Author Profile

Michael Burton

Michael Burton

Michael Burton is editorial director of The MJ

Articles by Michael Burton

Give councils the full fiscal tools to do the job

By Michael Burton | 13 September 2017

Relying on business rates alone to replace RSG will require a heck of a lot of redistribution to ...

IFS study casts doubt over backing for 100% business rate retention

By Michael Burton | 13 September 2017

Senior councillors and directors have expressed scepticism that 100% business rates retention wil...

Tax receipts flatter July's budget figures

By Michael Burton | 06 September 2017

There was good news for July’s public finance figures but the long-term picture remains delicate,...

All councils should sign up to peer review challenges

By Michael Burton | 06 September 2017

Following the results of a survey by The MJ, Michael Burton argues peer reviews are critical to p...

Lamenting the loss of local news

By Sam Clayden | 30 August 2017

Sam Clayden looks at last week’s London Assembly report on the decline of local media, and below ...

Birmingham's leader on the horns of a dilemma

By Michael Burton | 30 August 2017

The dispute over Birmingham's bin strike has pushed John Clancy into an alley with one union cutt...

Lord Kerslake urges far greater council scrutiny

By Michael Burton | 30 August 2017

Former Civil Service head Lord Kerslake has called on local authorities to step up their scrutiny...

The Industrial Strategy is cancelled out by Brexit

By Michael Burton | 02 August 2017

Michael Burton looks at the findings of a recent Centre for Cities report and calls on business m...

Declining pay is an issue for both staff and chiefs

By Michael Burton | 26 July 2017

It seems like another era when communities secretary Eric Pickles lambasted council chief executi...

Should we be Keynesian about spending to offset Brexit?

By Michael Burton | 19 July 2017

If austerity as a name is history, if only for political reasons, then its successor, scarcity, i...