governance
Getting the basics right on standards
Joanne Roney says it is ‘high time’ the Government responded to the recommendations in the 2019 Committee for Standards in Public Life’s report on ethical standards in local government.
Admit when you’re wrong
If we know less and less about successes and failures because we allow denial of the truth and a refusal to admit mistakes, then we will be a weaker society for it, says Dan Corry.
Departed chief had threatened tribunal
York City Council was facing a potentially costly employment tribunal over allegations of bullying from its former chief executive before her departure, an investigation has found.
Council to review Greensill land sale
Cheshire West & Chester Council has halted the sale of land to Lex Greensill following controversy over his lobbying of government ministers.
Campaign launched to reverse centralisation
Local government must ‘turn the tide’ on 40 years in which its autonomy has been eroded, a new report has concluded.
Now is the time to retain remote meetings
Parliamentary time was found for flags and statues, says Cllr Brigid Jones. For virtual meetings ‘I’m sure the safety of 20,000 councillors can’t be much further down the priority list’, she adds.
How to help statutory officers do their duties
Clare Hardy looks at how councils can involve statutory officers effectively in decision-making and help avoid the need to issue section 5 or section 114 reports.
A philosophy of complaints
Nick Graham looks at whether ‘honour cultures’ might teach us more effective methods of resolving disputes – and outlines practical ways to foster an honour-based approach.
Good luck Liverpool
Intervention can be the best thing that happens to a council, ‘and can serve only to define the past not the future’, says Jo Miller. But the cause of the failure must be recognised and the right series of actions taken, she believes.
Meet the new breed of sustainable bonds
UK local authorities are well placed to access the capital markets through Envrionmental, Social and Governance bonds, and the range of projects they can fund is vast, says Christian Wall.
Liverpool Labour and the wider party should never have let this happen
After Max Caller's 'shocking' report on Liverpool City Council, Labour needs to make a case for good governance, and let go of its centralising tendencies, says Emma Burnell.
Liverpool looks to the future
Chief executive of Liverpool City Council Tony Reeves talks to Heather Jameson about the damning Caller report that followed the arrest of former Mayor Joe Anderson, and insists the council is addressing its weaknesses.
Financial collapse at Croydon could have been avoided
Chances to avert the council’s current financial plight were missed, its leader has admitted.
Jenrick steps in at 'dysfunctional' Liverpool
Commissioners will be sent in to Liverpool City Council after an independent inquiry found serious mismanagement and a dysfunctional culture, communities secretary Robert Jenrick has told Parliament.
Risks with council-owned companies
A clear, systematic framework is needed that underpins arrangements for overseeing and engaging with their companies to ensure councils’ interests are safeguarded, says chief executive of Local Partnerships Sean Hanson.
What can be learnt from the recent Public Interest Reports?
Paul Dossett of Grant Thornton UK considers the key lessons for local government that have emerged from the recent Public Interest Reports.
Councils should not 'overly collude' with 'flagellation' on governance
Councils should not ‘overly collude’ with the ‘flagellation that sometimes comes from the centre’ on their state of governance, according to a London borough chief executive.
LGA urges rethink on virtual meetings
The Local Government Association’s chairman has urged ministers to pave the way for virtual council meetings to continue after the local elections.
Damaging democracy through codes of conduct
Colin Copus makes the case for codes of conduct for councillors to be localised rather than nationalised, and says only voters should be able to remove members from office.
A toolkit for good governance
Launched this week, a new framework for examining complex local governance challenges focused on behaviours and culture provides a ‘common language’ to talk about risk, says Lord Bob Kerslake.
