This year’s travel trauma to Labour party conference has involved a rail replacement bus to London and no coffee available on the train to Liverpool 🥴

A reshuffle this extensive will have fans of stories about XX number of housing ministers in XX years reaching for their calculators...

On LGC we have the Big Story from yesterday's PMQs - a pledge to give councils more powers to block too many gambling shops www.lgcplus.com/politics/dev...

I have written about what the submissions to the Fair Funding 2.0 tell us via the Lion King, with some sympathy for the villain Scar www.lgcplus.com/politics/lgc...

As part of LGC's Councillors for the 21st century campaign I investigated disparities in allowances Key findings: 🔹 average basic allowance ranges from £18,000 to £5,200 🔹 average the leader’s allowance is £36,269 🔹 24 leaders receive less than the average income in their area

It is not often that anyone, particularly me, has anything positive to say about the social care system... and yet I have managed it (almost) after attending the launch of the Essex Caring Communities Commission report launch www.lgcplus.com/services/hea...

This is fascinating and I have obviously cancelled all my work this afternoon to ask AI Mark Sewards niche local government questions... www.politicshome.com/news/article...

Looks like it's devo bill day today

It is improvised air con weather in the home office 🥵

When I dreamed of being a political journalist I never imagined that one day I would write 800 words (largely supportive words) about a former prime minister's toilet... and yet here we are www.lgcplus.com/finance/bog-...

Strong call from Robin Tuddenham SOLACE and Calderdale for Total Place 2.0 www.lgcplus.com/politics/gov...

For tonight’s LGC Briefing I wrote about the carrot and stick approach to planning reform (and overshared about my weekend) www.lgcplus.com/politics/lgc...

It might be the sun, it might be that I am running out ways to write about social care being broken... but today I have been channeling American rapper Jay-Z www.lgcplus.com/politics/lgc...

Starmer seemed to manage to do that whole speech on migration without mentioning care sector workforce...

Enjoyed my trip to Cambridge last week for a mayoral candidate debate where there were so may signs for a plant sale and not so much evidence of an election happening... www.lgcplus.com/politics/dev...

Feel the need to announce to everyone on the train that I started this last week and need to finish soon as it’s for book club at the weekend but that I’m not some weirdo really into pope deaths…

With just over two weeks to go until polling day I had a look at how the campaigns are going so far (tl;dr momentum is with the smaller parties) and a bit of a grumble about party leaders speaking about things that new councillors won't have any control over after the elections

Just catching up on the Sunday morning politics shows to see Kemi Badenoch on county council elections ‘You are deciding who is going to look after rubbish collection, who is going to make planning decisions, where homes will be built…’ no wonder people in two tier areas are confused

This was, hopefully obviously by the end, our April fool joke... though it would sometimes make a news editor's job easier if counicllors were colour coded

Ministers are considering new rules that would make it easier to clearly identify a councillor’s political affiliation, LGC understands www.lgcplus.com/politics/gov...

I'm a big fan of data (just ask any reporter who I've nagged to make charts) but when it comes to LGR human beings will need to make judgments, consider the trade off and be accountable for the results My LGC briefing ⬇️ www.lgcplus.com/politics/dev...

Really interesting discussion about mayors and their role in economic growth at the Institute for Government yesterday which really brought home just how much change is coming My Local Government Chronicle Briefing here www.lgcplus.com/politics/dev...

I've been through the written evidence to the Commons' committee inquiry on local government finance - this brings into focus that the funding crisis is definitely being felt in the real world and not just council spreadsheets www.lgcplus.com/politics/lgc...

Really enjoyed talking to Gavin Jones as he retires as chief executive of Essex County Council: - reorganisation won't solve sector's fundamental problems - his role as Thurrock and Slough commissioner - splitting children's services as part of reorganisation www.lgcplus.com/politics/wor...

Going through written submissions to the Commons' housing, communities & local government committee inquiry into council finances - and this just about sums it up

Always enjoy the LGC maps showing the latest progress of English devolution. The English devo geography is finally starting to emerge - though still a lot of TBD in the South West and the wider West Midlands. www.lgcplus.com/research/lgc...

