Reforms proposed to councillor standards
Councils will have new powers to suspend elected members for serious misconduct for up to six months, and withhold allowances, under proposals for reforming the current councillors’ standards regime.
news
Local experience ‘must inform pandemic planning’
The LGA has called for local government’s experience of COVID-19 to inform future national planning and decision-making.
New funding formulae published
The Government has set out how councils in England will be funded from 2026/27, with new funding formulae based on 2025 indices of deprivation, population projections and service demand.
Councils ‘essential to reducing economic inactivity’
Councils must be at the forefront of national efforts to reduce economic inactivity and strengthen the workforce, the LGA has said, in response to recent government initiatives.
Changes to integrated care
The Government has announced a reduction in integrated care board staff numbers and NHS England administrative and managerial staff to redistribute £1 billion a year to frontline care. The moves are part of plans to bring NHS England back into the Department of Health and Social Care within two years.
Guidance published on social and affordable housing
The Government has published guidance for the £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme, which aims to accelerate the delivery of secure, affordable homes to ease national housing pressures.
Emergency bailouts becoming ‘normalised’
Council emergency bailout deals are at risk of becoming ‘normalised’ as budget overspends continue to rise, the LGA has warned.
Rising temporary accommodation costs in England and Wales
Council spending on temporary accommodation in England has risen by a quarter in the past year, reaching £2.8 billion in 2024/25, according to recent government figures.
‘£13bn potential growth in industrial towns’ – LGA
Older industrial towns and cities across England could deliver up to £13 billion in untapped economic potential if given the right investment and powers, according to new analysis commissioned by the LGA.
‘Keep bin collections local’ – LGA
The LGA has urged ministers to resist calls from the packaging industry to run household waste and recycling, and to keep collection decisions local.