Editorial piece
Alistair Darling bowed to pressure last night and cut the planned 5 per cent rise in business rates that was threatening to cripple many small firms.
Millions of people in seven English counties now come under new council areas.
The BBC should come to the aid of struggling local newspapers rather than compete against them
Two police authorities face being capped after setting excessive council tax increases well above the average 3 per cent rise for England, the Government announced last night.
Discussion of our report, entitled ‘Mitigating Economic Crisis Impact through Local Government Initiatives’
Tens of thousands of small companies will see their business rates increasing
The government needs to undertake a series of urgent measures.
Anyone who leaves their house empty for six months or more should face the threat of losing it, ministers said yesterday.
Retired social workers are being targeted in an effort to fill shortages