| LocalGov

A devolution conundrum

16/10/2015

Ben Page analyses George Osborne's latest announcements on business rates and examines whether local government faces a nasty surprise.

Tell the public the truth

10/06/2010

Councils must prepare the public for the impending 'age of austerity'. Ben Page explains how communications could play a leading role

Looking beyond the frontiers to assess who is doing best

22/01/2010

Following’s last month’s Comprehensive Area Assessments, Ben Page considers how well councils are doing, if they remove some of the obstacles to performance.

Flagging up the best

17/12/2009

In the first of four articles on the Comprehensive Performance Assessment, Ben Page asks, do public perceptions of council services match up to the results.

It’ll all come out in the wash

10/10/2008

Is Britain really ‘broken’? Ben Page argues that it isn’t. But it may need some rinse aid.

Soap Box

17/09/2008

As we enter party conference season, with Labour trailing the Conservatives by 20 points and its leader’s popularity plummeting, the Conservatives can go to Birmingham with the odds on at least eight to 10 years of Tory government from 2010. But what

Soap Box

17/07/2008

Last week’s Community Empowerment White Paper gave us the Government’s views on ‘empowerment’. Many of the suggestions were concepts the best councils have already been incorporating for some time.

Soap Box

18/06/2008

When and where were you happiest? I’m not thinking here about your bolt hole in Spain or on the coast of Greece – with on tap sunshine – but back in dear old Britain, where most of us spend most of our time...

Soap Box

21/05/2008

What distinguishes the best politicians in local government? For the last few months, we have been trying to find out, on behalf of the Local Government Leadership Centre...

Soap Box

25/04/2008

Our latest study for the Leadership Centre for Local Government shows just how difficult political leadership is to do well...

Soap Box

27/03/2008

What the public think of local public services will matter more in future...

Soap Box

27/02/2008

Who’d have thought it? After their recent visit to see local government in the North East, a permanent secretary took me aside during a meeting, and said: ‘You know, local government really has changed. It’s really improved’...

Soap Box

30/01/2008

Last year will be remember-ed as the time when the great British public finally woke up to the harsh realities of climate change...

Soap Box

12/12/2007

During the last eight months or so, I have been part of the Councillors’ Commission, whose recommendations will be news elsewhere in the media...

A job for eggheads

15/10/2007

With SOLACE members meeting this week in Cardiff, Ben Page examines the increasingly complex role of chief executive

Soapbox

21/09/2007

Over the last decade, Labour has poured money into poor areas...

Soap Box

20/06/2007

Lord Heseltine’s Cities Task Force proposal is fascinating as an example of how far localism has spread over the last five years, reports Ben Page

Soapbox

24/05/2007

Last week, I went to visit an authority in Blogshire. Blogshire is in one of the best-rated English regions for local government performance, according to the Audit Commission, and indeed, its residents.

Soap Box

26/04/2007

After the excitement of various reviews and unitary status over the last few months, we can now settle down to one of our favourite things in local government – elections. Ben Page considers the issue of turnout.

Soap Box

29/03/2007

Given that every other article this week will be covering Lyons, I thought it worth reflecting on another review which both PM Tony Blair AND chancellor Gordon Brown launched on Tuesday – the Government’s policy review.

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