The latest articles written by Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen

LOCAL DEMOCRACY

Local elections should be about local issues

By Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen | 12 April 2023

This year’s polls are of unprecedented importance for the district sector, says Cllr Sam Chapman-...

ECONOMIC GROWTH

Giant county unitaries run counter to people power

By Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen | 30 March 2023

The challenge to the new unitaries is to prove that, far from being a distant monolith, they can ...

DISTRICT COUNCILS' NETWORK

Our communities know district councils are delivering

By Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen | 28 February 2023

Independent analysis commissioned ahead of the District Councils’ Network conference is a vindica...

PLANNING

The planning system needs more resources to thrive

By Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen | 10 January 2023

It isn’t so much the planning system that is broken – more the housing delivery system, says Cllr...

HOUSING

Government priorities will not be achieved without strong local government

By Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen | 01 November 2022

Rishi Sunak will be aware there is a hugely powerful case for councils' funding to be protected, ...

WHITEHALL

Trust should underpin all our relationships

By Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen | 13 September 2022

The arrival of Prime Minister Liz Truss and the new Cabinet offers us an opportunity to keep on p...

HEALTH

Inflation's impact is far-reaching

By Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen | 26 July 2022

Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen says that for district councils 'to remain prudent, painful decisions will...

DEVOLUTION

Districts must be enabled to bring their strengths to the devolution table

By Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen | 06 June 2022

As it stands the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill relegates districts to be non-constituent mem...