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LOCAL DEMOCRACY

Elected council mayors could be 'discontinued'

By Heather Jameson | 13 February 2025

Senior Whitehall officials are keen to scrap directly-elected council mayors despite a fudged com...

INNOVATION

Innovation: the key

By Abdool Kara | 05 February 2025

Local government is feeling the squeeze. To transform services, it must unlock innovation, writes...

GOVERNANCE

Don't get caught in the bubble trap

By Andrew Muter | 29 January 2025

Professor Catherine Staite and Andrew Muter examine the risks that lead to failures within local ...

FINANCE

Hold on to ethical standards in this time of change

By Nicole Wood | 29 January 2025

In her last Money Matters column ahead of taking up the role of chief executive at Essex CC Nicol...

LEADERSHIP

A manifesto for councils under pressure

By Mark Rogers | 23 January 2025

Mark Rogers offers a set of six key indicators he believes can help local authority team leaders ...

WORKFORCE

Is there a gorilla in our midst?

By Jonathan Werran | 22 January 2025

Jonathan Werran argues that existing local government staffing and resourcing could struggle to d...

AI

Fearing to tread but longing to learn

By Paul Marinko | 15 January 2025

A delicate balance between worries over risks and excitement at possibilities is shaping local go...

IMPROVEMENT

Peers praise 'effective and visible' Croydon leadership

By Dan Peters | 07 January 2025

REGULATION

When an inspector calls

By Angela Holden | 20 December 2024

Angela Holden looks at the emerging findings from the first social housing inspection judgements ...

AI

AI for the People: A brighter future for public service delivery in 2025

By Martin Neale | 04 December 2024

Martin Neale says AI is poised to make a significant impact on the public sector, but he cautions...