A call for progressives to back directly-elected mayors
Directly-elected mayors would avoid a schooling of internal party politics for city premiers, and could stand up toofficers. Progressives should back them.
Directly-elected mayors would avoid a schooling of internal party politics for city premiers, and could stand up toofficers. Progressives should back them.
Pickles’ council tax benefit reform will disproportionaly affect the working-age population, incentivise local authorities to push poor people out to neighbouring boroughs, will penalise councils of poorer areas and create a patchwork of inconsistent systems.
The open public services white paper has no big idea – its just a jumble of wonkish fads, writes Dexter Whitfield, director of the European Services Strategy Unit.
Nick Clegg, speaking at the Local Government Association conference, promised poorer areas will not lose out from the government’s business rates reform.
Barnet council’s audit committee was held in front of a packed room last Thursday – as residents heard a dmaning indictement of the Tory council.
The Northern Ireland minister overseeing local government has called on councillors to put aside their sectarian differences following a series of disputes.
The Islington Fairness Commission shows there are concrete things we can do on our own patch to try to close the gap between the rich and poor.
Communities secretary Eric Pickles has come under attack from a number of Tory council leaders over the government’s savage cuts to local councils, reports Shamik Das.
There has been widespread misrepresentation of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) in today’s newspapers, writes Naomi Cooke, National Pensions Officer for the GMB trade union.
The data about the earnings of ‘council fat cats’ need to be put in context; we cannot address public sector pay without addressing private sector pay.