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More than 450 Blue Badges have been cancelled in Wirral after a Government-backed fraud investigation found that permits issued to deceased residents were still being used.

The Cabinet Office and Public Sector Fraud Authority said 459 unauthorised badges had been cancelled by Wirral Council, with an estimated saving to the taxpayer of more than £363,000. The badges were identified through the National Fraud Initiative, which matched council data against central Government records held by the Department for Work and Pensions.

Blue Badges are intended to help disabled people park closer to the places they need to access. Ministers said misuse of the scheme denied spaces to people with genuine need and undermined public confidence in support intended for vulnerable residents.

The investigation created a high-priority list of potentially fraudulent badges by cross-checking records and internal council data. The Government said the approach showed how better use of data could help identify and prevent fraud more quickly across local and central Government.

STORY

The Local Government Association has announced that Joanna Killian is stepping down as chief executive. The development comes during a period of significant policy pressure for councils, including local Government reorganisation, devolution, financial sustainability and adult social care.

Killian has led the organisation through a period in which councils have warned repeatedly about rising costs and limited resources. Local authorities have faced growing demand in children’s services, housing, special educational needs and adult social care, placing pressure on budgets across the sector.

The appointment of a successor will be watched closely by council leaders and ministers. The LGA’s next chief executive will inherit an organisation seeking to influence a busy Government agenda while representing councils with very different political, financial and structural challenges.

STORY

Oxford City Council has voiced disappointment after Oxfordshire County Council vetoed a devolution deal which the city council argued could have brought billions of pounds of investment to the Thames Valley. The disagreement has created a major setback for local devolution plans in the area.

Supporters of the deal argued that it would have strengthened local decision-making and helped secure new powers and funding. Opponents raised concerns about governance, accountability and whether the proposed arrangements were right for the county.

The dispute highlights the continuing difficulty of securing agreement between councils on devolution and local governance changes. It also comes as the Government continues to push devolution as part of its wider local growth agenda.

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The Local Government Association has raised concerns about proposed metrics that could trigger new Government intervention powers over councils. The Government is consulting on powers that could force councils to sell assets or curb borrowing if they are judged to be acting recklessly.

The LGA’s analysis suggests there are issues with the proposed methods for deciding when intervention should apply. Council leaders have warned that poorly designed metrics could penalise authorities facing structural financial pressures rather than identifying genuinely reckless behaviour.

The debate forms part of wider concern in local Government about financial oversight, council autonomy and the handling of authorities under severe budget pressure. Ministers are seeking stronger safeguards, while councils argue that intervention powers must be fair, transparent and proportionate.

STORY

Airlines and airport groups have urged the European Commission to suspend the EU’s new biometric border system during the peak summer travel period. Industry bodies warned of delays, queues and disruption at airports handling large numbers of non-EU travellers.

The system requires non-EU travellers to provide fingerprints and photographs. Aviation groups say capacity problems have created operational pressures and want flexibility to suspend checks when border control capacity is exceeded.

The issue is particularly relevant to British travellers because the UK is outside the EU and its citizens are covered by the new arrangements. Any disruption during the summer travel period could increase political pressure on both EU institutions and national border authorities.

STORY

The European Union has introduced a €3 customs fee on low-value e-commerce parcels, in a move expected to affect platforms including Shein, Temu and AliExpress. The measure targets the rapid growth in parcels entering the EU under the previous low-value exemption.

The change is intended to address unfair competition, consumer risks and pressure on customs systems. EU officials have argued that the surge in small parcels has increased the burden on customs authorities and made it harder to enforce safety and consumer protection rules.

Import costs are expected to become more visible to consumers, with a more detailed customs regime due to follow in 2028. The policy is likely to be closely watched by retailers, delivery firms and online platforms operating across the European market.

STORY

Ireland has begun its six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union. The presidency gives Dublin responsibility for steering the Council’s work and helping to shape the agenda across a period dominated by Ukraine, competitiveness and wider geopolitical pressures.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended the opening in Dublin and urged the EU to keep its promises on accession talks. Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin said Ireland would commit fully to the role during a geopolitically important period for the bloc.

The presidency will give Ireland a higher-profile role in managing EU business and building agreement between member states. It will also be watched closely in London because of Ireland’s importance in UK-EU relations and its influence on post-Brexit cooperation.

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The Scottish Affairs Committee has agreed that its chair should write to relevant Scottish Parliament committees about potential joint working on matters relating to the embezzlement of funds from the SNP. The correspondence will be published on the Committee’s website in due course.

The move follows earlier committee activity on the issue, including correspondence with the Electoral Commission, the Speaker and the Clerk of the House. The committee’s latest step indicates continuing Westminster scrutiny of the implications for party finance and public confidence.

Any joint working would involve sensitive questions about the relationship between Westminster and Holyrood oversight. The case has raised wider issues about transparency, governance and how political parties manage internal financial controls.