The Local Government Boundary Commission for England has published its final recommendations for a shake-up of boundaries in Birmingham which would lead to more wards by fewer politicians.

Waste management company Amgen Cymru, owned by Rhondda Cynon Taf council, has been criticised by the GMB union over its employment practices.

The Committees on Arms Export Controls has called on the UK government to cease the selling of weaponry to Saudia Arabia, after evidence has suggested the trade has likely been used to violate international humanitarian and human rights laws.

The UK is set to begin preliminary talks with Australia exploring the possibility of a future free trade deal.

A new Heritage Lottery Fund report has called for collaborative national and local action to deliver new ways of funding parks.
The 'State of UK Public Parks 2016’ report outlines the continuing need to develop innovative mixed model approaches to funding parks, such as local authority commitment, commercial opportunities and fundraising, to avoid the risk of rapid decline.

A Tory MP has proposed ‘eradicating’ the combination of county councils and district councils and replacing them with single-tier unitary councils.

A government scheme using longer semi-trailers to transport goods has saved up to 10.6 million vehicle kilometres, meaning cleaner public air.
Up to 90,000 lorry journeys have been cut under a pilot scheme, causing reduced congestion and expecting to save over 3,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
The economic benefits of the project are estimated at £33 million over the next 10 years, with British hauliers saving up to one in 9 journeys with their lorries that are up to 15 per cent longer than standard 13.60 metre vehicles, cutting costs.

Over £1million has been paid out by the government to more than 180 flood-hit farmers to help their business recovery after last Winter’s storms.
The Farming Recovery Fund will eventually see more than £9million allocated to over 1,000 farmers across Northern England as part of the response to the unprecedented flooding seen across the region last December in the wake of Storms Desmond and Eva.
The finances are being used to mend and replace fences, stone walls and gates, clear debris deposited on land, restore damaged river banks, and reinstate field access.

The government must take immediate action to improve public transport in rural areas, the Campaign for Better Transport has argued.
With the government's new Bus Services Bill is currently in the House of Lords and will soon be introduced in the House of Commons, the campaign group is arguing that, while the Bill is good news for transport in towns and cities, there remains little to improve services in rural areas, where cuts have been most damaging.