A BBC investigation has revealed that a black hole in local authority budgets is continuing to grow.
According to the research, the average council now faces a £33m predicted deficit by 2025-26. This represents a rise of 60 per cent from £20m two years ago.
Unison reported that some councils would not be able to offer the "legal minimum of care" next year.

The Scottish government has announced that revenue has increased by £15 billion and there has been strong growth in income tax and in the energy sector.
Total revenue for Scotland increased by 20.7 per cent (£15 billion). The figure includes a £1.9 billion increase in revenue from Scottish income tax and £6.9 billion increase in North Sea revenue. However, these increases have partially been offset by a rise in spending on cost-of-living measures and interest payments on UK Government debt.

Northumberland County Council launched a new solar car port array – said to be one of the biggest of its kind in the UK – which will provide clean energy to the council's headquarters in County Hall in Morpeth, as well as its 120 electric vehicle chargepoints.

The government has announced nearly £4 million of funding for green innovations.
AI solutions are set to receive funding to accelerate industrial decarbonisation and transform the way industries cut their carbon emissions.
Twelve green AI initiatives are to receive a share of £1 million to decarbonise and boost the generation of renewable energy.

Figures released by the Cabinet Office have revealed that small businesses won a record amount of government work in 2021/22.
UK small businesses won £21 billion worth of work in 2021/22 an increase of £1.7 billion compared to the previous year.
This work is spread across a variety of sectors including public infrastructure, technology and healthcare.

Seven BT Street Hub 2.0 units have been installed in Newcastle.
The hubs provide ultra-fast wifi, way finding information and rapid device charging.
They also offer the capability of providing free emergency calls.
BT will also be gifting free advertising to small businesses on the screens.