General Election
Children and childhood must get the priority they deserve
A plan for childhood should have a focus on developing the workforce, as well as a national emphasis on improving children’s outcomes in a systematic way, says Andy Smith.
Election timetable means councils face race against time
Councils’ next finance settlement may have to be announced before a Spending Review amid ‘extremely accelerated’ demands after the General Election, experts have warned.
Can mayoral polls help Tories buck their losing trend?
Jonathan Werran picks out the highlights from the local and mayoral poll results so far, and he argues the case for a more stable set of electoral cycles.
Let’s plan ahead
Steve Guest warns of the importance of preparing our future leaders for the task ahead by creating ‘leadership space’ and incorporating more formal training and development – before it’s too late.
Are the grown-ups in the room?
Labour’s alternative to levelling up could mark a step change to a more mature relationship between the centre and our regions, say Annabel Smith and Ben Franklin.
Vote warning
Elections officers have warned of the impact of changes to postal vote rules as polls open across England and Wales today.
The Trump effect
Sector insiders talk to Heather Jameson about the possible impact this side of the pond of a second victory for Donald Trump, including less cash for public services and a push to boost local economies.
Blow to council hopes for cash boost
The prospect of extra cash for councils has faded further with the latest public finance figures showing the UK borrowed more than expected last month.
What will the next steps be for the mayoral model?
While the offers to communities from mayors are maturing, there remain big questions to be answered by whichever party forms the next Government, says Zoë Billingham.
Devolution needs to be more ‘Kevin Keegan’
If the UK wants to emerge from its ‘odd decade’ into a better place, it must use devolution to boost the economic potential of its regions, says Henry Kippin.
Ministers in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones
The letter on councils’ productivity, sent by local government minister Simon Hoare this week, borders on farcical, says Heather Jameson.
Oflog should be handed audit oversight, MPs told
The Office for Local Government (Oflog) should be handed oversight of England’s broken audit regime – a role earmarked for the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) - accounting experts have told MPs.
Clark: Tories and Labour unwilling to address SEND crisis
Labour and the Conservatives have been accused of an ‘unwillingness’ to confront the crisis in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services.
Five million could be disenfranchised by voter ID, polling finds
Five million voters could be disenfranchised by the Government’s new voter ID rules at the General Election, first-of-its-kind polling has suggested.
Making strategic spatial planning successful
In Localis’s new essay collection, Catriona Riddell looks at developing agreement on housing supply: aligning community engagement and strategic spatial planning.
Why mayors matter
Polling shows the public wants more local control over policy decisions, and directly-elected mayors give them the chance to put place over politics, says Paul Swinney.
Finding the right prescription
Incremental improvements in collaboration, not wholesale change, is key to restoring faith in the health system, writes Matthew Taylor.
Government shelves rollout of council powers
The Department for Transport (DfT) has shelved the further rollout of powers for English councils to enforce moving traffic violations like dangerous driving outside schools.
Council chiefs receive cyber espionage warnings
Council chiefs have been warned their email accounts, phones and computers will ‘almost certainly’ be targets for ‘cyber espionage operations’ before local and national elections.
'Business as usual' for Lancashire councillors despite resignations
Councillors in Lancashire have insisted it will be ‘business as usual’ despite 20 resignations in protest at the leadership of the national Labour party.
