LONDON, Nov. 28 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: The government has announced that, from April 2028, it plans to introduce a new High Value Council Tax Surcharge (HVCTS) on owners of residential property in England worth £2 million or more. A public consultation on details relating to the surcharge will be held in early 2026. The surcharge will not be determined by current Council Tax bands, which are based on property values from 1991. For example, band...
LONDON, Nov. 28 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: A Somerset caravan park owner has been ordered to pay £116,263 after being convicted of disturbing a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), which serves as an internationally important breeding ground for wading birds and waterfowl. John Holland, 59, of Tapmoor Road, Moorlinch, appeared before Taunton Crown Court on Wednesday 26 November for sentencing after pleading guilty to two offences under the Wi...
LONDON, Nov. 28 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: This project, commissioned under Defra's Food Authenticity Programme, addresses a key enforcement challenge in honey authenticity testing and was jointly funded by the Government Chemist and Defra. It supports Defra's priority to boost Britain's food security by strengthening consumer trust and ensuring fair competition through accurate labelling. The work planned to deliver a practical framework to enable indepe...
LONDON, Nov. 28 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: * UK's Overseas Territories are home to 94% of the UK's unique species and a quarter of the world's penguins * Over 1,800 endemic species live in the Overseas Territories The emperor penguin and the green turtle are among the much-loved species set to benefit from a new strategy launched today (28thNovember) to safeguard our world-leading wildlife hotspots. The strategy, developedjointly with the governments an...
LONDON, Nov. 28 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: The order also disqualifies him from being a director of any entity that holds or obtains an operator's licence and from being involved in the management, administration or control of such and entity for five years. The Commissioner heard evidence that Mr Morgan had pleaded guilty to five separate offences of falsifying safety inspection records (PMIs) relating to heavy goods vehicles with intent to deceive. The...
LONDON, Nov. 28 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: 21 apprentices have graduated from the UK's first degree-level forestry apprenticeship at the University of Cumbria, marking a significant milestone in efforts to grow the next generation of professional foresters. The graduation on Wednesday 26 November coincided with National Tree Week (22 - 30 November), the UK's largest annual tree celebration, and its 2025 theme of 'A Future Filled with Trees'. Launched in...
LONDON, Nov. 27 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: On 27 November 2025, the Minister for Housing and Planning, Matthew Pennycook, announced further details regarding the new system for local plan development that will begin operating in the new year. The reforms, introduced through the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023, aim to strengthen and streamline how local plans are prepared and examined across England. Why this matters Currently, fewer than a third...
LONDON, Nov. 27 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: * Ofsted confirms plans to change inspections of local authorities' children's services (ILACS) in 2026 and 2027, including removal of overall effectiveness judgement from April 2026. * Updates to ILACS framework planned to align inspections with broader reforms of children's social care. * Ofsted to consult on significant changes to inspections in 2026, with a renewed children and families services framework pla...
LONDON, Nov. 27 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: Vitale Tanga (41), originally from Moldova and of no fixed address, has had his sentence increased by five years after the Solicitor General referred his case to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme. The court heard that in September 2022, Tanga strangled his cellmate, Tajinder Kular, with a kettle cord. Kular was discovered unconscious by officers and taken to the prison hospital....
LONDON, Nov. 27 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: Agreed during the ESA Council of Ministers(CM25)in Bremen,this new fundingbringssharperfocus todeliver maximumvalue for money,sustainthousands of high-skilled jobs,anddrivescience andinnovation thatdirectly benefitspeople and businesses, fromincreasedconnectivity to more resilientinfrastructure andpublic services. Building on existing commitments, the new fundingincreasesthe UK'scurrentlevel ofsupportforESAprogr...