Wales
Centre launched to fend off council cyber attacks
A Security Operations Centre (SOC) has been established in Wales aiming to ward off cyber attacks.
National Insurance devolution call
A ‘small share’ of around 5% of locally-generated National Insurance (NI) revenue should be devolved as part of tax-sharing pilots with leading combined authorities, the Institute for Government (IfG) think-tank has argued in a report.
Re-elected Burnham calls for Right to Buy suspension powers
Greater Manchester’s re-elected mayor has called for powers to suspend Right to Buy on new homes under plans to build 10,000 houses across the region.
Councils propose shared chief executive
Two Welsh local authorities have proposed appointing a shared chief executive.
'No appetite' for Scottish equal pay unit
Scottish Government ministers are unlikely to establish a national equal pay unit despite calls from the trade union that led strikes over the snowballing issue.
UK first as council approves stake in low-carbon firm
Shropshire Council is to become joint owner of a firm producing low-carbon materials worth an estimated £133,333 annually to the authority.
Welsh council tax rises finalised
The average council tax rise for Welsh local authorities will be just over 8% next year.
Employers to consult on 10% pay claim
Local government employers will consult on trade unions’ 10% pay claim throughout this month.
Regulator calls for 'substantial' planning intervention
The planning system requires ‘substantial intervention’ by the Government to ensure consistent delivery of new homes, a major study has concluded.
Mighty small
Long-term readers will recall various unexpected bids for city status over the years.
Scottish council leaders call for £45m boost
Scottish council leaders have called for the £45m Barnett consequentials from a £600m boost to the English finance settlement to be passed to them.
Wales could drive agenda on council tax, report argues
Wales could have a chance to deal with unfairness in the council tax system and drive the agenda for other nations and regions to follow, a report from think-tank Centre for Cities has said.
Welsh minister backs tax reforms
One of the candidates to become first minister of Wales has backed reform of council tax.
Wrexham members avoid development plan ‘jail threat’
Councillors in Wrexham have avoided the threat of jail by approving a development plan – but some claimed that the legal warning made a mockery of local democracy.
‘Difficult year’ ahead for Welsh councils
Councils in Wales will receive an increase in funding of at least 2% under the draft budget published today.
Welsh councils open door to voting reform
Gwynedd Council and Powys CC are to consult on dropping first past the post in favour of single transferable voting.
Wales struggles to spend UKSPF cash
Wales has topped the list of regions for the amount of UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) cash unable to be spent in 2022-23.
Cutting through the stigma
Amanda Hill-Dixon gives her analysis of the findings of a report into poverty and social exclusion.
Welsh councils face £750m shortfall
Local government finances in Wales are on an ‘unsustainable path,’ according to a report from Cardiff University’s Wales Governance Centre.
Welsh councils to wait for tourism tax
Tourism taxes will not be in place in Wales until 2027, the Welsh Government has estimated.