News & Opinion
You can find here our press releases, consultation responses, briefings and newsletters – as well as opinion articles written by leading figures
UPDATED: Performance data undermines case for mega councils
Little correlation between unitary councils’ size and service quality, official data reveals
NOTE: This ...
Council shake-up must promote sustainable reform over short-term fixes
Reorganisation could create larger versions of dysfunctionality, warns independent report
Local government ...
‘We need more homes, not just more planning permissions’
Cllr Richard Wright, the DCN’s planning spokesperson, has responded to the publication of the Planning and ...
District councils respond to claim of savings from mega councils
The District Councils’ Network has expressed scepticism over the levels of savings claimed by the proponents of ...
Homelessness funding set to be slashed for crisis-hit areasÂ
Coastal towns, rural areas and university cities are likely to lose out despite soaring temporary accommodation ...
Social care reform should precede local government reorganisation
The District Councils’ Network has responded to the timetable announced for social care reform by the ...
Rushing reorganisation disempowers communities
Consultants will be the victors from the mad rush to impose mega councils
The rush to impose mega councils on ...
No evidence exists to support mega councils, Government admits
Freedom of Information responses show no assessment undertaken to support 500k population floor for unitary ...
‘New councils should remain close to communities’
DCN survey reveals local opposition to mega councils with populations exceeding half a million
District ...
Revealed: the three reforms that could deliver 100,000 affordable homes
A landmark report today sets out a comprehensive plan to tackle England’s housing crisis, including three reforms ...
District council services face cuts following tough finance settlement
Many district councils look set to be forced to make cuts to essential community services, after Government ...
‘Mega councils’ threaten local services and delivery of homes and jobs
DCN responds to the English Devolution White Paper
The English Devolution White Paper, published today, ...
Fifty years of district innovation celebrated in Parliament
Around 40 MPs and peers mixed with district council innovators at a DCN reception last night which commemorated ...
Local government reorganisation threatens high-quality services
The District Councils’ Network has responded to today’s Budget which revealed the Government intends to reorganise ...
Budget reaction: ‘District funding hasn’t kept up with rising demand for services’
The District Councils’ Network has responded to the Budget unveiled by the Chancellor this afternoon.
Rachel ...
‘Most of our council tax is spent on temporary accommodation’Â
Three councils are spending equivalent to at least half of their council tax revenue on homelessness support, ...
‘By working together we’re achieving big things’: Pendle’s regeneration showcased
Pendle Borough Council has explained its bold vision for regenerating the town of Colne, including through the ...
50 years of districts: boosting physical activity from childhood to adulthood
A skatepark which is boosting physical activity among users ranging from the youngest children to adults is the ...
Temporary accommodation spend rises by a third in a year
District councils expect their spending on temporary accommodation to rocket by a third in just a year.
The ...
‘Robust local government is critical to the Government’s ambitions’
Funding reductions for councils would be disastrous.
This is why, ahead of the Autumn Budget and Local ...
Misfiring incineration tax could heap billions of unfunded costs on councils
A new tax on the carbon emitted from burning waste could load billions of unavoidable costs on councils over the ...
Communities at risk of flooding face service cuts
People living in areas at risk of flooding face cuts to local services due to the Government’s failure to devise a ...
Record temporary accommodation figures: Action demanded to tackle crisis
DCN, LGA, and Crisis demand five urgent measures to support people in danger of homelessness and protect council ...