Elections
Driving positive outcomes must be top of metro mayors' agenda
Improving outcomes for communities is at the heart of successful devolution and metro mayors must put in place a plan to achieve this from day one, says Kerry Scott.
Whiteman criticises lack of prevention focus in productivity demands
Some ministerial productivity demands are ‘populist nonsense’ more likely to appear in election campaigns than ‘plug material gaps’ in council finances, an expert has warned.
4 wheel drive woman on... voting
Gosh, aren’t elections complicated? I thought you just had to pop up to the polling station and stick a cross in the box and be done with it.
Today’s choices, tomorrow’s impact
May’s elections will be extremely consequential for the local government sector, and the impact of voters’ choices should be examined not just as a straw in the wind for the General Election, says Simon Kaye.
Rayner to be investigated by police after electoral law accusations
Police have launched an investigation into whether Labour’s shadow local government secretary Angela Rayner broke electoral law a decade ago after Tory allegations.
Why mayors matter
Polling shows the public wants more local control over policy decisions, and directly-elected mayors give them the chance to put place over politics, says Paul Swinney.
Battle lines drawn for local elections
Rows over levelling up have dominated the opening clashes as campaigning kicked off for next month’s local elections.
Council chiefs receive cyber espionage warnings
Council chiefs have been warned their email accounts, phones and computers will ‘almost certainly’ be targets for ‘cyber espionage operations’ before local and national elections.
Parties draw battlelines for local elections
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has given a speech in Dudley today following campaign launches by the Conservatives and Lib Dems.
Elections on cyber alert
Ministers have warned this year’s local and national elections are 'not business as usual’ – as councils prepare to tackle technological and geopolitical threats to voting security.
'Victorian era' electoral registration failing voters, MPs warn
The electoral registration system is ‘neither effective nor efficient’ and is disenfranchising millions, MPs have warned.
Better food policies for councils’ menus
Ahead of the local elections in May, and in the context of a council funding crisis, Sofia Parente looks at the levers candidates can use to ensure better food policies are priorities.
Voter ID legal challenge launched
A legal challenge has been mounted against the Government over voter ID requirements for elections.
Officer warning over street votes
Senior council officers have issued a scathing response to plans for street-level planning votes – dismissing the idea as a costly and complex ‘proliferation of polls’.
Time for a fightback
Political parties think the general public doesn’t care about councils, which is why, electorally, they are not on the agenda – but they’re wrong, says Sarah Longlands.
Security costs exemption for election spend limits
Local government minister Simon Hoare this week confirmed key security costs for local elections will not count against agreed party and candidates’ spending limits.
A huge year – but will local government’s voice be heard?
'While politicians are holding the line – that councils have plenty of cash and financial failure equals poor management – there are indications that they know it’s not so clear cut', says Heather Jameson.
Don't hold your breath for immediate funding salvation
Like Liam Byrne’s 2010 note to his successor suggesting there was no money left, an incoming government will have little room for budgetary manoeuvre if it sticks to its declared fiscal rules, says Abdool Kara.
Sunak vows to keep public spending down
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has kicked off election year with a promise to keep public spending down and cut taxes.
Alarm sounded on cyber threat to local elections
Ministers have written to councils to warn of attempted foreign interference in next year’s elections.
