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Author Profile

Owen Mapley

Owen Mapley

Articles by Owen Mapley

GOVERNANCE

Turning more complex council politics into effective local governance

By Owen Mapley | 12 May 2026

Officer-member relationships matter more than ever in local government’s new reality, and the pri...

FINANCE

Fifty years on: Lessons from the Layfield report on local council funding

By Owen Mapley | 29 April 2026

Half a century from the Layfield Report on local government finance, many of the issues it raised...

FINANCE

Financial reform cannot wait

By Owen Mapley | 18 February 2026

Owen Mapley says the finance settlement provides breathing space for many authorities – but this...

FINANCE

Council finances at a crossroads

By Owen Mapley | 18 September 2025

Owen Mapley looks at the progress made with local government finances since Keir Starmer’s party ...

FINANCE

Local authorities are at a crossroads

By Owen Mapley | 21 November 2024

While the Budget increases councils’ core spending power, many remain in the dark regarding fundi...

PERFORMANCE

No magic prescription for performance

By Owen Mapley | 30 October 2024

Two weeks ago The MJ published the IMPOWER Index of top ten out-performing authorities, with York...

FINANCE

Breaking free from short-term fixes

By By Owen Mapley | 11 October 2024

The sector needs immediate support to 'start planning for an alternative to episodic crisis manag...

FINANCE

The public services crisis calls for twin-track approach

By Owen Mapley | 29 August 2024

Owen Mapley says the Government needs to implement reforms 'alongside measures to address the fin...

FINANCE

A new opportunity to grasp old challenges

By Owen Mapley | 12 July 2024

Securing funding stability, public trust and greater collaboration are among the priorities for C...

CHILDREN'S SERVICES

Virtual schools: expanding a hidden asset

By Owen Mapley | 04 September 2023

A recent report from the County Councils' Network explores the development of virtual schools ove...

MOSt READ news

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  3. Reform UK councillors back down in row over airport loan
  4. London's elections: Rip up those political maps
  5. Interim chiefs proposed for Surrey unitary councils
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