Professor Colin Copus
Don’t make local elections yet another COVID victim
As we have seen elsewhere, local elections can and have taken place in COVID times, says Professor Colin Copus.
In defence of councillors
Councillors are an endangered species, says Professor Colin Copus - and with the charge toward unitarisation, they are likely to be decimated.
Return of the unitary bandwagon
Evidence concludes that the case for moving from a two-tier system to a unitary model could not be sustained. So, argue Professors Steve Leach and Colin Copus, why is Whitehall looking at this option for Northamptonshire?
Fresh results from the Councillor Commission
Professor Colin Copus reveals some of the early findings from the Councillor Commission and explains what local government can do to further the debate
A re-organisation too far
MP Alec Shelbrook’s proposals for local government reform risk destroying the ‘local’ in local government, warns Professor Colin Copus
Turbulent times for councillors
Professor Colin Copus gives an update on the lessons learned so far by the De Montfort University and The MJ Councillor Commission, while issuing a new call to local government over evidence
Business as usual?
Committed localists will keep an eye on the Rotherham result on 8 May for what it will tell us about local elections as a mechanism for local political accountability, writes Professor Colin Copus
Scrutiny: The lion yet to roar
Local councillors not in executive positions need more effective powers to examine local authority business, writes Colin Copus.
How Denmark delivers
Graham Allen and Proffesor Colin Copus set out the Danish example in protecting local government from a dominant central source.
A declaration of independence and a New Magna Carta.
Colin Copus reports on the launch of a new draft code designed to enshrine local government’s relationship with the centre.
