Queens Speech
Queen’s Speech: ‘levelling up’ let down
Sir Stephen Houghton says we must not see blame being levelled on those areas who are not able to meet the levelling up mission targets – 'when it is in fact that local areas are not being given a penny by the Government to be able to reach them'.
Thick document; thin vision
Dr Jonathan Carr-West says it’s not that the measures in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill are bad in and of themselves, but it feels like a missed opportunity to ask bigger questions about the function and form of local government.
Government to strengthen community role in planning
The Government has made clear it intends to strengthen the role of communities in new planning legislation.
Arithmetic matters
The new director of IPPR North, Zoë Billingham, speaks to Ann McGauran about taking on the role at a time of political and economic turmoil, and gives her verdict on how the Government’s flagship levelling up policy is shaping up.
Cost of living crisis loomed large at The MJ Forum
Heather Jameson says it was clear from The MJ Future Forum that the sector is facing a massive agenda. 'But what is perhaps more of a surprise is how little the Queen’s Speech addressed the main issues and captured the zeitgeist of the forum.
Boring not bad
Sir Bob Neill says this wasn’t a Queen’s Speech packed with surprises, ‘but if dull means getting the job done, let’s welcome the dull’.
Gove ditches 300,000 homes target
Levelling up secretary Michael Gove has ditched his targets to build 300,000 homes in year in a bid to get public support for developments.
The first steps towards fixing a damaged system?
Local government will still be left to pick up the pieces of the cost of living crisis that the Queen’s Speech has failed to address, says Heather Jameson. There needs to be a new plan to make public services fit for purpose.
Queen's Speech: Business rates set for overhaul
It has been confirmed a ‘Non-Domestic Rating Bill’ will form part of the agenda during the next Parliamentary session.
Queen's Speech: Government plans to boost tenants rights
Two separate housing bills in the Queen’s Speech set out the Government plans to tackle tenants rights improve the private rented sector.
Queen's Speech: Government brings back measures to stop protestors 'locking on'
Boris Johnson’s government will bring back measures thrown out by the House of Lords in January to stop protesters ‘locking on’ to infrastructure.
Queen's Speech: Levelling up bill unveiled for planning reform
The Queen’s Speech has confirmed a levelling up Bill will include legislation on planning and regeneration reform.
Queen's Speech unveils plans to 'drive growth'
The Government has unveiled a Queen’s Speech to boost the economy, with plans to reform business rates finally coming to Parliament.
Queen's Speech: New measures to raise education standards
Local authorities will have a new duty to provide support to home-schooling families under new measures to reform education.
Queen’s Speech: Mental health laws to be overhauled
Government will reform mental health laws to make it harder to detain people and to stop the disproportionate use of the laws against BAME communities.
Appetite for construction?
The Levelling Up department’s wish to see a council housebuilding revolution will require an increase in capacity, but also political confidence and professional leadership for managing risk and finance, writes Jonathan Werran.
New Bill to put beauty at the heart of planning, says Gove
The Queen’s Speech is set to include a new bill to revamp planning and kick start housebuilding, levelling up secretary Michael Gove has revealed.
Councils must lead the way in raising standards across social housing
The Social Housing White Paper should be welcomed as a chance to renew council housing’s purpose of providing people with the highest possible standard of living, say Jamie Carswell and Joanne Drew.
We are getting warmer on climate change
The Government needs to apply the same problem solving to climate change as it has to tackling the pandemic, says Kathy O'Leary.
A nuanced approach to levelling up is needed
As Nicola Beach becomes the chair of the Association of County Chief Executives, she looks at the challenges ahead.