LGC's new devolution map is out TODAY - featuring places on the devo priority programme, where councils can't agree the way forward and some 'devo islands' www.lgcplus.com/research/lgc...

There was a big new towns announcement yesterday, only it wasn't quite as big as it first seemed My Local Government Chronicle Briefing www.lgcplus.com/politics/lgc...

Yesterday we learned that six devo priority programme bids were successful. If all goes to plan this means that elections for six new mayors will be held in May 2026 Here's my LGC Briefing on the winners and losers www.lgcplus.com/politics/lgc...

It's Devo Day

Looks like it's local government finance settlement day

We're still waiting to find out which areas are going to be on the devolution priority programme, which means I got to spend this afternoon writing about what it means to be an Essex girl www.lgcplus.com/politics/lgc...

I've been looking at what districts think of the devo and reorg plans being put forward and almost everywhere there is resistance (And for the record, I am not a Trekkie, my parents made me watch it an some stuff just sticks...) www.lgcplus.com/politics/lgc...

In December the devo white paper said the government "expect all" two tier areas to come up with reorganisation plans Yesterday the minister said government "is not requiring" reorganisation www.lgcplus.com/politics/gov... Both can be true..... just

Yesterday's Big Political Event (MHCLG questions in the Commons of course) featured local government finance, planning law, the housing crisis and thatching straw shortages Read my Local Government Chronicle Briefing here www.lgcplus.com/politics/lgc...

Last year's devo white paper means big changes for many places, for the people of Tewkesbury BC however, it means the council probably won't press ahead with a planned name change www.lgcplus.com/politics/dev...

This is quite annoying given that Casey needs to expedite the social care commission if she is to stand a decent chance of having any impact with it

My interview with new Solace president @robintuddenham.bsky.social about the evolving role of council chief exec, his fears for public services and supporting community cohesion in challenging times www.lgcplus.com/politics/wor...

The fun thing about Next sale items taking so long to be delivered is that by the time they arrive I have forgotten what I bought so it's a bit like getting a present 🎁

My analysis of those areas that have asked to join the priority programme reveals: 🔹 42 upper tier authorities are interested 🔷 Could lead to 12 new mayors by next year 🔷 Four potential deals do not need local government reorganisation Read more here ⬇️ www.lgcplus.com/politics/dev...

Interesting to see that Leicestershire councils want unitary restructuring with an expanded city council www.lgcplus.com/politics/gov... Will other councils attempt to fix 'underboundedness'? That could be a more fruitful goal than grasping towards a 500,000 population limit

EXCL: There's been a LOT of chat about local government reorganisation, cancelling county elections and fast-track devo... well LGC has got you covered with this summary of which areas are asking for what ⬇️ Revealed: 17 councils hope to join devolution fast track www.lgcplus.com/politics/dev...

And another one aimed at a local goverment audience, for #lgcplus (£) 2/2 www.lgcplus.com/services/hea...

As a local government journalist I should be excited by social care reform, and as someone who has seen first hand how broken the system is I should definitely be excited by change Instead my heart sank when I read last week's PR - 2028 is too late www.lgcplus.com/politics/lgc...

Some new inspiration above my desk for 2025 💪

Government has kicked off the year by finally talking about social care reform... but it seems this reform won't be felt for at least 4-5 years, so you can see why the initial reaction from councils and the King's Fund is to "accelerate the timing" www.lgcplus.com/politics/ser...

Really excited for Hampshire to be making this move towards unitary councils and devolution. It's a prime candidate for a trailblazer in the South of England. However there's some challenges with geography... 🧵 www.lgcplus.com/politics/dev...

One year I’ll manage to get the filling / pastry ratio spot on so they don’t explode. This is not that year

Ended a ridiculously busy year, with a super hectic week, but great to get an interview with local government minister Jim McMahon to chat reorganisation, devolution, public service reform and more www.lgcplus.com/politics/dev...

New from me in the Local Government Chronicle on why plans for reorganisation - whatever their other pros and cons - are not the answer to the financial crisis gripping councils. www.lgcplus.com/politics/dev...