Support for refugees
In 1999, I arrived in the UK as a refugee, hidden in the back of a refrigerated container with my young family and unable to speak a word of English.
In 1999, I arrived in the UK as a refugee, hidden in the back of a refrigerated container with my young family and unable to speak a word of English.
Fire safety is often viewed as a technical issue, but tragic incidents have demonstrated that it is fundamentally a safeguarding one.
Last year was another extraordinary one for local government – one of challenge, but also of real progress.
I would like to wish everyone across the local government family a prosperous 2026 and congratulate all those in the sector who were recognised for their efforts in the New Year Honours List – in particular, the former Leader of Buckinghamshire Council Cllr Martin Tett, who has been made a CBE.
Let me take the opportunity in this first first magazine of 2026 to wish all LGA member councils a very happy new year.
Last year, the Liberal Democrats won the most council by-elections across the UK.
As we enter 2026, local government faces a year of significant change.
The past year has been unsettled for local government.
With the draft Welsh budget and provisional local government settlement now published, we have a clearer picture of the landscape in which councils will be operating over the next year.
For decades, bus services have not been up to scratch, with services falling, routes slashed and fares rising.