Tough decisions as costs rise
As Independents and members of smaller parties, we need to take important – sometimes life-changing – decisions on behalf of all our residents, including the most vulnerable.
No extra funding for English councils
Councils in England still face a £4 billion funding gap over the next two years after no extra support was announced in the provisional finance settlement for 2024/25, the LGA has said.
‘Outlook remains bleak’ for council services in Wales
The Welsh LGA has warned of “extremely turbulent times ahead” for local services in Wales, after councils were awarded a 3.1 per cent increase in core revenue funding in 2024/25.
CQC assurance begins
For a number of councils, the taking down this month of office Christmas decorations may well be swiftly followed by the putting up of flipcharts, timelines and checklists on office walls.
Ensuring building safety
In 1968, a gas explosion in an 18th-floor flat at Ronan Point in east London led to the building’s partial collapse and the death of four people.
3G network shutdown ‘could hit local services’
Parking meters, alarm systems and telecare devices could be disrupted and left obsolete because of the upcoming switch-off of 2G and 3G mobile networks, the LGA has warned.
By-elections review 2023
Losing more than 1,000 councillors last May, and suffering regular by-election defeats, the Conservatives must be hoping fortunes improve as the next General Election looms.
Financial strain
December’s provisional local government finance settlement did not provide enough funding to meet the severe cost and demand pressures facing councils in England, the LGA has warned.