Breaking news
An ‘astonishing and worrying’ blunder by Sheffield City Council meant anyone could access the authority’s online Automatic Number Plate Recognition camera network to view live feeds as well as millions of historical journeys taken through the city. Some 8.6million records of vehicles movements made by thousands of people were available to view on the internet, … Read more
Councils handed £12billion last week to distribute to local firms are still siting on half of it, it has been revealed today. The government distributed some £12.3 billion to local authorities in England as part of its coronavirus business support package. The grant payments are to be distributed to some of the hardest-hit businesses but … Read more
Councils will get an extra £1.6billion in funding to boost areas including social care as authorities are hit by revenue losses from parking fees during coronavirus Situation could cause some councils to ‘take extreme cost-cutting and rationing’ Crisis has raised the pressure on services like support for those with disabilities Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick … Read more
Heavy-handed councils have been slammed for banning all mourners from services. The National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) has hit out at local authorities in locations including Belfast, Leeds and Bradford that have stopped bereaved families from attending funerals. Instead several councils are now offering ‘direct cremations’, in which there is no ceremony and mourners … Read more
President Trump ignored advice by the National Security Council back in January to consider shutting down cities and keep Americans home from work, memos reveals. The NSC office responsible for tracking pandemics received intelligence reports in early January predicting the devastation coronavirus could cause to the US once it hit, according to The New York … Read more
Cutting back on mowing roadside grass patches will help wildflowers like oxeye daisies and harebells have ‘their best summer in years’. The UK has more than 310,000 miles of rural road verges which have become a refuge for wildflowers squeezed out of the countryside, says charity Plantlife. The plant conservation group says these flowers often … Read more
Bins were today seen overflowing as councils scaled back collections as up to a third of refuse workers went off sick due to coronavirus. Many local authorities have stopped collecting bins containing food and garden waste, instead telling residents to put everything in black bags. It came as bin men spoke of their fears they … Read more
A council is using drones equipped with loudspeakers to catch people ignoring coronavirus isolation advice. Neath Port Talbot Council has teamed up with South Wales Police to roll out the tactic across the local area. The gadgets are being deployed to tourist hotspots and locations in Wales that are likely to see mass gatherings. But … Read more
Councils are leaving bins to overflow after their services are dramatically cut back services because of staff shortages due to the coronavirus. Several local authorities have told residents that their rubbish cannot be collected as often, with some choosing to stop some recycling collections until May. Pictures revealed waste from communal rubbish bins spilling onto … Read more
Tourist tax: Councils want Airbnb and hotels to charge their guests an extra £5 a night to put toward local services Rishi Sunak is under pressure to find ways of raising cash in next month’s Budget The Local Government Association claims a majority of the public back the idea Move to enforce hotel tax likely … Read more