Local democracy
System reset required: go to settings
As the APSE Local Government Commission 2030 launches its findings, Paul O’Brien says we need a big bang reset to resolve the issues facing local authorities.
Johnson: Bring your devolution plans to me
Prime Minister Boris Johnson called for local leaders to take their devolution plans to him in a keynote speech from the West Midlands this morning.
Voter ID 'colossal waste of money,' says Labour
Proposals to introduce voter ID are a ‘colossal waste of money,’ Labour has argued.
Newham launches permanent citizens' assembly
Newham LBC is launching the first permanent citizens' assembly in an effort to hand more power to people.
Lockdown lessons
The chasm between the rule-makers and the ruled has been viscerally brought to life by differing attitudes to and experiences of lockdown restrictions, according to Baroness Claire Fox.
COVID concerns prompt council to return to meeting virtually
Cheshire West & Chester Council has threatened to ignore the Government edict to return to face-to-face meetings due to COVID concerns.
Model routes to democracy
Dr Arianna Giovannini says Sheffield voters' decision to reject the strong leader model was a 'victory for democracy'. But Henri Murison rejects the case for committee decision-making while Cllr Tony Page argues for a hybrid approach.
Cities are not mere delivery agents for nations
All the global cities at the first 'G7 U7' summit were on the frontline during the pandemic, says Cllr Nick Forbes. 'They all suffered as a result, but our discussion made clear they are also the places most capable of delivering recovery'.
Virtual meetings have boosted local democracy, survey finds
Nine in 10 councils believe local democracy has improved as a direct result of online council meetings, a survey has found.
Heseltine: Metro mayors should make more trouble for Boris
Metro mayors should ‘make more trouble for the Prime Minister’ to deliver their plans, former deputy prime minister Lord Heseltine told an online seminar on devolution.
Solidarity in a climate of fear
In the aftermath of a recent religious scandal involving a schoolteacher, Claire Fox salutes the binmen who, she believes, have shown up how a climate of fear can make cowards of leaders – and threaten our democratic core values.
Former minister tells government: Stop being so ridiculously tribal
Ex-Treasury minister Lord Jim O’Neill has told the Government to stop being ‘so ridiculously tribal’ as it considers the next stage of its devolution policy.
Bassetlaw Council holds a COVID safe AGM
Bassetlaw DC not only met safely in public for its AGM, it also elected the UK’s youngest chair of a district council, says Cllr Simon Greaves.
Community resilience: preventing the breakdown
Governments must change the post-pandemic narrative to avoid community breakdown, says a public health expert. Ann McGauran reports.
Change is in the air
In anticipation of its forthcoming report on councils and net zero, the National Audit Office asked a round table of local government experts hosted by The MJ what they were doing on climate change – and what they needed from central government.
Virtual judgements v real impact
Councils should have the choice of holding remote meetings, not just during the pandemic but afterwards too, says Sir Bob Neill.
Local elections 2021: Look behind the big story
A closer look at the Super Thursday outcomes reveals a series of more complex stories, and suggests a centrally-driven levelling up agenda would be an error, says Jonathan Carr West.
Local elections 2021: The system creaked in the face of the number of polls
There were a variety of problems both ahead of and during polling day, says Peter Stanyon.
Queen's Speech: Controversial voter ID plans roll forward
Voter ID is expected to be introduced by May 2023 after the Government pledged to introduce legislation to ‘ensure the integrity of elections’.
Local elections 2021: The process demands too much of teams
Ian Miller ponders the impact of Super Thursday on the mental health of electoral teams, and says the demands are excessive, even in a ‘normal’ election.
