53 English councils cannot resettle Syrian refugees
In September 2015, then-Prime Minister David Cameron pledged Britain would take in 20,000 Syrian refugees. So far, UK councils have promised to resettle 8,146 refugees, but a July 2016 survey in the Local Government Chronicle (LGC) reveals 53 of 148 English local authorities surveyed cannot afford the cost. Is such a commitment financially viable for UK councils after government austerity cuts?
New London Mayor Sadiq Khan to pursue affordable housing
Labour candidate Sadiq Khan is London’s new mayor after claiming 56.8% of votes to defeat Conservative opponent Zac Goldsmith. Having won the vote, Khan will pursue his promise to construct 80,000 new homes a year and make 50% of them affordable. For London's councils, how will this impact their budgets?