Local elections like no others
With the local elections 2021 fast approaching, voting matters now more than ever.
group leaders
Climate change demands action now
The United States has come under new management at a crucial time in world history – what could be the turning point in the fight against climate change.
Spending Review falls short
Our Independent Group members have been very clear on what is needed from the Spending Review, starting with certainty. Thus, the Chancellor’s statement covering only one year falls short.
What was missing in the Spending Review
At the start of this crisis, everybody in local government heard the same message from the Chancellor – that councils should do “whatever it takes” to tackle coronavirus.
Looking ahead to the party conferences
Following recent ministerial changes at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, I would like to congratulate Luke Hall MP on his appointment as Regional Growth and Local Government Minister and welcome Kelly Tolhurst MP to the team as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Rough Sleeping and Housing.
Test and trace is a joke
As I predicted, test and trace has become a joke in many parts of the country.
Keeping in touch with members
As the summer comes to an end and autumn approaches, I hope you had the opportunity to enjoy some time off after what has been a very busy six months for us all.
Will warnings on council finances go unheeded?
Another week, another U-turn – this time, the botched A-level results saga. And a government that claims to be ‘levelling up’ has proved once again that this is just one more empty slogan to add to the pile.
Riding roughshod over local communities
We finally saw the Government’s planning reforms, sneaked out at midnight on a Wednesday, just before the start of the summer holidays.
Planning ‘does not prevent development’
August was dominated by new government proposals on planning, scene setting for a White Paper on recovery and reorganisation, and the school exams fiasco.