Policy
Government waters down devolution framework plans
Hopes are fading that the Government’s devolution framework will jump-start the agenda when it is finally published.
Northern Irish councils' devolution call
The time is now right to extend the responsibilities of local government in Northern Ireland through greater devolution from Stormont, a new report said today.
EXCLUSIVE: Doubts raised over local industrial strategies rollout
Concerns have been raised over the future of local industrial strategies, amid fears Whitehall will fail to push the policy further than just a few urban areas.
Joined up policy? Leaf it out
As an architect of Brexit, Michael Gove has a knack for knowing when to exploit an opportunity – that woeful and failed leadership bid aside, obviously.
Mayors renew skills call
England’s directly-elected regional mayors today renewed their call on the Government for greater devolution of powers and funding over skills.
Grenfell council leader pays tribute
Kensington & Chelsea RLBC’s leader has praised the families affected and paid tribute to those who died a year on from the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
Council 'cliff edge' warning
Councils could face a ‘cliff edge’ if assessments of relative needs are fixed for five years and then reset under a new finance model.
Brokenshire appoints Booth-Smith as SpAd
Localis chief executive Liam Booth-Smith has been appointed as a special adviser to local government secretary James Brokenshire.
LGA in homes warning
Up to 165,000 homes could be built without council support if the Government ploughs ahead with controversial planning policy changes, town halls warned today.
EXCLUSIVE: Ministry considers Right to Buy rule change
Ministers are considering changes to the use of Right to Buy (RtB) receipts amid claims current rules are a ‘shameful cash grab’ by the Government.
Sector piles pressure on Government over EU funding
Pressure is mounting for an overhaul of how EU funding is distributed when it is replaced post-Brexit.
Dawes: MHCLG could improve Whitehall engagement
Marsham Street’s most senior civil servant has admitted the department could be more structured in its engagement with the rest of Whitehall.
Localis chief to step down
Chief executive of local government think-tank Localis, Liam Booth-Smith, is to step down to take up a position as director of policy at Policy Exchange.
Call for a radical rethink on the generational divide
Radical changes to housing, council and inheritance tax and pensions are needed to end the unfair ‘generational’ divide, according to a major think-tank.
Future Forum: STPs not one-size-fits-all
A top NHS chief has questioned the direction of travel, accountability and boundaries of sustainability and transformation partnerships (STPs).
Future Forum: Councils to face more legal challenges from NHS
Health bosses are likely to launch more legal challenges in the future as funding pressures continue to grow, a policy expert has predicted.
EXCLUSIVE: Whitehall grabs £875m Right to Buy receipts
Labour has demanded immediate Right to Buy (RTB) reforms after figures obtained by The MJ revealed the amount councils lose to Whitehall under the regime.
Workforce pay parity could undermine integration - Green
The integration of NHS and care services could be undermined by a lack of progress on workforce pay parity, the chief executive of Care England warned today.
Labour in 'monumental effort' to boost northern productivity
Labour’s shadow Treasury team has announced it will fund a ‘monumental effort’ to boost productivity in northern England, including a £250bn transport and infrastructure programme.
Government back to drawing board on Fair Deal
Whitehall remains committed to introducing the Fair Deal policy into the local government pension scheme (LGPS) despite ditching draft regulations.