Fit for Purpose
'City deals' could be a real step forward
Ministers’ new ‘city deals’ suggest the government is getting serious about devolving power to cities, writes Allister Hayman
Amazing what you find down the back of a sofa...
Eric Pickles tells us that the £250m for his big bins announcement was the result of his austerity drive. Not quite.
Where are the edicts on commmunity budgets?
Ministers refusal to mandate the involvement of local agencies in the government’s community budgets pilots, is more troubling news for the much-vaunted programme, writes Allister Hayman.
In praise of Nick Clegg ... sort of
Nick Clegg was the bearer of good news at the LGA conference. But his annoucements on finance reform fall short of the radical reform he wanted.
UPDATED: LEPs - all in one place
Ministers have to date announced 34 new local enterprise partnerships. Here LGC provides a guide to the new LEPs, region by region, with all the councils involved and the boards of each LEP, as they are formed.
Users guide to new look DCLG
With councils still adapting to Eric Pickles’ bull-in-a-china-shop approach to Whitehall-town hall relations, it’s been easy to forget that our friends in Eland House have also been at the sharp end of a massive shake-up.
Newham wants Pickles in court
If David Cameron was serious about addressing problems caused by immigration, then there is something the government could do: ensure that the population figures it uses to determine the funding of local services are as accurate as possible. Newham council is now threatening legal action against Eric Pickles to make sure this is the case, writes chief reporter Allister Hayman.
Saint Vince's capitulation
UPDATED: 13 April. Vince Cable appears a greatly reduced figure and his weakness is bad news for the regions as it begins to look increasingly like his “department for growth” is unable to repel Treasury’s demands for a ‘fire sale’ of the RDAs land and property, writes Allister Hayman.
Camden versus the roundheads
Accusations have been flying over Camden Council’s decision this week to block the application for a royal wedding street party in Covent Garden by Republic, the organisation that represents the UK’s republican movement. As both a republican and a localist, chief reporter Allister Hayman has a go at refereeing the fight.
Quiet man imposes "high risk" JCP shake-up
While all eyes have been focused on Andrew Lansley’s troubled health reform, Iain Duncan Smith has been quietly putting in place a top-down reorganisation of his own, with a massive shake-up imposed on Jobcentre Plus. But the measures were described by his own officials as “high risk”, writes Allister Hayman.
View results 10 per page | 20 per page | 50 per page
