Call to fix ‘incomplete patchwork’ of devolution deals
13/05/2024 The next government must extend devolution to 85% of England to address an ‘incomplete patchwork of mismatched deals’, a think-tank has argued. |
Mayors meet to hear growth plans
13/05/2024 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has summoned his party’s newly-elected mayors for a meeting to detail his plans for economic growth. |
Labour win Yorkshire mayoralty in PM’s ‘backyard’
03/05/2024 Labour’s David Skaith has won the race to become the first York and North Yorkshire mayor. |
Houchen retains Tees Valley for Tories
03/05/2024 Ben Houchen has won the Tees Valley mayoral election despite his vote share taking a dramatic hit. |
What is a metro mayor?
25/04/2024 A metro mayor is directly elected by local people to oversee a region’s combined authority. |
Gove open to giving mayors Whitehall voice
23/04/2024 Local government secretary Michael Gove has not ruled out a ‘formal structure’ for mayors to work more closely with central government. |
Khan pledges to build 6,000 ‘rent control’ homes
05/04/2024 London mayor Sadiq Khan will today commit to building homes with capped rents as part of his bid for re-election next month. |
New Kirklees mayor to make history
28/03/2024 Kirklees’ 50th mayor will be the first woman of colour and first Muslim woman to hold the role. |
Parties draw battlelines for local elections
28/03/2024 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has given a speech in Dudley today following campaign launches by the Conservatives and Lib Dems. |
Court rules against police powers for West Midlands mayor
19/03/2024 The High Court has ruled against the Government’s plans to merge the role of the West Midlands police and crime commissioner (PCC) with the regional mayor. |
Council funding crisis ‘existential’
01/03/2024 Local government’s funding crisis threatens to derail ambitions to level up the north of England, it has been claimed. |
More areas get level four devolution powers
01/03/2024 West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and the Liverpool city region will all receive level four devolved powers, local government secretary Michael Gove has announced. |
Croydon to wind down Brick by Brick
12/02/2024 Croydon LBC’s mayor is set to give the go-ahead to officially wind down the council’s development firm Brick by Brick. |
South Yorkshire mayoral election on the cards
09/02/2024 A mayoral election could take place in South Yorkshire this year after it was confirmed that PCC responsibilities will be moved to the regional leader. |
Mayor of London criticised for Saudi ads
13/12/2023 Mayor Khan has been criticised after Saudi adverts appeared on the TfL Network despite advertising restrictions on countries with poor human rights records. |
Rotheram threatened over Covid restrictions
27/11/2023 Liverpool City Region mayor Steve Rotheram was assigned 24-hour police security after he received threats during the Covid pandemic, he revealed today. |
Mayor failed to intervene following bullying
27/11/2023 Details have emerged of a bullying probe at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority that found mayor Nik Johnson breached the organisation’s code of conduct. |
West Yorkshire to host £220m investment zone
21/11/2023 A new investment zone has been announced for West Yorkshire focused on life sciences. |
Economic pessimism a ‘damning indictment’ of levelling up
20/11/2023 Half of people think Conservative policies would have a negative impact on their local economy over the next five years, a think-tank has found. |
WMCA trailblazer devolution deal ratified
16/10/2023 The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has ratified a ‘deeper devolution deal’ worth an estimated £1.5bn. |
Call for bus franchising powers for councils
22/09/2023 Local authorities need more powers, including to introduce franchising, to end a 'spiral of decline' in bus service delivery, a new report has said. |
Hackney mayor resigns
15/09/2023 Philip Glanville has resigned as mayor of Hackney after a picture emerged of him at a social. |
No investigation over ULEZ research collusion claims
15/09/2023 There will be no investigation into the London Mayor’s deputy for environment over reports that she urged scientists to counter research relating to low emissions zones, the Mayor's office has said today. |
EXCLUSIVE: Mayors press for trailblazer devolution powers
04/09/2023 Mayors are pressing for devolved powers currently reserved for their trailblazer counterparts in ongoing talks with the Government. |
Sadiq Khan expands Pension Credit campaign
22/08/2023 The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced the expansion of a scheme that has helped Londoners receive an additional £8.4m in unclaimed Pension Credit. |
Mayor Khan wins ULEZ expansion legal battle
28/07/2023 There is no legal impediment to the Mayor of London’s expansion of the Ultra-Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) to outer London, the High Court has ruled. |
Tory MPs block release of Teesside investigation documents
