Under current rules, sub-letting social housing is a civil offence but NLGN is calling for it to be treated the same as benefit fraud in the eyes of the law.

NLGN has welcomed Government backing of its proposals to build more allotments on private land, announced by Communities Secretary John Denham MP and Environment Secretary Hilary Benn MP.

With CIPFA predicting a 1.8% average council tax rise and the LGA echoing this prediction with an estimate of 1.6%, it is clear that local authorities are bearing down on council tax levels for financial year 2010/11.

Philip Hammond MP warns that councils will have to make radical decisions in order to deliver existing services with less money.

Cities and their surrounding areas could be governed by elected mayors with wide-ranging powers over tax, policing and health.