Michael Burton
Michael Burton is editorial director of The MJ
Four out of five continue hybrid working
More than 80% of employees who worked from home during the pandemic intend to carry on with hybrid working, according to a study from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Queen's Speech: Levelling up bill unveiled for planning reform
The Queen’s Speech has confirmed a levelling up Bill will include legislation on planning and regeneration reform.
Hybrid working is here to stay
The end of the nine-to-five routine is driven by economic forces, not the indolent public sector workers of Jacob Rees-Mogg’s imagination, says Michael Burton.
Planning for the new workforce
Hybrid working and chronic shortages mean councils need to radically rethink their workforce strategies. Michael Burton talks to Gordon McFarlane, the new president of the association representing HR professionals, about what lies ahead.
Embedding service resilience in a post-pandemic world
What are the issues facing councils as they return to some form of post-pandemic normality and start to rebuild front line services? Michael Burton reports on a round table debate on the challenges to creating and maintaining service resilience.
Minister wades into flexible working debate
Civil servants have been told to get back to the office even as local government increasingly moves towards flexible working.
A national workforce strategy is needed to tackle skills shortage
With pay likely to remain stagnant and labour shortages to continue, local authorities need a robust workforce strategy with the full backing of central Government, says Michael Burton.
Levelling up: the digital challenge
The MJ and BT recently held a round table debate with nine leading council chief executives from the Midlands and the North to debate the challenges and opportunities from the digital revolution. Michael Burton reports.
Soaring vacancies and declining pay highlight sector crisis
Latest figures this week showing the soaring number of job vacancies coupled with declining public sector pay have highlighted the recruitment and retention crisis facing the local government sector.
Roney: Council chiefs proved worth during pandemic
Council chief executives proved their worth during the pandemic, the president of Solace Joanne Roney told her colleagues.
Bhaskar to host MJ Awards
The MJ is delighted to announce that comedian and actor Sanjeev Bhaskar is to be guest presenter at The MJ Awards gala lunch on June 24 in London, where he will announce the winners in 18 categories.
Inflation threatens council budget planning
The forecasts of 8.7% inflation at the end of the year threaten to dramatically change the public sector pay landscape, while Treasury chief secretary Simon Clarke insists that the Spending Review’s annual increases were the last, says Michael Burton.
'There's no more cash' warns Clarke
There will be no more cash to bail out public sector budgets hit by soaring inflation Treasury chief secretary Simon Clarke has warned.
The dogs that didn’t bark
Little was said in last week’s Spring Statement about either levelling up or inflationary pressures on public sector budgets, says Michael Burton.
IFS: public services to 'feel the squeeze'
The public sector faces a renewed squeeze from the summer due to inflation and higher than budgeted pay rises according to an Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) analysis of yesterday’s spring statement.
Lower paid workers set to benefit from spring statement
Lower paid council workers are set to benefit from a series of eye-catching announcements in Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s spring statement today.
Spring Statement: Household support fund to ‘double’ to £1bn
Councils are set to benefit from a multi-million-pound boost to the household support fund to support hard-pressed residents, says Chancellor Rishi Sunak in the Spring Statement.
Levelling up should take a national approach
The Government of the UK should take a UK-approach to levelling up, recognising that inequalities are not always based on the traditional North-South divide but within regions, says Michael Burton.
Rising interest on debt blows hole in public finances
Rising debt interest has knocked a hole in the public finances before Chancellor Rishi Sunak announces a spring statement already under pressure due to the Ukraine crisis.
LGA's first chairman to retire
Lord Jeremy Beecham has annouced he will retire after 55 years in local and national politics.
