News

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has succeeded in his quest to ban the reams of forms, high costs and red tape getting in the way of communities organising street parties and summer fetes. From now on, instead of organisers being met with endless, confusing guidelines on food licences, road closures and insurance - councils can ask street party organisers to complete one simple form.

Proposals for a private sector-led Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership will be submitted to the government by 6 September.

Millions of pounds of council taxpayers’ money is being wasted dealing with litter lout motorists because of a loophole in the law, council leaders have warned.

Hundreds of thousands of pounds are being retrieved and given back to older and disabled people who have been bullied into buying overpriced mobility aids by rogue traders.

Public sector union Unison has hit back at a report by management consultants Knox D’Arcy, which claims that local government staff productivity lags far behind the private sector.

A major new 'localism' proposal to cut red tape and hand over financial control of council service improvements and training to local government leaders was announced today by Communities and Local Government Minister Bob Neill.