Midland Councils Ask to Delay May Local Elections
Redditch and Rugby are among 16 authorities requesting to postpone May's local elections due to a major government reorganisation. Critics claim Labour is 'running scared'.
Redditch and Rugby are among 16 authorities requesting to postpone May's local elections due to a major government reorganisation. Critics claim Labour is 'running scared'.
At least 27 local authorities, including Redditch and Rugby, have requested to postpone May's elections due to a major local government restructuring. Read the latest.
Dudley Council's finance chief launches a blistering attack on Labour MPs, dismissing claims of a £76m funding boost as 'financial gaslighting'. Read the full budget clash details.
Three Conservative councillors in Walsall have resigned, citing the 'disgraceful' deselection of colleagues and divisive national rhetoric. The party's council majority is now on a knife-edge.
Walsall Conservative councillors publicly condemn their own party's decision to deselect a colleague with 50 years of service. Read the full story of the local election selection row.
Households in the UK could see their council tax bills reduced to zero if a resident has a severe mental impairment and receives certain DWP benefits. Find out if you qualify.
A Coventry councillor will urge the authority to explore a four-day week for staff to boost morale and save money. The motion will be debated next week.
A Rugby Borough Council panel will decide whether to ask the government to cancel May's local elections, citing a £160k saving and upcoming council reorganisation. Read the full story.
From a bitter bins strike to Labour resignations, Birmingham City Council faced a tumultuous 2025. Explore the key moments and the reasons for optimism as the city looks ahead to crucial local elections and major regeneration projects.
Solihull Council has significantly reduced its workforce by 158 posts, saving £2m via a paid-resignation scheme. Agency worker costs also fell by over 36%. Read the full financial scrutiny report.
Martin Lewis highlights the Severe Mental Impairment council tax discount, which can cut bills to zero for eligible households. Learn if you qualify and how to claim.
Millions of UK households will get a two-month council tax break in 2026 ahead of new property bands. Find out if you're eligible and how the new high-value surcharge will work.
Dudley Council's 2026 elections could see a major shift as Reform UK surges. With 24 wards up for grabs, local political dynamics are set for a dramatic change. Read the full analysis.
Birmingham Conservatives promise to restore weekly bin rounds and end the long-running strike as part of a six-point local election plan. Discover their full strategy.
A look back at Birmingham's turbulent second half of 2025, from the unresolved bin strike and political infighting to divisive flag displays and a landmark new stadium plan.
New data reveals the shortest and longest council house waiting times across Birmingham wards, with Holyhead at 30 weeks and Quinton at 250 weeks. Discover the full list and council advice.
Reform UK seized minority control of Worcestershire County Council in 2025, ending two decades of Conservative rule. Discover the key events, financial crises, and political defections that reshaped the Midlands.
Up to 12,300 second-home owners face a 100% council tax surcharge as 38 more English councils activate new powers from April. See the full list of affected areas.
Birmingham City Council leader John Cotton explains his 'practical' approach to tackling child poverty, defending his relationship with government ministers. Read his full Q&A.
Up to 400,000 UK homes may be in the wrong council tax band due to flawed 1991 valuations. Check your band now and challenge it to potentially claim thousands in backdated refunds.
Worcester City Council approves extra funding for the Scala Theatre renovation, citing fire safety and National Insurance costs. The £16.2m project remains on track for its 2026 opening.
A petition on housing asylum seekers in Dudley, gaining over 3,000 signatures, triggered a full council debate. Discover the other local issues that mobilised residents in 2025.
Derby City Council has spent £1,400 on security guards to protect workers removing England and Union flags following 'threatening behaviour'. Full details on the council's U-turn and costs revealed.
Staffordshire County Council's Reform UK-led efficiency review identifies £2.67 million in savings, impacting mobile libraries, voluntary sector contracts, and concessionary fares. Details of the financial strategy to be published in January.
Polling expert Lord Hayward warns Labour faces heavy losses across England, Scotland, and Wales on May 7, 2026, potentially jeopardising Keir Starmer's leadership. Read the analysis.
As Birmingham's 2025 bin strike dragged on, mobile waste centres were swamped. We revisit the chaos, fly-tipping and the community efforts that followed. Read the full story.
The Valuation Office clarifies how the new High Value Council Tax Surcharge will work for properties over £2 million from 2028. Learn about the targeted valuations and how it aims to create a fairer system.
Warwickshire's Reform UK leader vows to ignore council vote demanding he withdraw a letter to government seeking powers to cut school transport costs. Opposition unites against the move.
Birmingham City Council approves sale of former Harborne Day Centre site for a new food store, part of property sales to tackle financial crisis. Read the full story.
Birmingham City Council approves the sale of the Grade II listed Alpha Tower to aid its financial recovery. The move follows the council's effective bankruptcy declaration in 2023. Read the full story.