According to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the cost of renting in the UK could rise faster than house prices, increasing by 25 per cent over the next five years.

The government is set to create a single Public Service Ombudsman (PSO) in a bid to simplify the process of making complaints about public services.

Joe Anderson, the current mayor of Liverpool, has been appointed to lead the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority after Phil Davies, Wirral Council leader, stepped down from the role.

Housing Minister Brandon Lewis will give councils authority to fine property owners and agents up to £30,000 for failing to tackle overcrowding and hazardous conditions in their buildings.

A financial settlement has been published revealing councils are set to receive £3.5 billion of extra funding, which will be available for adult so

Rotherham councillors are set to receive decision-making powers from commissioners who maintain services are of good quality, well run and have strong leadership in place.

Financial aid for rooftop solar panels has been cut by 65 per cent, the government has announced.

Reform of the Welsh public services is still too slow and needs to radically change if it is to meet the challenges of the future, according to a report from the Welsh Audit Office.

The government has now resettled 1,000 Syrian refugees under the Vulnerable Persons Relocation (VPR) scheme, meeting it’s end of year target.

The UK unemployment rate fell to 5.2 per cent in the three months leading up to October, the lowest for nearly 10 years.

A report entitled ‘Beyond business rates: incentivising cities to grow’ has argued that councils should be handed more control of their finances, including the £10 billion generated in stamp duty tax.

The UK’s inflation rate rose to 0.1 per cent in November, turning positive for the first time in four months.

The Local Government Association (LGA) has called for a ‘far ranging government backed’ national database to help councils crack down on ‘rogue landlords’.

The government has awarded two new contracts to deliver new training programmes to civil servants across England from March 2016.

The Education Institute of Scotland (EIS) is calling for Scottish local authorities to be fined for failing to meet targets for teacher numbers.