General Election
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.
Left and behind: women at work
Building gender equality and diversity into plans for economic growth has benefits for everyone, writes Sarah Longlands.
Retrograde is no way to fund financial recovery
If councils call out the Government for glossing over the facts, they must ensure terms such as balancing the budget and capitalisation are not matters of ‘spin’, says Rob Whiteman.
Elections show the organisation at its ‘one council’ best
Kathy O' Leary says: 'As both pollsters and returning officers would agree, success in elections is talking only about the result and not the process.'
Ready for a bright new dawn?
Rachel Reeves’ Mais lecture represented a clear shift away from New Labour towards an active state, a muscular industrial strategy and ambitious regional policy, say Mike Emmerich and Ben Lucas.
Growing public awareness is an important step in galvanising action
With a General Election later this year, there’s a clear opportunity to build on the growing public awareness of the problems councils face, says Claire Kober.
Reflections on the West Midlands trailblazer devo deal one year on
Ed Cox sets out his five takeaways from the first year of the West Midlands trailblazer devolution deal.
Investment in neighbourhood services could be a crucial vote winner
'As we limp towards another General Election, we have yet to hear any comprehensive plans from across the political spectrum on how they would address the crisis in funding for neighbourhood services,' says Mo Baines.
Distribution of funding is the trickiest area for councils
It is time for the whole sector to come together with a strong voice to say enough is enough, writes Adele Taylor.
Setting out the foundation of a long-term housing plan
Over the coming weeks, CCN will outline a host of different reforms, from improving delivery of all housing tenures to resourcing planning departments better, writes Simon Edwards.
Carving out a financial solution
With local government currently in the spotlight in General Election year, Dr Jonathan Carr-West looks at ways councils can capitalise to make their case for funding reforms.