38 councils to double council tax on second homes
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.
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.
A collision has forced the closure of A459 Dudley Street in Sedgley, Dudley, in both directions. Drivers are warned of significant congestion. Avoid the area.
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.
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.
A man in his 20s was stabbed on Dudley High Street in the early hours of Sunday morning. West Midlands Police are urging witnesses and anyone with footage to come forward.
Future Birmingham council leaders elected in 2026 will lack full autonomy, bound by a government-imposed action plan to ensure financial stability. Discover the binding roadmap for recovery.
Campaigners demand Dudley Council reinstates 500 removed grit bins, warning the cost-cutting move risks safety on icy hills. Read the full story and see the petition.
Government commissioners will oversee Birmingham City Council after the 2026 elections, restricting new leaders' autonomy with a strict action plan. Discover the roadmap for recovery.
A man was stabbed on High Street in Dudley at 3:30am on Sunday, December 21. Police are investigating and appealing for witnesses. The victim's injuries are not life-threatening.
A man was taken to hospital after a stabbing on Dudley High Street in the early hours of Sunday, December 21. Police are investigating and appealing for witnesses.
Plans for an Eton Star Academy sixth form in Dudley have been approved, promising 240 places. Local politicians clash over whether it's the right investment for the town's youth.
A planning inspector has upheld Dudley Council's refusal of an MOT centre in Brierley Hill, citing significant highway safety risks from potential pavement parking. Read the full verdict.
Dudley Council is set for a £75.9m three-year finance settlement from the Labour government. While Labour MPs hail a 'turning point', the borough's Conservative leader urges caution, saying 'the devil is in the detail'. Read the full story.
Dudley Council's leader insists he has 'nothing to hide' as a report into a collapsed £1.65m land sale is delayed for nearly a year. Read the latest on the audit committee's concerns.
Planning Inspectorate dismisses appeal for eight apartments in Blackheath, upholding Dudley Council's refusal. The scheme was deemed too dense and a risk to pedestrian safety.
Three Wolverhampton residents have been ordered to pay a total of £7,316 for fly-tipping offences after failing to cooperate with a council investigation. Read the full story.
Dudley Council reports a 17% drop in emissions, but a councillor warns selling buildings to the private sector risks 'false accounting' on climate progress. Read the full debate.
A Bilston children's home must close after a planning inspector rejected an appeal against a Dudley Council enforcement notice. The home was operating without permission, causing noise and police call-outs.
A crucial debate on cutting parking charges was delayed after lengthy discussions on pub rates and council flag policy. Council leader brands debate 'bloody nonsense'.
Dudley Council faces a 300% rise in adult safeguarding cases, deploys drones against off-road bikes, and sparks a £10k spending row. Explore this week's key developments.
Warwick District Council must repay double council tax charged on second homes after admitting it 'acted outside the law'. A procedural mistake forces a costly U-turn.
Dudley Council planners are set to decide on 13 new canal-side homes in Brierley Hill, while approving one HMO and rejecting another. Read the latest local planning news.
A Dudley councillor reveals residents wait up to six months for help with potholes and home repairs due to staffing issues, not technology. Read the full investigation.
A watchdog committee hears emotional testimony alleging Dudley Council social workers lied and ignored vital emails concerning child protection. Read the full investigation.
Reform UK councillor accuses Tories of 'misogynistic bullying' over MP attack. Row erupts over future of Sedgley's Ladies Walk centre. Read the full story.
A row erupts in Dudley as a £8,000 consultation for a new Cradley parish council is overwhelmingly rejected by residents. Calls for apologies over 'waste' of taxpayer cash. Full story.
Labour demands apology after £8,000 survey on Cradley parish council, funded as part of a Tory-Lib Dem budget deal, is overwhelmingly rejected by residents. Read the full story.
Dudley Council plans a tough new anti-social behaviour policy using drones, covert surveillance and mobile units to target illegal off-road bikes and nuisance neighbours. Read the full details.
Dudley Council faces a 300% surge in adult safeguarding reports over ten years, with self-neglect the top concern, while care provider market struggles. Read the full report.
Dudley Council faces a £56m SEND funding black hole despite a national budget change. Discover the local crisis and what the future holds for special needs provision.