Localis
Sector braced for more Whitehall interventions
Local government is braced for further Whitehall interventions in the wake of ministers launching reviews of two councils within days of each other.
Creating Powerful Communities
The Recovery and Devolution White Paper must seize on the promise of double devolution to build economic and social renewal from the bottom up, says chief executive of Localis Jonathan Werran.
EXCLUSIVE: Sector faces 'second lost decade'
The local government sector has been warned it faces a ‘second lost decade’ as a new index revealed the most financially vulnerable district councils.
EXCLUSIVE: How are districts surviving the pandemic?
A recent report has revealed the relative impact of the pandemic on districts’ economic vulnerability and their ability to recover. Dan Peters talks to councils named in the research about the findings.
EXCLUSIVE: Whitehall draws up early warning system
The Government is plotting to create an early warning system alerting Whitehall to councils that may be in trouble, The MJ can reveal.
Taxing questions on a flawed system
The Treasury announced a call for evidence on business rates. Martin Ford speaks to experts about the system’s flaws, and whether the Government can enact radical change in a time of coronavirus and Brexit.
Give us the fiscal tools to finish the recovery job
Fiscal devo should work in England to boost growth, placemaking and social wellbeing as it does in Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland, says Jonathan Werran.
Better response to pandemic from European councils, says think-tank
Local government across Europe has been able to react to the coronavirus crisis with greater power and autonomy than in the UK, a report published today has found.
Fresh reorganisation offensive leaves districts quaking
The County Councils’ Network (CCN) has launched a fresh offensive to rip up the local government map as the country emerges from the shadow of coronavirus.
Fresh league table fears
The prospect of council performance being ranked in a league table has been raised again this week.
Free community groups to take on assets - think-tank
Powers allowing community groups to take on local assets should be kick-started to build on the volunteer spirit generated by COVID says a report released today.
Brighten all corners
Better, more consistent and accountable use of the Social Value Act could give communities the benefits they truly need from place-sensitive public service commissioning in the post-COVID era, writes Jonathan Werran.
Four key ideas for social value creation
Karl Limbert sets out four key ideas for social value creation and says it’s time to nuture and grow ‘the trust we already have’ between the public sector and its private partners.
Learning from two different governance systems
With elections looming in 2020, it is a topical moment to think about what we can learn from the combined authority structures and from London's governance system, says John O'Brien. What works best?
Localis hired for fiscal devolution study
The Local Government Association has commissioned research to better understand how greater control of financial and fiscal levers might operate in non-metropolitan areas.
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.
It’s a fiscal drag
If we are ever going to unlock the benefits and freedoms that fiscal devolution could engender in localities, we have to set out what the political problem is, writes Jonathan Werran.
Hopes of devolution framework revival
Sector sources remain hopeful that the long-promised devolution framework could still be revived after a private informal meeting with Government officials about the next steps.
Devolution of immigration proposed to support healthcare
The devolution of immigration quotas to local government is among the proposals by a think-tank aimed at bolstering place-based health.
The chips are down
Diary’s ears always prick up at the merest hint of local government think-tank banter.
