Archive for Local government
Localism and council funding: today’s announcements
Two big pieces of local government news today – more powers and less money. On the more powers front, here are some of the highlights from the Localism Bill: A General Power of Competence for Councils – in other words, councils will in future be able to do what they think is right for their [...]
“Press conferences are private meetings”
Cornish Conservatives clearly do things differently as Lib Dem Cllr Alex Folkes has reported: [Council leader] Cllr Robertson and Council Chief Executive Kevin Lavery held a press conference to announce the proposed budget. Lib Dem Group Leader Doris Ansari went along to hear what they had to say, only to be thrown out of the [...]
So, what do you make of this graph about gender and politics?
This is an update of the post I did earlier in the year, this time including the data for 2010. Here’s the proportion of local election candidates of the three main parties who were female over the last twenty-five years . As you can see, proportions for all three parties grew in the late ’80s [...]
Southwark Council tries to ban people talking about what they’ve already talked about
Liberal Democrats in Southwark claim the council is £26 million pounds worse off because of decisions the Labour-run body has taken over a regeneration scheme for Elephant & Castle. This figure has been the subject of political debate, it’s been mentioned in the council, it’s been mentioned in the press and it’s been mentioned online. [...]
When good intentions go bad: the Tower Hamlets Mayoral election
There are good reasons for having laws that require local councils to be politically impartial in their publicity work. The Mayor election currently underway in Tower Hamlets has shown, once again, the big problem with the existing rules (for English and Welsh councils). The council wanted to include a 200 word statement from each nominated [...]
Thinking of standing for election or re-election next year? The questions you should ask yourself
Knowing what it takes to be a good candidate and then a good councillor is vital to winning elections – and to then making something out of the opportunity the voters have given you. So here are seven questions to ask yourself if you are thinking of standing in the local elections next May or in a council by-election. [...]
Controversy hits Lutfur Rahman’s Tower Hamlets campaign film
The Tower Hamlets Mayoral election campaign continues to do its best to beat political fiction for implausible twists, witness the appearance and then disappearance of a disgraced ex-Assistant Chief Executive in Lutfur Rahman’s election film as recounted on Harry’s Place. The Liberal Democrat candidate is John Griffiths, who you can find on Facebook and Twitter [...]
Jason Kitcat: update on the councillor facing censure for using YouTube
A quick update on my post about Brighton Green councillor Jason Kitcat, who is facing disciplinary action over putting footage of a council meeting up on YouTube. He’s posted the latest news over on his blog, and it is good to see that he is getting support from across the political spectrum: ConservativeHome’s local government [...]
Knowsley Council refuses to answer questions over its £250,000+ payments for Labour Conference
Knowsley Council has stonewalled questions as to why it is paying for an exhibition stall at this autumn’s Labour Party conference despite not appearing at any other party conferences. Knowsley Council leader Ron Round has even hinted that it may continue to pay for stalls at future Labour Party conferences. This year’s autumn Labour conference [...]
Councillor faces standards censure for posting council meeting footage on YouTube
Brighton & Hove City Council webcasts many of its meetings and makes the footage available for people to watch again afterwards. Cllr Jason Kitcat (Green) extracted from the footage examples of himself asking questions, put the footage on YouTube and blogged about the questions on his own site. He only used footage the council has [...]
