Hants council on 'high pay'
Hampshire County Council leader Ken Thornber defends his authority, after TaxPayers Alliance criticises number of staff paid £50,000+.
Getting ready for winter
Kent County Council prepare their salt stocks and salting routes ahead of the big freeze.
Adoption waiting list closed
Hampshire County Council has closed its waiting list to adoptive parents who are only willing to take on one or two children.
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Adoption waiting list closed
Hampshire County Council has closed its waiting list to adoptive parents who are only willing to take on one or two children.
Read the full storyNew adoption rules: three children or nothing
A council in the South is telling prospective adoptive parents they must be willing to take on three children. The local authority has closed its waiting list to those only willing to adopt one or two children who need a new home.
Officials say the only other circumstance in which they'll consider new applicants is if they can prove they can offer a home to a child with complex special needs. Our Social Affairs Correspondent Christine Alsford reports.
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Council official jailed for £2 million pound fraud
Ross Knowles a council official with Kent County Council has been jailed for frauding local authorities out of £2 million pounds.
Read the full storyKent County Council statement
– Kent County Council Spokesperson"Kent County Council (KCC) welcomes the sentence that has been handed down to Ross Knowles as a consequence of him fraudulently extracting funds from its contracted gas supplier. The funds will be recovered and that process is currently underway. Working with KCC's energy suppliers, systems and controls have been reviewed and revised to protect KCC, its customers and suppliers from future fraudulent attempts.”
Former Kent Council official jailed for fraud
A senior official at Kent County Council has been sentenced to seven years in prison for defrauding two million pounds from various local authorities. Ross Knowles from Allington in Maidstone was a high ranking manager at the authority. He was responsible for buying bulk gas and electricity.
Council worker in £2m fraud
by David Johns
Ross David Knowles, of Larking Drive in Allington in Maidstone, defrauded local authorities over a 14-month period.
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Council boss guilty
A senior Kent County Council employee has been found guilty of defrauding millions of pounds out of local authorities across the country.
Ross Knowles, from Maidstone, diverted funds into his private bank account.
He'll be sentenced next month.
Parade saved?
Brighton Council will decide today whether to help save the annual Pride event. Two proposals have been put forward to run the annual parade and party - after the event ran into financial difficulties earlier this year.
Council leader confronted by protesters
The Leader of Basildon Council was confronted by Dale Farm protesters as he attended an awards ceremony last night.
Mr Ball was nominated for the title of Council Leader of the Year in recognition of his role in the eviction of travellers from Dale Farm.
He lost out to Sir Richard Leese of Manchester City Council in awards held at Westminster City Council by the Local Government Information Unit.
Mr Ball was confronted by Dale Farm protesters as he went to leave the venue.
Essex County Council's David Finch won the award for Outstanding Contribution to Financial Performance.
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