08/06/2023 The Government has blocked the release of documents which would show the decision-making behind an investigation into controversial Teesside redevelopment. |
Labour blocks Driscoll mayoral bid
05/06/2023 North of Tyne mayor Jamie Driscoll has been blocked by Labour from standing as the party’s mayoral candidate for the proposed North East combined authority. |
Greater Manchester unveils skills devolution plan
15/05/2023 The shape of skills devolution in the trailblazer devolution deals has been outlined by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham. |
Mayor launches bus franchising consultation
15/05/2023 Mayor Steve Rotheram has launched a consultation on bus reform in the Liverpool City Region. |
Report shows stark variations in levelling up funding
25/04/2023 Competitive bidding has led to a £0.5bn gap in levelling up cash between the best and least funded combined authorities, according to new analysis. |
Bristol City Council to be run by committees
05/04/2023 Bristol council is set to be run by seven policy committees after the May elections following a referendum which decided to abolish the directly elected mayor. |
Cornwall abandons devolution deal
05/04/2023 Cornwall County Council has dropped its plans to accept a devolution deal which included an elected mayor. |
Cornwall devolution consultation delivers mixed results
31/03/2023 A consultation on whether Cornwall should have an elected mayor and a devolution deal has produced mixed results. |
Northern Powerhouse group calls for ‘proper fiscal devolution’
20/03/2023 New council tax ‘super bands’ covering the most valuable properties and the devolution of stamp duty will help local leaders retain local cash, report says. |
Mayor told to take urgent action against rogue landlords
20/03/2023 Urgent action is needed to tackle rogue landlords who are targeting vulnerable Londoners and placing them in dangerous housing, committee warns. |
Mayors welcome devolution plans
16/03/2023 The mayors of Greater Manchester and the West Midlands Combined Authority welcome major devolution plans following the Spring Budget. |
Budget’s lack of social care support ‘disappointing’
16/03/2023 Council leaders welcomed the new funding in yesterday's budget but were disappointed by absence of investment in social care, health and children’s services. |
Gary Lineker twitter row ‘fuss about nothing’, says mayor
13/03/2023 Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen calls for Gary Lineker to be reinstated on Match of the Day and tells everyone to ‘grow up’. |
Deal reached on North East devolution package
03/01/2023 Details of a proposed mayoral devolution deal for the North East of England have been released. |
Top awards for sector in King Charles III's Honours list
03/01/2023 Local government figures from across the sector have been recognised in the first New Year's Honours list under King Charles III. |
Mayors do not lead to better outcomes, polling finds
19/12/2022 People do not think mayors lead to better outcomes for their community, polling by a coalition of community groups has found. |
Cornwall £360m devolution deal unveiled
02/12/2022 A £360m devolution deal on offer to Cornwall has been unveiled today. |
Referendum push for Cornwall mayoral plans
25/11/2022 Plans for an elected mayor in Cornwall could face a referendum in a bid to force the decision beyond county councillors. |
Autumn Statement: More mayors announced
17/11/2022 Four new mayoral authorities are in the pipeline with ‘advanced discussions’ under way, the chancellor has announced. |
Doncaster mayor threatens legal action
27/10/2022 Doncaster’s mayor has instructed the council to take legal action against the owner of DSA to stop what she describes as ‘stripping’ of the airport’s assets. |
MPs call for end to ‘culture of centralisation’
25/10/2022 The Government should review the requirement to have a directly elected mayor to achieve the highest levels of devolution, MPs say. |
Mayors from across the world mourn Queen’s death
13/09/2022 City mayors from Europe, America, Africa and Asia have offered their condolences after the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. |
£1.14bn East Midlands devo deal agreed
30/08/2022 A landmark £1.14bn devolution deal for a new combined county authority (CCA) is on offer for the East Midlands, to include a new elected regional mayor. |
Liverpool set for further intervention
19/08/2022 Commissioners at Liverpool are set to take on governance and financial decision making in an extension of their powers following a damning report. |
York and North Yorkshire councils sign ‘historic’ devolution deal
01/08/2022 New powers are set to be transferred to a directly elected mayor in York and North Yorkshire as part of a historic devolution deal. |
Metro mayor calls for 'unwavering support' for levelling up
11/07/2022 Metro mayor Ben Houchen has called on MPs vying to be the next prime minister to fully commit to levelling up the red wall and left behind areas. |
Liverpool residents vote to keep elected mayor position
