According to The MJ, Hillingdon has confirmed that it is engaging with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government about Exceptional Financial Support for 2025-26. If agreed, it'll be the eighth authority in London to do so.

This is really interesting. As part of YouGov's survey of 101 Civil Servants, 43 per cent take the view that it's "too risk averse and closed to new ideas":

Levelling Up Fund process evaluation: phase 1 The report offers emerging findings on the processes and delivery challenges of Levelling Up Fund projects across Rounds 1 to 3.

On Friday the Government published its evaluation of the £4.8 billion Levelling Up Fund - announced in the 2020 Spending Review. It concludes that under 95 per cent "were delayed, relative to the timeline envisaged".
www.gov.uk/government/p...

Report here: committees.parliament.uk/publications...

The Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee has published its report on local government finance. In it, it recommends that the Government should publish its vision for local government by the end of 2025:

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has confirmed that the Indices of Multiple Deprivation 2025 will be published in October or November. It has been suggested that it'll be included in the Local Government Finance Settlement.

Plymouth votes against a city Mayor - narrowly. They will stick with the Leader and Cabinet model. There was a 19.1 per cent turnout and 52 per cent supported the status quo while 48 per cent supported a new Mayor.

The Government has issued a Best Value Notice to Dudley Council:

An 'Innovation Squad' will be sent into nine local authorities as part of the Cabinet Office Test, Learn and Grow Programme. Could the principle of the Power to Innovate enshrined in the Education Act be an alternative for authorities navigating difficult policy challenges?

There are now 108 local authorities where Reform have Councillors - equivalent to 34 per cent of all authorities in England.

Birmingham council faces legal action over decision to close adult day centres Legal challenge argues commissioners breached Local Government Act by refusing to allow proper scrutiny of decision

One to watch: the Commissioners model is under scrutiny as residents in Birmingham are taking legal action against the authoriry after Commissioners allegedly blocked Councillors from 'calling in' a decision to close facilities for vulnerable adults.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

In and between, of course...

Joining Up Pro-Productivity Policies in the UK - The Productivity Institute The UK government needs a fundamental overhaul if it is to achieve its ambitions to revive productivity and strengthen growth.

The Productivity Institute's new publication on UK productivity is worth reading.

I enjoyed being a discussant to Tim Leunig's chapter recently on why we should invest in roads. Unsuprisingly I think we should priorities public transport in our second cities.
www.productivity.ac.uk/research/joi...

Want to understand the difference between Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities and Mayoral Strategic Authorities? Or Combined Foundation Strategic Authorities and Single Foundation Strategic Authorities?

See this explainer of the Devolution Framework:

www.gov.uk/government/p...

The Guidance is more accessible if you don't fancy trying to read the small print on the beach, as I am - not very successfully.

www.gov.uk/government/p...

One significant change in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill is that Mayors and Police and Crime Commissioners will be elected via Supplementary Vote. That was the case until May 2024, when the Conservatives changed it to FPTP in the Elections Act in 2022.

English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill - Parliamentary Bills - UK Parliament Current version of English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill with latest news, sponsors, and progress through Houses

The English Devolution and Comminity Empowerment Bill has been published: bills.parliament.uk/bills/4002

Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill | GOV.WALES On 8 July 2025, the Senedd approved the bill allowing councils to introduce an overnight visitor levy to raise funds for local tourism.

The Senedd approved the Visitor Accommodation Bill this week, meaning that Welsh local authorities are entitled to raise revenue of up to £1.30 per person per night from 2027. The rate is set by the Senedd.

The UK Government should follow suit:
www.gov.wales/VisitorLevy

That a majority of Brits hold the view that Britain never left or is returning to austerity highlights the scale of the challenge facing the Government. Its focus on the structural challenges is the right one, but the public are seeking a better tomorrow:

Have amended. It's difficult to track the different forms of intervention - Envoys, Commissioners, Assurance Boards and the like!

I think there are still at least five authorities where Commissioners are in place: Thurrock, Slough, Birmingham, Nottingham and Woking.

In the last eight weeks the Government has also said it is minded to invite Commissioners into Croydon and Spelthorne.

Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament Information from UK Parliament on written questions & answers, written statements and daily reports.

Ministerial Envoys have been sent into Warrington in light of its ~£1.8 billion debt. Warrington is the second authority to welcome Envoys after Tower Hamlets in January.

questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-stat...

Given it has been mooted that the Government will review the statutory duties of local authorities - which last took place in 2011 - what would you remove?

In the event of a non-payment, 23(3) of the Council Tax Regulations 1992 allow authorities to charge the full amount - in effect, the council tax required for that financial year. The Government is consulting on whether authorities should pursue less "aggressive" recovery action:

Over in the US the Mayor of New York may be 33-year-old outsider Zohran Mamdani. He's advocating for municipal-owned supermarkets and, according to pollster Frank Luntz, Democrats are demanding "a more ideological, confrontational approach to policy and politics".

Are you an authority that wants the make changes in advance of the English Devolution Bill?

The Government has announced today that it will standardise the Cabinet and Leader Model in local authorities, which is sensible.

The existing Mayors in England that represent local authorities will continue, but no more will be created:

Extending the Statutory Overside until 2027-28 is sensible to prevent ~12 authorities from issuing Section 114 notices.

The Safety Valve Programme wasn't successful, but it isn't sustainable to write-off the £5 billion shortfall either - as some authorities have suggested.

Councils face millions in extra Send costs as overhaul delayed High-needs deficits kept off council books for two more years in England, but some say it prolongs financial pain

Good to speak to the Guardian about the Government's Fair Funding Review and changes to council taxes.

It's long overdue and puts councils on a path toward financial sustainability, but after more than a decade of service reductions it'll take some time to fix.

www.theguardian.com/education/20...

In a Ministerial Statement today, the Government confirms that it'll be consulting on re-organisation in Surrey, with two proposals under consideration.

Some authorities want to create a strategic authority around the Gatwick Diamond, which isn't being ruled out either: