The National Audit Office is warning that there are serious weaknesses in central government’s approach to working with local authorities on decarbonisation, stemming from a lack of clarity over local authorities’ overall roles, piecemeal funding, and diffuse accountabilities.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has today criticised the “shambles” of Boris Johnson’s flooding response, accusing the Prime Minister of “absolutely zero leadership”, saying he should be “ashamed” of the government’s failure to plan for floods in the long-term.

Councils in England could face a funding black hole of over £50 billion over the next six years, with local authorities warning they will have to resort to providing the ‘bare minimum’ if no extra funding is made available.