More than 100,000 families have been hit by higher “stealth” council tax bills because their properties have been improved or extended. These have been attacked as a tax on home owners who want to better their properties and neighbourhood.
The pressure of being a carer has forced three out of four of them to “breaking point”, according to a poll carried out by a partnership of 10 UK care charities ahead of this week’s Carers Week
Humiliating defeats have been confirmed for Labour in the partys last four county council strongholds, on a day of triumph for the Conservatives. The Tories won landslide victories in Lancashire and Staffordshire, a closer win in Derbyshire and took Nottinghamshire into no overall control.
Perhaps the clear winner of the recent political chaos and the elections is localism. In the past week or two, we have seen politicians from all three major parties advocating the need for greater devolution of power away from central government.
Councils across England had last year already budgeted to dip deep into their reserves long before the worst of the economic crisis had hit the sector, according to the latest statistics.
Michael Portillo backed the proposal in our recent publication ‘The Principles of Social Housing’ to end tenancy for life. He said “Where the need ceases to exist, the provision is no longer appropriate”
By pursuing innovative operational models, councils could invest resources in local social and environmental enterprises, helping the local economy recover faster.
By pursuing innovative operational models, councils could invest resources in local social and environmental enterprises, helping the local economy recover faster.
As long as Brown and Cameron refuse to trust communities to run their own affairs, people will rightly scorn their efforts to rebuild faith in national politics.
The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead has become the first council in the UK to launch a scheme that rewards residents who recycle. Householders will be able to claim money off at shops and restaurants.