first magazine for councillors - the magazine for local government

Building safety: testing review and new regulator

The Housing Secretary, Robert Jenrick MP, has announced the establishment of a new national construction products regulator to ensure homes are built using safe materials.

Person holdering a yellow hard hat and paper plans in front of a blurred construction site

Transforming estates in a post-pandemic world – Advertorial

by The Editorial Team

The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked a major shift in focus for the public sector. As local authorities develop plans to support the UK’s recovery, the role of estates transformation has become more significant than ever before.

Man pushing a bike across paved area of the city

Leading on change

by Dr Tom Cohen

What lessons can be learned from the introduction of emergency transport measures during the pandemic?

Local elections preview

by Professors Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher

The unprecedented decision to stage two cycles of English local elections at the same time means that we need to focus on the contrasting past outcomes in two separate years to make any sense of what might happen this May.

‘Catch-up’ education programme needs rethink

by The Editorial Team

Education inequalities and learning gaps have been exacerbated by the pandemic to such an extent that they are unlikely to be solved by a quick “catch-up” initiative, the LGA has warned.

For sale sign outside of a new build house

Right to Buy reforms ‘to increase new homes’

by The Editorial Team

The Government has set out a series of reforms to the Right to Buy (RTB) scheme for tenants wishing to buy their council houses, after years of campaigning by the LGA.