James Brokenshire
Brokenshire: A man of integrity
Following the death of James Brokenshire last week, his former adviser Peter Cardwell looks back at his achievements during his time as secretary of state for housing, communities and local government.
Former local government secretary Brokenshire dies aged 53
Tributes have been paid to former local government secretary James Brokenshire after he died at the age of 53 from lung cancer.
Where’s the dirt?
As little light reading for lockdown 3.0, Diary delved into the pages of The Secret Life of Special Advisers.
Brokenshire takes leave for lung surgery
Former communities secretary James Brokenshire has stepped back from his current ministerial role to have surgery on a lung tumour.
New oversight body 'dead in the water' without legislation
Sir Tony Redmond’s proposals for a new audit oversight body are ‘dead in the water’ unless the Government devotes some legislative time, a former Section 151 officer has warned.
No going back on audit
Heather Jameson talks to the author of The Redmond Review Sir Tony Redmond about the flaws in local government audit, the need for a new body to manage, oversee and regulate – and what will happen if his recommendations aren’t implemented quickly.
Cardwell’s well chilled
Tongues have been wagging among ex-colleagues of Peter Cardwell after he announced he was writing a book on his three-and-a-half-year stint as a special adviser.
Grenfell-style cladding remains on 243 buildings
Hundreds of buildings are still clad in the same material that led to the spread of the Grenfell Tower fire.
Enforcement looms over Grenfell-style cladding towers
Plans are yet to be put forward to remove potentially dangerous Grenfell-style cladding on dozens of tower blocks.
Council pledges to stop housing residents outside borough
A London authority has announced it is to end out-of-borough temporary housing placements.
Stinging criticism over ministry's double rates error
Labour has launched a scathing attack as the Government continues to drag its heels over resolving repeated errors in the business rates formula.
Councils face more funding uncertainty
‘Indicative numbers’ for the amount councils will receive in 2020/21 will not be published before next month’s Spending Review, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has admitted after it missed a self-imposed deadline.
Herts and Veolia end incinerator contract
A contract between Hertfordshire CC and Veolia to build an incinerator has been terminated after repeatedly failing to gain planning permission.
Brokenshire leaves Cabinet after Johnson arrival
Local government secretary James Brokenshire has announced he will be ‘heading to the backbenches’.
Brokenshire in unitary unanimity move
Future unitary bids will only be considered if they are ‘coalescing around a single option,’ the Government has confirmed.
Criticism over pace of change at Grenfell council
‘Strategic weaknesses’ are preventing Kensington and Chelsea LBC from becoming a ‘high performing’ council, according to a panel.
The uncertainty principle
Simone Hines says that when the variables are so great – e.g. a full business rates reset or no reset – 'it’s still hard to know where to pitch our financial position to members'.
Standards bearer
As communities secretary James Brokenshire launched a review of the local government audit regime, he spoke to Heather Jameson about his plans to drive governance and performance
Can we have both quality and quantity in new homes?
Michael Burton asks: 'Is it any wonder that the public are suspicious of the planning system when they see little benefit other than shoddy new estates and overloaded public services?'
Brokenshire unveils audit review
Details of an independent review that will look at the impact of reforms to local government audit were today announced by communities secretary James Brokenshire.
