Archive for Local government
Haringey Liberal Democrats show two ways to make use of new legal powers
I am currently putting together a new book for ALDC which has at its heart ways that councillors and local campaigners can make use of the new legal powers heading their way under the Localism Act and other devolving legislation. Many of the powers are very effective for getting local issues sorted and local communities [...]
How do you get people to trust councils?
With increasing numbers of people’s minds turning towards May’s elections, now is a good time to dust off and update a post from 2008 about how people view their council… Improving trust in local government is important, and can’t be done just by focusing on improving services: that’s the verdict of State of trust: How [...]
Local council by-elections: the recovery continues
Week by week local by-election results can fluctuate greatly as the luck of the draw over which seats are up adds to the variations in local circumstances to produce a large spread of results. However, aggregated over longer periods the pattern of local by-elections does say something about the state of the parties, which is [...]
Idiots! Idiots! You’re all idiots!
I know I shouldn’t. And thankfully, I haven’ yet. But just sometimes I’m tempted to walk into a local council communications department and shout, “Idiots! Idiots! You’re all idiots!”. Here is why, courtesy of a short speech I gave on the fringe of the last Liberal Democrat conference: (By the way, do watch to the [...]
Free casework software coming for ALDC members
A great new benefit is on the way for members of ALDC, the Liberal Democrat body for councillors and campaigners – access to the CONNECT database’s casework system. Starting early in 2012, all ALDC members will get access to CONNECT’s casework facilities for free (or rather, for no extra charge beyond their ALDC membership subscription). [...]
Bromley Council pulls a controversial novelty with a lollipop lady petition
Tsk, tsk, Bromley Conservatives. There is a council by-election campaign underway in Shortlands ward, Bromley where the excellent Anuja Prashar is the Liberal Democrat candidate. (So excellent, I’ll forgive her for organising a raffle once that broke all my Lib Dem raffle rules.) She has been campaigning against council plans to axe the lollipop ladies [...]
Did you know you can spit on the ceiling in Islington?
Looking through the local council by-laws still in force in Islington, I came across this one on spitting: No person shall spit on the floor, side or wall of any public carriage, or of any public hall, public waiting room, or place of public entertainment. Aside from the loophole which excludes ceilings from this ban, [...]
“Toffs legislating for toffs” – how Cotswold Conservatives fear they are viewed
The Cotswolds were the scene for some of the best Liberal Democrat and worst Conservative local election results in May, with the Tories losing 10 seats. A local newspaper has got hold of an internal Conservative post-mortem: The document reveals concerns within Cotswold Conservatives that the organisation is seen by voters as: “toffs legislating for [...]
Kensington & Chelsea spends £4,100 on sending paperwork to councillor’s holiday home
Out campaigning in the Norland ward by-election this evening (including an, er…, interesting delivery round), I caught up on one of the many ways that Kensington & Chelsea Council has been rather profligate with money when it comes to looking after senior council staff or Conservative councillors. It turns out that Kensington & Chelsea has [...]
Legal action may bar council leader from office – and raise questions about the Electoral Commission’s lack of action
North West Leicestershire District Council leader Conservative Richard Blunt is facing High Court action from a defeated opponent over whether or not he was actually qualified to stand.
