling up White Paper will emerge later this year, to replace the long-promised legislative proposals for local recovery and devolution. What does this augur for the role of local government? Martin Ford reports.
Population figures ignored local evidence
A watchdog has found official population growth statistics used to agree housing targets may have been overestimated.
Queen's Speech: Levelling up takes centre stage
The Government’s levelling up agenda was at the forefront of today’s Queen’s Speech, but the role councils will play remains uncertain.
‘Wholesale improvements’ required at Slough
External auditors have issued a scathing report on financial management at Slough BC.
Parishes issue vote of no confidence in Hartlepool
Four parish councils have asked to leave Hartlepool BC following ‘several years of increasing frustration’.
Levelling up needs long-term approach
A shake-up of local government funding is required to achieve a levelling up of the country, a new report has concluded.
Call for tax hike to fund social care
A commission led by The Lancet and London School of Economics has argued for a 1p increase to income tax, National Insurance and VAT to enable annual funding increases of 4%.
South Somerset to review chief executive role
The council has appointed an interim chief executive as the prospect of local government reorganisation looms.
Lambeth to reimburse £27m of water bills
The decision follows years of legal wrangling over charges collected on behalf of Thames Water.
Council chief’s treatment was ‘appalling and inhuman’
The leader of York City Council has survived a no confidence vote following criticism over the departure of its former chief executive.
Call to scrap ‘arbitrary’ New Homes Bonus
A county council has called for the New Homes Bonus to be dropped altogether in a withering response to a government consultation.
EXCLUSIVE: Cross-cutting regions project faces Whitehall downgrade
The scheme was designed to unite Whitehall departments and regions across the country.
Brum moves ahead with restructure
Birmingham City Council has made two more appointments as part of a wider restructure.
