The Labour MP for Hartlepool has called on the Government to reform the “completely broken” council tax system, saying he has “no fear whatsoever about being unpopular” over it.

A new report setting out the severe pressures facing the special educational needs system (SEND) ought to be a “watershed moment” for Westminster, a former children’s commissioner has warned.

Hartlepool’s Labour MP Jonathan Brash has said he wants levelling up funding that was promised to his town to be delivered by the new government, and hopes the Autumn Budget will offer “clarity” on the funds which have been cast into doubt.

The new head of the Local Government Association wants a “reset” in the relationship between Westminster and councils, having been “almost like a parent child relationship” in recent years.

Two weeks have now passed since the Prime Minister announced the General Election will be held on July 4.

“All political parties in opposition love local government – it’s what happens when they get into government that counts,” says Stephen Houghton, Barnsley council leader and chair of the Special Interest Group of Municipal Authorities (SIGOMA). 

Local government figures have expressed concern that councils could be left with a "time ticking bomb” of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in public buildings if government doesn't provide financial support to address the issue.

Providing local areas with more control over how they spend money handed out by government could help better ensure that cash is allocated where it is most needed, according to a new report.

The number of Conservative candidates who are from their area and have had experience in local Government has risen over the last few election cycles, with Tory associations appearing to prefer “local champions” to well-established names.

I am truly honoured and excited to be taking up my role as Chair of the Local Government Association at our Annual Conference today.

Nearly two thirds of councils in England are worried they can't recruit enough HGV drivers to run their gritting lorries this winter, amid suggestions they can't compete with higher private sector pay in a sector blighted by workforce shortages.

Support workers tasked with implementing the government's plans for rehousing refugees have accused the government of a "lack of coordination" resulting in a system that is "chaotic" and putting local services under pressure.

In Walsall, there’s a feeling of deja vu about levelling up. In the early 2000s, this Black Country borough was a key focus for regeneration by the Blair-era Labour government.

Our latest #MeetTheChampions series features Iona McPhee, Digital Infrastructure Co-ordinator at Staffordshire County Council. In this video, Iona explains the benefits of improving digital infrastructure in the county and the impact of the council’s digital strategy.

The news that government departments have been tasked with identifying efficiency savings from public sector budgets has sent a collective shiver down the spine of local government.

Britain not only ruled the waves but led the way in promoting democracy in Parliament and facilitating migration by opening its borders to people from around the world.

As a Member of Parliament during Margaret Thatcher’s premiership, listening to the new Chancellor’s mini-Budget I was struck by how many of the new announcements were, in fact, not new.

We are still less than a month into the new government but it has already shown it wants a clean break from the past, having been quick off the blocks to announce the energy bill price cap followed by a mini-Budget.

If we are to be successful in levelling up the country, putting powers in the hands of local communities coupled with ambitious levels of investment for those places, will go a long way to delivering this aim.

There will be no shortage of things for councillors, senior officers and government ministers to discuss at the Local Government Association’s first in-person annual conference since 2019, which starts in Harrogate today.

New powers for the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities over local government finances, announced in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, are of significant concern for local authorities.

In line with the launch of our latest report Building Mobile Britain: The Case for Local Authority Digital Champions report, we have launched our brand-new video series, #MeetTheChampions.

It is 54 years since the last effective action plan for England’s local government was published.