Transparency
Future Forum: Call for relational public services
A relational approach can help councils connect with communities and improve services, according to a new report.
Be on the front foot for housing rules
With a new Social Housing Regulation Bill expected to become law this summer, Kelsey Walker looks at how local authorities can get ready for the new regime and prepare for performance measurement.
New accountability body 'stops short' of Audit Commission reinvention
Plans for a body to oversee the accountability of local government stop just short of re-inventing the Audit Commission, according to experts.
There's much for councils to welcome in procurement consultation response
Councils could look at their processes and record keeping to ensure a smooth jump to greater transparency ahead of a new public procurement Bill, says Peter Ware of Browne Jacobson.
Minister dismisses 'sham' university study
A minister has dismissed a university study on the UK community renewal fund as a ‘sham’.
Creating true value
Local government must mark a decade of social value with purpose driven procurement, writes chief executive of Localis Jonathan Werran.
Transparency – more key than ever in the WhatsApp era
Elizabeth Denham offers five recommendations to help Freedom of Information staff deal with requests at a time when the use of private correspondence channels is increasing.
How to build communities
We need a long-term approach to investing in housing and placemaking that puts the needs of communities first, says Jonathan Werran – and greater transparency will restore local trust in the planning process.
Building forward in local government
Failure by the Government to recognise the great strides councils have made harnessing the positive power of technology during the pandemic would be a significant opportunity missed, says Pauline Yau.
What can councils do to stand up for fair tax conduct?
This is Fair Tax Week. Rachel Bentley says councils across the UK need to lead the way on tax conduct and ensure their practices stand up to scrutiny.
We need to hear everyone’s voice
Apparent attempts to stifle the voice of civil society are bad for all of us, says Dan Corry - and a plurality of voices is a key part of a healthy and thriving democracy.
Local government does a brilliant job in elections
Ben Page 'cannot ever recall a UK election 'like the one Americans are currently fighting over'. He says it is 'sometimes worth remembering just how efficient and effective British local government is'.
In defence of algorithms and their value to public services
Rather than turning our back on algorithms, the task is to make them better and the data they use more balanced and properly representative, argues Andrew Laird.
Leader of 'North Korea' council deposed
The leader of a scandal-hit council compared to North Korea has been deposed after a vote of no confidence at a fiery meeting.
Chief executive payment decisions 'not lawful'
‘Proper procedures’ were not followed and decisions to make payments to a council chief executive were ‘not lawfully made,’ an independent investigation has found.
EXCLUSIVE: Fears over 'watered down' committee replacement
Fears have been raised that the UK will be landed with a ‘watered-down replacement’ for the EU Committee of the Regions after Brexit.
We need to modernise and strengthen the electoral machinery
Professor Toby James says there is a roadmap available that would put elections on the surer ground they require. Thankfully, the norms of civic duty and professionalism are strong, he adds.
The MJ Data and Digital: Digitising democracy
Digital minister for Taiwan, Audrey Tang has brought the openness and transparency she found on the internet to the government and created a system to crowdsource answers to policy problems. Heather Jameson reports
Call for views on financial reporting
The Government has called on the sector to feed into a review on the quality of the financial reporting of local authorities in England.
Provider chosen for transparency code
Technology provider Byhiras has been selected to develop a platform that will ensure asset managers comply with the local government pension scheme’s (LGPS) code of transparency.