04/07/2022 Liverpool residents have voted to retain the position of directly elected city mayor. |
Unleash wave of mayoral devo, says think tank
20/06/2022 A report from the centre right Onward think tank has urged the Government to step back from ‘micromanaging’ England’s cities and counties and unleash a wave of mayoral devolution. |
Westminster City Council announces first ever Muslim Lord Mayor
12/05/2022 Westminster City Council is to vote in its first Muslim Lord Mayor and its youngest ever incumbent. |
Bristol votes to abolish elected mayor
06/05/2022 Bristol voters have decided to abolish the city’s directly elected mayor following a referendum. |
North West England mayors visit Dublin to boost trade links
30/03/2022 Mayors from the North West of England have travelled to Dublin to kick off a joint mission to boost trade and cultural links. |
Talks held on East Midlands combined authority
17/03/2022 Proposals for an East Midlands combined authority covering Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire could be put forward to the Government as part of county deal negotiations. |
Liverpool City Region takes steps to bring bus services under public control
28/02/2022 Plans to franchise bus services across the Liverpool City Region have taken a step forward, said mayor Steve Rotheram. |
Khan eyes pay-per-mile fix for capital’s emissions
18/01/2022 London must implement a pay per mile road charging system to achieve its targets for cutting toxic air and carbon emissions, according to a new report commissioned by the mayor's office. |
City-level carbon cutting powers backed by 80%
01/11/2021 A study has found support for more mayoral powers to curb carbon emissions in some of the UK’s biggest cities. |
County leaders urge ministers not to get 'bogged down' on mandatory mayors
13/10/2021 County councils have urged the Government not to insist on introducing more mayors after a poll revealed that only one in three people believe they should spearhead devolution deals. |
Three keys for UK local authorities to lead the way on piloting a legal cannabis industry
11/10/2021 Legalising cannabis production and retail should be a priority for London, Manchester and other UK cities who need to boost local employment and create new revenue streams for local government, argues Hamish Stewart. |
Croydon to get directly elected mayor
08/10/2021 Croydon Council will be run by a directly elected mayor after the vast majority of voters backed the move in a referendum. |
Mayoral elections to be 'first past the post'
16/09/2021 The Government has announced the 'first past the post' electoral system will be used for all local mayoral and police and crime commissioner elections. |
Metro mayors call for extension of housing pilot scheme
28/07/2021 The metro mayors for Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region and West Midlands have joined forces to call for an extension of the Housing First pilot scheme. |
Right to Buy-back fund launched
13/07/2021 London boroughs are to receive funding to purchase former council homes on the private market. |
Local elections 2021: Voters back mayors in referendums
09/05/2021 Tower Hamlets and Newham LBC have both voted to keep the post of directly elected mayor in referendums run alongside the local elections. |
English elections 2021: Conservatives make gains across country
07/05/2021 The Conservatives have taken control of 13 more councils in England in last week's local elections. |
Battle of the Smart Cities
04/05/2021 Piers Mulroney explores how the race to innovate, digitise and decarbonise is driving the mayoral elections in Birmingham and Manchester. |
Public back more city devolution
09/04/2021 More than eight in ten people support more devolution to England’s largest cities, a new poll has revealed. |
Burnham takes back control with bus franchising
26/03/2021 Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has confirmed that he plans to implement bus franchising in the city region ‘as part of plans for a joined-up and truly passenger-focused transport network’. |
Mayoral votes to use ‘outdated’ system
16/03/2021 The Government plans to switch to the first-past-the-post system to elect mayors. |
Blackburn mayor resigns after COVID-19 breach
16/02/2021 The Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen has resigned after he received a police fine for breaching coronavirus restrictions. |
West Yorkshire’s devolution deal signed into law
01/02/2021 The £38m ‘historic’ devolution deal for West Yorkshire has been signed into law. |
Sadiq Khan proposes 9.5% council tax increase
08/01/2021 The mayor of London has announced council tax will increase by 9.5% to help fund free travel for young people and the over 60s. |
Combined authority expansion halted by ‘party politics’
09/11/2020 The expansion of the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) has stalled after leaders failed to reach an agreement. |
Khan calls for further devolution of adult education funding
28/10/2020 The mayor of London has urged the Government to devolve adult education funding to the capital or risk undermining its long-term recovery from the pandemic. |
