Opinion | LocalGov


Local elections in the shadow of reorganisation 28/04/2025 Dr Jonathan Carr-West of the LGIU discusses the meaning of the local elections against the backdrop of local government reorganisation (LGR).
Making payment processes smarter 22/04/2025 It can be challenging to find the right software to streamline payment processes. Lewis McKenna-Crisp argues SmarterPay has the ideal solution for councils.
GLL: Supporting a new generation of literary talent 08/04/2025 Rebecca Gediking, Head of Libraries at GLL, discusses the GLL Literary Foundation, which aims to support talented, up and coming children’s authors.
Leadership and HR in local government transformation 01/04/2025 Pam Parkes, president of the PPMA, argues that the leadership mindset and HR are the missing links in local government transformation.
A national asbestos record could prove positive for councils 26/03/2025 With momentum for a national record of asbestos in public buildings, Nicola Dawn, a Partner at Forbes Solicitors, looks at how this could benefit councils.
Managing Lifts in Public Buildings and the Building Safety Act 13/03/2025 LIFTEX 2025 Show Director Oliver Greening explains the changes to lift management and maintenance requirements brought about by the Building Safety Act.
Government push for AI growth 04/03/2025 AI is here and it is shaping our lives and our society. Chris Holmes, Baron Holmes of Richmond, discusses AI regulation.
Is enough being done to meet the 1.5m housing target? 28/02/2025 Jonathan Pearson, director of Residentially, asks if the Government is doing enough to meet its 1.5 million new homes target.
Are you ready for the new procurement legislation? 20/02/2025 Richard Dickins, MD of Social Value Business, discusses the Procurement Act 2023 and asks if commissioning and procurement teams are ready for the legislation.
Putting people at the heart of AI adoption 20/02/2025 Dean Collins, AI expert at PA Consulting, says we need to re-think the ‘people aspect’ if AI’s benefits are to be felt by care providers and communities.
Getting prepared for local child sexual exploitation inquiries 13/02/2025 After the government announced five pilots for locally-led inquiries into child grooming gangs, councils should ensure they have resources at their disposal should investigations be rolled out, says Stephanie McGarry, partner at Browne Jacobson.
Learning from NHS digital transformation 05/02/2025 Justin Day, CEO and co-founder of Cloud Gateway, considers what local government devolution can learn from NHS digital transformation.
The cost of local authority trading companies 30/01/2025 Trading companies provide a model to deliver services under tight financial circumstances, says UNISON’s Paul Bell. But at what cost?
Tackling the ecological skills gap 21/01/2025 Catherine Spitzer, chief executive of Environment Bank, explains how private investment can help councils that are struggling to attract skilled ecologists.
The AI opportunity for government is now 15/01/2025 After Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the Government’s AI ambitions this week, Russell Goodenough, head of AI for CGI in the UK and Australia, discusses the benefits AI could bring to the UK’s public sector.
Councils’ housebuilding rests on playing to staff strengths 07/01/2025 Eman Al-Hillawi, CEO at business change consultancy Entec Si, looks at how councils could improve housebuilding progress by re-aligning their workforce.
The Bumpy Road Ahead: Labour’s great pothole challenge 17/12/2024 David Giles, chair of the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA), discusses the state of the local road system and what Labour should do to help drive improvements.
Hitting Housing Targets: How much Green Belt is needed? 02/12/2024 David Churchill, a partner at Carter Jonas, asks how much Green Belt must local authorities release to meet housing targets.
Social care and the alarming impact of the NIC rise 12/11/2024 The Budget leaves the social care sector alarmed about the rise in national insurance contributions, says Rachael Dodgson, chief executive of Dimensions.
Why we urgently need the Hillsborough Law 11/11/2024 Matthew Smith, Partner and Head of Public and Regulatory Law at Bates Wells, discusses a new law aimed at introducing a legal duty of candour on public bodies.