Chelgate Local has opened offices on Northampton Business Park, Northampton, as an initial step into the Midlands. Michael Hardware, Chelgate Local Director, said: “This is an important step for us as the Midlands has huge opportunities for growth. The region is driven …

Essex Councils Reform UK now hold overall political control of Essex County Council. In the May 2026 local elections Reform UK won 53 seats on the authority ending the Conservatives’ 25 years reign at the local authority. Reform UK won …

Sussex Councils East Sussex County Council: The council is currently in the control of Reform UK, as a minority administration, with the Liberal Democrats on 13 seats (up two seats), the Greens on 11 seats (up seven seats), the Conservatives …

Buckinghamshire Councils There were no elections in Buckinghamshire in 2026. Following the significant Conservative losses at the 2025 election, the Conservatives retained a slim majority (52%) and continue to run Buckinghamshire Council. The authority remains under Conservative control ahead of …

On Friday, 15th May 2026, Chelgate Local and Vail Williams co-hosted a Local Government and Devolution Breakfast Briefing at Denbies Wine Estate in Dorking, Surrey. The event was chaired by Nick Wood- Dow, deputy lieutenant of Surrey and Chelgate deputy chairman.   Nick Wood-Dow kickstarted the event after 45 …

Local elections were held on 8 May, the first real test since the 2024 general election. It was a bruising night for Labour, losing almost 1,500 council seats, and also for the Conservatives, which lost 563 seats. By contract, it …

Despite the number of skyscrapers going up in the City of London, few planning applications have generated as much controversy as the application for 1 Silk Street for a 21-storey, £450 million office block.  The site and proposals   Located next …

In conjunction with Vail Williams, we are hosting a breakfast briefing in May 2026 on the likely impacts on planning and development in Surrey and Sussex of local government reorganisation and devolution. This will be after the May elections for …