Local authority management has agreed to adopt new travel and subsistence rates recently agreed for the civil service. At a meeting with unions at the end of March, the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) also agreed to introduce new arrangements, which will see bereavement leave increased from five to 20 days for staff whose spouses die. The bereavement leave changes were also first agreed in the civil service.

In a separate development, the LGMA has confirmed that it has no plans to change the existing practice of delivering motor tax services through local authorities.