25.06.20
Local Power
Spelthorne borough council, which borrowed £1bn to spend on commercial property investments, has allowed a major tenant to put off paying millions in rent
10.06.20
After the Bureau exposed the council's risky investment strategy, Conservative councillors have voted to replace their leader
22.05.20
Thurrock council has borrowed more than £1bn from other local authorities
A business that marketed itself as an investment opportunity for local authorities has used taxpayers’ money to propel itself to the fore in the UK’s solar energy market
21.05.20
The Bureau has spent two years digging into council finances and found many had borrowed billions of pounds of public money to invest in commercial property
16.05.20
The Bureau revealed in 2018 how councils had borrowed hundreds of millions to invest in commercial property, but coronavirus has put retail parks and shopping centres under extreme strain
11.10.19
The Treasury has raised the interest rate on funding from the Public Works Loan Board after the Bureau reported that councils were using the money to invest heavily in commercial property
11.09.19
The Bureau Local sent volunteers and reporters to exercise their right to see local authority accounts, but soon found obstructions and ignorance of the law
09.09.19
Despite the Bureau revealing that Peterborough council had potentially breached guidelines on selling public assets, the government has decided to take no further action
29.05.19
A timeline giving details of when key decisions about the Grenfell tower refurbishment were made by Kensington and Chelsea council
Investigation reveals Kensington and Chelsea Council had a large pot of money that it could have used on the refurbishment, yet the budget was cut and cheaper cladding used
27.04.19
Spelthorne auditors have raised red flags about whether the £385 million purchase of a BP research site was value for money for the council
06.03.19
The latest in our #SoldFromUnderYou series looks at the battle on the ground to save public spaces
05.03.19
Explore the literal cost of austerity in our interactive map showing more than 12,000 public buildings and spaces sold by cash-strapped councils
Our investigation reveals Peterborough Council may have used £23 million raised from selling public assets to help pay its running costs, which is forbidden under government regulations.
04.03.19
Libraries, playgrounds, and community centres are being sold by councils as they struggle to stay afloat, with many using the proceeds to pay for redundancies
04.12.18
A four-month investigation reveals the steep rise in councils across the country racking up debt to finance real estate purchases
As councils become major players in the UK property market, purchases worth hundreds of millions of pounds are being signed off behind closed doors without public scrutiny.
16.04.18
Fifth county council at risk with independent reviewers stating need for “radical overhaul”
08.03.18
The Bureau reveals more councils are under severe financial strain
