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Martin Ford

Martin Ford

Articles by Martin Ford

Finding more funding

By Martin Ford | 02 February 2021

A flurry of Government grants have been received by local authorities in the wake of the pandemic...

Heseltine highlights devolution 'botch'

By Martin Ford | 02 February 2021

The former deputy Prime Minister claimed the deals process had curbed ambitions in Cornwall and N...

Calls for self-isolation pay extension rejected

By Martin Ford | 01 February 2021

The Government has knocked back calls from councils to extend payments to people forced to self-i...

Labour call for national cladding taskforce

By Martin Ford | 01 February 2021

Keir Starmer has called on the Government to ‘establish the full extent’ of the problem and prior...

Mandarins told of planning overhaul 'outrage'

By Martin Ford | 29 January 2021

The Planning White Paper came in for heavy criticism as two Marsham Street officials addressed an...

Call for clarity on support for rough sleepers

By Martin Ford | 29 January 2021

A minister has been pressed to issue new guidance for councils on what support can be given to ro...

Northampton dealings with football club 'unlawful'

By Martin Ford | 28 January 2021

‘Significant failures of corporate governance’ at Northampton BC may have been unlawful, an audit...

Ombudsman warns over council buck-passing

By Martin Ford | 27 January 2021

Councils have been warned against ‘passing the buck’ in cross-border child protection cases by th...

Lancaster mulls tax increases and drawing on reserves

By Martin Ford | 27 January 2021

Successive tax increases and use of reserves have been proposed to close Lancaster City Council’s...

Guidance to 'reduce burdens' in pandemic issued

By Martin Ford | 26 January 2021

Councils will be allowed to deprioritise some trading standards and health and safety work to foc...