'Dramatic' fall in London's air pollution since 2016, data shows
05/10/2020 Despite dramatic improvements in London's air quality since 2016, air pollution is still a major public health challenge, new data has revealed. |
Greater Manchester mayor calls for consultation on ‘three tier’ COVID-19 restrictions
05/10/2020 Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has called on the Government to open negotiations with mayors and local leaders on the leaked ‘three tiers’ policy paper concerning COVID-19 restrictions. |
Mayor 'rejects' government lockdown restrictions
02/10/2020 Middlesbrough Mayor, Andy Preston, has said he doesn't accept the new lockdown measures being imposed by the Government as they are based on ignorance and factual inaccuracies. |
Luton mayor resigns after breaking lockdown rules
06/08/2020 The mayor of Luton has resigned after being pictured at a social gathering during lockdown. |
Lancashire CC sets out plans for new combined authority
29/07/2020 Lancashire CC has put forward proposals for a new combined authority and an elected mayor for the county. |
Councillors in south east reject metro mayors, says poll
28/07/2020 Seven out of ten councillors in the South East of England are against plans for metro mayors, a poll has revealed. |
Mayor anticipates Covid-19 election disruption
20/07/2020 London mayor Sadiq Khan has urged voters in the capital to register for postal ballots ahead of next year’s elections to avoid disruption from the COVID-19 crisis. |
Leicester mayor ‘frustrated’ by extended lockdown
17/07/2020 The Government has been accused of taking a ‘sledgehammer approach’ to the local lockdown of Leicester by mayor Sir Peter Soulsby. |
Mayors press for local furlough powers
08/06/2020 The mayors of Liverpool and Manchester have urged the Government to provide funds for ‘humanitarian assistance’ during local lockdowns as figures suggest COVID-19 is spreading. |
North West mayors call for regional data on Covid-19 infection rates
13/05/2020 Two mayors have called on the Government to publish a regional breakdown of the 'R' infection rate for coronavirus. |
Burnham calls for more Covid-19 support for English regions
12/05/2020 The Government has been urged to provide extra support for cities outside London to deal with the cost of easing lockdown restrictions. |
West Yorkshire devolution deal moves to next stage
25/03/2020 The West Yorkshire devolution deal has taken a step forward after receiving backing from Bradford Council and Kirklees Council. |
Mayoral governance in Bristol has 'boosted visibility' of leadership
18/03/2020 Mayoral governance in Bristol has boosted the visibility of city leadership but restricted the role of councillors, new research finds. |
Next London mayor must ‘forge’ new template for devolution
24/02/2020 London boroughs have called on the next mayor to ‘reset’ the relationship between central Government and Britain’s cities and counties. |
Mayor calls for English Barnett Formula
21/02/2020 The Government should create an English version of the Barnett Formula to deliver fair funding outside of London, the mayor of Greater Manchester has said. |
Khan launches £25m ‘scrap for cash’ polluting vehicle scheme
24/10/2019 Low-income and disabled motorists in London will receive up to £2,000 for scrapping their old, polluting cars. |
Queen's Speech 19: Devolution White Paper to set out 'structural reform'
14/10/2019 An English devolution White Paper is planned by the Government, it has been confirmed in the Queen’s Speech. |
Changing Tynes
03/10/2019 Heather Jameson talks to Jamie Driscoll, North of Tyne Mayor, about the main challenges facing the combined authority, the region’s devolution deal, and putting party politics to one side. |
Mayor announces £90,000 to help homeless veterans
02/10/2019 Homeless veterans in Yorkshire are set to receive more support as the mayor of the Sheffield City Region announces £90,000 for a local homelessness charity. |
Metro Mayors make case for further devolution
02/10/2019 A group of directly-elected regional mayors have called on Whitehall to devolve more powers and responsibilities to local areas. |
Burnham announces £6m for homelessness scheme
09/09/2019 Mayor Andy Burnham has announced a £6m funding package for the second phase of Greater Manchester’s A Bed Every Night scheme. |
First black Lord Mayor of Liverpool ‘excited’ by opportunity
14/08/2019 Liverpool’s first black Lord Mayor has been announced after her predecessor was forced to step down for sharing a video containing offensive material. |
Shell is helping power the journey towards a circular paving industry with Shell Bitumen LT R, a new product for roads that uses plastics destined for landfill as part of the additives to make the bitumen.
Effective Energy Group is now offering its support to the 40 Local Authorities who have received a share of the £430m to deliver their projects on the ground by surveying properties and installing measures.
Dougie Belmore explains how one of the main interfaces between you and Bacs is about to change.