10+ hour, 21+ min ago  (95+ words) A county council has threatened to take legal action against its water firm over continued sewage spillages into the sea. Officers at Devon CC have been asked to investigate whether the council might take South West Water to court. Get…...

21+ hour, 37+ min ago  (113+ words) Placing communities in charge of services will help cut costs and reduce the chance of council failure, local government minister Alison Mc Govern told MPs today. Asked how many councils were likely to require exceptional financial support in future, Mc…...

1+ day, 16+ hour ago  (113+ words) The organisation representing senior officers has stepped up its lobbying after a Cabinet Office (CO) body excluded a district chief from an event. Chief executive of Rossendale BC, Rob Huntington, said he had been told he was "not eligible to…...

2+ day, 56+ min ago  (182+ words) Effective partnerships, clear accountability and stronger evidence are essential if central and local government are to improve outcomes for children and deliver value for money, says Emma Willson. As the NAO director responsible for value-for-money work on education, I've repeatedly…...

1+ day, 19+ hour ago  (119+ words) Fiscal devolution must be based around local taxes or revenue rather than the existing grant system, a report has urged. According to the report by think-tank Re: State, published today, the share of tax revenue available for mayoral strategic authorities…...

1+ day, 21+ hour ago  (162+ words) Adult social care leaders gathered at The King's Fund charity to discuss the prospects for finally addressing the fundamental issues facing the sector ahead of the publication of Baroness Louise Casey's initial report this year. Lee Peart reports. The big…...

1+ day, 22+ hour ago  (114+ words) Social workers are raising the alarm over bullying or harassment at the same time as struggling with funding shortages. According to the annual survey by the British Association of Social Workers (BASW), 37% of staff working with adults or young people…...

2+ day, 2+ hour ago  (158+ words) Are devolution and LGR a misdirected pursuit of growth at the expense of local government? Mo Baines argues that councils" crucial role as convenors of local economic stakeholders and partnerships means the Government must reframe current policy and invest in…...

5+ day, 23+ min ago  (291+ words) Councils have raised a raft of concerns around the Government's plans to overhaul the special education needs and disabilities (SEND) system. A survey of 54 councils published by the Local Government Association (LGA) and the County Councils Network (CCN) raised concerns…...

5+ day, 44+ min ago  (111+ words) Wales' new local government minister has said work has already started on reviewing the country's local government funding formula. With Plaid Cymru having formed the new Government as the largest party in the Senedd following May's elections, Si'n Gwenllian said:…...