Greater London Authority
Healing the sector’s crisis with respect
As veteran leader Ruth Dombey steps down at the Lib Dem’s longest-held council she makes a plea for a ‘grown-up’ relationship between Whitehall and town halls. Paul Marinko reports.
Daring to be bold
The MJ’s series on building a new vision for local government, drawing from the 2007 Lyons Review, continues as Piali Das Gupta looks at how councils can do hard things successfully. 'We should have every confidence in the strength of our offer.'
London stalling?
Nick Bowes sets out the reasons why more progress hasn’t been made on devolution in London and looks at what’s likely to happen next.
Fears over digital switchover costs
Councils face multi-million pound bills as a result of the digital switchover of the telephone system.
Review into London's 'woeful' housebuilding figures
Housing secretary Michael Gove has ordered a review into London’s housing shortages claiming the number of new homes is far below the level needed and calling it ‘a woeful picture.’
Seriously flawed proposals
Ministers should drop the Infrastructure Levy and work with councils to improve the current system, says Cllr Darren Rodwell.
Aslyum barges plan branded ‘cynical and repugnant'
A council leader has attacked plans to house asylum seekers on barges in ports.
Scotland’s police must account locally
Details of the Strategic Partnership Agreement for Policing recently signed with COSLA are still to be finalised and George Thorley says now is the time to apply lessons from the Casey review of the Met.
How mission-led design can support councils levelling up
Frederik Weissenborn looks at how the learning from the Design Council’s project in partnership with the Greater London Authority, Designing London’s Recovery could help local authorities to be more mission-led
The burden on returning officers and elections teams is increasing
Anecdotal reports of people not meeting new voter ID requirements were disheartening, and recruiting and retaining polling staff remains a major problem, says Peter Stanyon.
Khan: Levelling up is unmitigated disaster
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has attacked the Government’s levelling up agenda as an ‘unmitigated disaster’ that impoverishes the capital’s boroughs.
This is a pivotal moment for ending rough sleeping
The next phase of the pandemic presents a new challenge to rise to – ensuring that we seize every opportunity to end rough sleeping for good, says chief executive of London Councils Alison Griffin.
Time to ditch the Assembly
After 21 years, Richard Stokoe argues that the London Assembly is failing in its duty to hold the Mayor of London to account. Borough leaders, he claims, would make a better replacement.
Councils boycott ‘cruel and draconian’ deportation rules
Growing numbers of councils have refused to implement new government rules that could lead to migrant rough sleepers being deported.
Online sales tax backed by London
The local government sector in the capital has advocated the introduction of an online sales tax (OST).
London leaders hit out at PM's failure to engage
The Mayor of London and leader of London Councils have written to the Prime Minister protesting that COVID contingency plans for the capital have been drawn up without them.
Don't kick more fiscal devo for London into the long grass, says Assembly chair
The post COVID world shows that further fiscal devolution for the capital is vital and ‘mustn’t be kicked in the long grass’, according to chair of the London Assembly Navin Shah.
The London Assembly: 20 years of a unique scrutiny model
Twenty years old, and in the depths of a pandemic, the London Assembly is now facing exceptional circumstances. Chair Navin Shah considers what the future holds.
South-east authorities raise fears of 'grinding to a halt'
Post-election rhetoric of ‘levelling up’ areas of northern England by the Government has caused concern among councillors in the south-east.
London leaders in devolution call
Local government leaders and think-tanks in the capital have called on General Election candidates to commit to greater devolution.
