2025 was a big year for local government, and 2026 looks set to be just as huge. In the latest episode of The Local Authority the LGC news team tries to make sense of it all and looks ahead to 2026. @kirstyweakley.bsky.social @martinrgeorge.bsky.social www.podbean.com/ep/pb-5d89t-...

Sad to see that former Guardian journalist David Gow has died. My first ever “exclusive interview” was with him and a photographer who visited my primary school for some long forgotten feature when I was 11 years old. www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...

Ahead of next month's @theied.bsky.social annual conference, I talked to its chair @tomstannard.bsky.social about the biggest issues for economic development practitioners. No surprise the government's growth mission is top of the list, with viability a key concern www.lgcplus.com/politics/dev...

One down, 20 to go: the government has announced how it will reorganise local government in Surrey. What does this mean for the decisions it will make about the remaining two-tier council areas? Here's my Local Government Chronicle briefing: www.lgcplus.com/politics/lgc...

A milestone for the Local Government Pension Scheme in England and Wales: its value has now risen above £400bn www.lgcplus.com/investment/v...

Now all but one of the 21 'homeless' council pension funds have chosen their preferred pool, Phil Triggs examines how the new-look Local Government Pension Scheme took shape, the challenges for the four expanding pools, and what success and failure would look like www.lgcplus.com/investment/p...

Every decade or so the Lib Dems find a moral cause to unite around - think Iraq or Brexit. This week they found their cause for the 2020s - fighting Reform. And councils will be a key part of the crusade. My Local Government Chronicle briefing from Lib Dem conference www.lgcplus.com/politics/lgc...

Does local government reorganisation threaten the @libdems.org.uk traditional powerbase in local government?

Of all the big issues facing council pension funds, one isn't being talked about enough by people outside the LGPS: local government reorganisation. I've looked at the myriad issues that need to be considered as the local government map of English is redrawn www.lgcplus.com/investment/h...

Seven more 'homeless' council pension funds have announced which pool they want to join www.lgcplus.com/investment/s...

A government email has revealed more about its thinking on the future of the 21 ‘orphan’ council pension funds www.lgcplus.com/investment/e...

I don’t envy the 21 ‘orphan’ council pension funds as they try to navigate multiple moving parts while deciding which pool they want to join. My Local Government Chronicle briefing www.lgcplus.com/politics/lgc...

Advocates of Community Power are now at the centre of government, but it won't be easy to convert Whitehall to this way of working. My briefing following another inspiring #StrongerThings conference from @wearenewlocal.bsky.social www.lgcplus.com/politics/lgc...

Interesting: the LGPS Advisory Board expects the Government Actuary's Department "to look closely at [LGPS funds] which are relatively well funded but are also still setting relatively high contribution rates" in its next section 13 report www.lgcplus.com/investment/g...

How is the government changing its Local Government Pension Scheme reform plans? The Pensions Investment Review's final report reveals the big picture is unchanged - consolidation, powers transferred from funds to pools - but some important details have been tweaked www.lgcplus.com/investment/g...

Climate-sceptic Reform surged in the local elections, but @uk100.org chief exec Christopher Hammond says: "This is not a crisis in climate action – it's a manifestation of a deeper crisis in trust in Westminster and our hollowed-out institutions of government" www.lgcplus.com/politics/cli...

Lots of inexperienced, anti-establishment Reform councillors will soon find themselves running complex organisations with big budgets and essential services. What challenges does this present for councils and for Reform itself? My Local Government Chronicle briefing www.lgcplus.com/politics/lgc...

The ACCESS pool has questioned the government's reasoning for rejecting its plan to meet the new minimum pooling requirements, and suggested that forcing its partner funds to join another pool could conflict with their fiduciary duty www.lgcplus.com/investment/a...

What next for the Local Government Pension Scheme now the government has told Access and Brunel's pension funds to find another pool? A must read from Phil Triggs analysing where things stand and what is likely to happen next to the LGPS www.lgcplus.com/investment/p...

The Hull & East Yorkshire mayoral contest will be one of the most closely watched tomorrow, with Reform's boxing champion candidate now the favourite. It means a political novice could soon find himself sitting alongside the PM at the Council of Nations and Regions www.lgcplus.com/politics/dev...

We are creating fit for purpose audit system to build a strong, stable, and empowered local government to work with us as equal partners to deliver the change the country demands. #localgov READ MORE www.lgcplus.com/finance/jim-...

Ministers are forcing through pool mergers in the Local Government Pension Scheme. They rejected Access and Brunel's plans for their future and want their partner funds to join other pools. Six other pools got the ministerial green light www.lgcplus.com/investment/m...

I've written about one of my bugbears: national campaigns for local elections www.lgcplus.com/politics/gov...

Councils in the 21 two-tier areas the government has told to reorganise into unitary authorities have come up with more than 50 options for how to do it. If these areas can't unite around a single plan, they will be handing ministers the power to decide for them www.lgcplus.com/politics/gov...

