Reform UK's turbulent first seven months in local power
After taking control of 10 councils, Reform UK's 'anti-woke' agenda faces the reality of local government in Lancashire. Helen Pidd reports on care home closures and rising complaints.
Category : Search result: local authority challenge
Flooding nightmare at award-winning Cotswolds estate
Residents of the Buttercross Works development in Witney face constant flooding, safety hazards, and plummeting property values due to a failed drainage system. Discover their fight for a solution.
Starmer's authority drains amid leadership challenge talk
Speculation about a challenge to Keir Starmer's leadership is mounting, undermining his authority. Analysis of the growing rift within Labour and potential successors like Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting.
Swindon Council pays £138k after own vans clamped
Swindon Borough Council has paid £138,000 in fines after its own highway maintenance vans were clamped outside its offices. Deputy leader calls it 'not our finest hour'. Read the full story.
Four Deadly Social Media Trends Parents Must Know
Experts warn parents about four dangerous social media challenges that have turned fatal. Learn the risks of chroming, surfing, blackout and Benadryl trends to keep your children safe online.
Share Tips for Organised Challenges in UK & Abroad
Got advice for taking on a charity trek or marathon? The Guardian wants your tips on training, fundraising, and logistics for organised challenges in the UK and overseas.
Foodie throws up after failing 9,000-calorie chilli challenge
A food enthusiast was left feeling 'sick as a dog' after attempting a mammoth 4kg chilli meal in a Devon steakhouse. Only three people have ever finished the £50 challenge. Read the full story.
Speed Eating Deaths: Two Choke in Food Contests
The tragic final moments of a man who choked on a giant doughnut, part of a spate of speed eating fatalities. Discover the hidden dangers of competitive eating.
2,000+ children vanish from UK care yearly
Shocking report reveals 2,400 trafficked and asylum-seeking children went missing from local authority care last year, exposing critical safeguarding failures. Urgent action needed.
Judge condemns 'astronomical' private care costs
A judge has criticised 'astronomical' costs charged by private care providers after a council agreed to pay almost £300,000 for a teenage boy's placement. Discover the urgent call for government intervention.
School Transport Costs Surge 24%, Councils Warn of Crisis
Exclusive investigation reveals English councils' home-to-school transport costs have surged by 24%, leaving vulnerable families and local authorities in financial distress.
Sunderland's 5,000-Calorie Breakfast Challenge Awaits
Dare to tackle the North East's most formidable breakfast challenge featuring 15 colossal components including full English, American pancakes and loaded hash browns.
Birmingham Council Bankruptcy "Probably Avoidable" Says Expert
Exclusive analysis reveals Birmingham City Council's financial collapse might have been prevented as expert questions Labour leadership's decision-making in Britain's second city.
Birmingham Mayor demands greater devolution powers
Birmingham Mayor Andy Street joins forces with Labour's Dan Jarvis in unprecedented cross-party alliance demanding Westminster devolve real power and funding to England's regions.
Birmingham Council Bankruptcy: Inside Britain's Worst Council Crisis
Exclusive investigation reveals how accounting failures and political paralysis pushed Birmingham City Council into the biggest local government financial crisis in UK history, forcing devastating cuts to essential services.
Radio hosts' gross toilet paper challenge divides listeners
Australian radio hosts Carrie Bickmore and Tommy Little push boundaries with their revolting new challenge that's taking social media by storm. Discover the messy details that have listeners both horrified and entertained.
Surrey Labour splits over £1.2bn council debt crisis
Exclusive: Labour faces internal division in Surrey as two councils consider breaking away amid government pressure to address catastrophic local authority debt. The political earthquake threatens Starmer's authority in traditional Tory heartlands.
Woking gets £500m bailout in council shake-up
The bankrupt Woking Borough Council secures a massive government rescue package as Surrey County Council takes control of key services in a dramatic local government overhaul.
Woking Council declares bankruptcy with £1.9bn debt
Woking Borough Council faces financial collapse with a staggering £1.9bn deficit, joining a growing list of UK local authorities in crisis. Discover how risky investments and government funding cuts created this perfect storm.
Four women devour £300 McDonald's feast in challenge
Watch in amazement as four women conquer a massive £300 McDonald's order featuring 120 chicken nuggets, 40 burgers, and endless sides in ultimate food challenge.
Boy, 12, dies after attempting dangerous TikTok challenge
A family is in mourning after their 12-year-old son died from catastrophic injuries sustained while attempting a viral TikTok challenge that encourages participants to choke themselves until unconscious.
£150 council fine for fallen tree branch shocks homeowner
A Kent woman was left stunned when her local council slapped her with an extreme £150 fine after a small branch from a neighbour's tree fell into her garden during stormy weather.
Christmas tree arrives amid bin strike fury
A London council faces public outrage after installing a Christmas tree while bin collections remain suspended due to ongoing strike action, sparking accusations of misplaced priorities.
Council Tax Crisis: Local Authorities Demand Funding Overhaul
UK councils issue urgent warning to Chancellor Rachel Reeves as financial pressures threaten essential services including social care, libraries and bin collections.
Cardiff Council abolishes cabinet system in governance overhaul
Cardiff Council votes to abolish its cabinet model, returning to a committee system that promises greater transparency and cross-party involvement in decision-making.
NZ Government Dramatically Cuts Māori Council Representation
New Zealand's coalition government has dramatically reduced guaranteed Māori representation on local councils, cutting dedicated seats by more than half in a move critics call a devastating blow to indigenous rights.
Labour warned against local election complacency
Shadow Commons leader Lucy Powell cautions Labour against complacency in upcoming May local elections, warning that writing off contests could prove costly for Starmer's government.
Council Tax Warning: Thousands Could See Bills Slashed
Exclusive: New research reveals millions in council tax support going unclaimed as cost of living crisis deepens. Discover if you're eligible for reductions worth hundreds of pounds.
Kent Council declares financial emergency amid budget crisis
Kent County Council faces financial meltdown, proposing unprecedented council tax hikes and sweeping service cuts to avoid effective bankruptcy. Local residents brace for impact as authority warns of 'difficult decisions' ahead.
Council legal action against asylum seeker hotel
Another local authority launches High Court challenge against government's migrant accommodation policy as tensions rise across UK communities.
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