This year marks 60 years since the creation of London's boroughs under the 1965 London Government Act. From housing to education, these 32 boroughs have shaped the capital's communities. Here's a snapshot of how councils are celebrating this milestone. #LondonBoroughs60 1/9

This could be controversial - the government is reviving proposals to make the political affiliation of councillors more obvious in a bid to improve public understanding of local government www.lgcplus.com/politics/gov...

Happy Local Government Pension Scheme Valuation Day! It only comes around every three years, so make the most of it. What will the 2025 valuation mean for councils and how much they pay in pension contributions? Here's a "sneak peek" www.lgcplus.com/investment/e...

Wonderful to be back at Carden Park for the 20th anniversary LGC Investment Seminar. It’s a pivotal time for the Local Government Pension Scheme - lots to discuss

How did the Local Government Pension Scheme do in 2023-24? - Unlike the year before, all open funds grew - but many still missed investment return targets - Some are expanding carbon accounting to new asset classes - And one is planning AI benefit statement videos www.lgcplus.com/investment/l...

You won't find it on the public record anywhere, but you can't understand local government reorganisation proposals without understanding party politics. My Local Government Chronicle briefing www.lgcplus.com/politics/lgc...

"Some people in the sector would rather vomit on their favourite child than do one of these things” - quote of the week from yesterday's LGC briefing www.lgcplus.com/politics/lgc...

The government is planning to tighten rules on cutting council pension contribution rates after Kensington & Chelsea's was reduced to zero in 2025-26 because of the fund's massive surplus www.lgcplus.com/investment/m...

The new pensions minister is sticking to the government's March 2026 deadline to 'complete' LGPS pooling, despite warnings it is "extremely improbable" www.lgcplus.com/investment/m...

The government is considering submissions about plans to overhaul the standards regime for councillors. It must tread carefully to ensure the new system does not intrude on politics and councillors' democratic mandate unless absolutely necessary. My LGC briefing www.lgcplus.com/politics/lgc...

"After careful consideration, we believe X is not the right platform, or an effective one, for the council to communicate" @southamptoncc.bsky.social leader Lorna Fielker explains why it is quitting the former Twitter www.lgcplus.com/politics/gov...

The government wants mergers among the eight Local Government Pension Scheme pools, but the three pools seen as most vulnerable are seeking to remain independent entities and gain Financial Conduct Authority authorisation instead www.lgcplus.com/investment/l...

The government aims to 'complete' a decade-long reform of the Local Government Pension Scheme within the next 12 months. As ministers consider responses to their consultation, who are the winners and losers, what are the flashpoints, and what might happen next? www.lgcplus.com/investment/l...

Congratulations to all the councils and combined authorities shortlisted for the LGC Awards 2025. There were a record number of entries, so being shortlisted is a fantastic achievement. Can't wait to see who the winners are on 11 June! awards.lgcplus.com/2025/en/page...

Really enjoyed talking to Gavin Jones as he retires as chief executive of Essex County Council: - reorganisation won't solve sector's fundamental problems - his role as Thurrock and Slough commissioner - splitting children's services as part of reorganisation www.lgcplus.com/politics/wor...

Not up to speed on the rapidly developing state of devolution in England? Don't worry, the Local Government Chronicle has your back. Our interactive devolution map shows how the emerging tier of regional and sub-regional government in England shaping up www.lgcplus.com/research/lgc...

"The white paper sets out a framework and a challenge. It’s going to be up to councils how they respond" - Jonathan Carr-West of the Local Government Information Unit on the government's devolution proposals www.lgcplus.com/politics/gov...

My thoughts on the English devolution question and what it means for place - LGC *Paywall* @sarahcalkin.bsky.social www.lgcplus.com/politics/dev...

Angela Rayner has announced which areas have been put on the devolution priority programme and which areas will see this year's local elections postponed www.lgcplus.com/politics/dev...

Highly unusual story from Kensington & Chelsea Pension Fund, which has voted to cut the council's employer contribution rate to zero in 2025-26 against the advice of its actuary www.lgcplus.com/investment/b...

It's Devo Day

There's been some recent media focus on how much councils are planning to increase council tax by, but what are the metro mayors planning to do with their precepts? @writercaits.bsky.social has found a very varied picture www.lgcplus.com/finance/reve...

As an Essex boy turned Suffolk boy turned Essex boy, I enjoyed @kirstyweakley.bsky.social's briefing on the diverse identities of Essex, and how communities across England will have to navigate similar complexities as they reform their local government strutures www.lgcplus.com/politics/lgc...

Academics Colin Copus and Steve Leach don't pull their punches when writing about the English devolution white paper: "Our system of local government is being broken and what results will be unfit to inherit the name ‘local government’" www.lgcplus.com/politics/gov...

There's lots of coverage of the winter crisis in the NHS, but what about social care? Great Local Government Chronicle briefing from @andrewcoz.bsky.social www.lgcplus.com/politics/lgc...

Interesting LGPS consultation response from the Scheme Advisory Board: questions about the fiduciary duty, a call for pension funds to have the final say on local investments, and concerns the government may be engineering pool mergers through the backdoor www.lgcplus.com/investment/l...