This is excellent - I got more from my Erasmus semester than any other The UK must also get better at teaching foreign languages in schools so that more students can make the most of the programme

If train companies really must do ticket inspections on the 7am train in the last week before Christmas, inspectors should be required to dress festive 🎅

Hi Apple thanks but I don’t need a push notification to tell me it is December- let me watch films and eat chocolate without being shamed

The LGC Council Control map, but festive

I am going to finally have to connect my DVD player to my TV It has been two years, I bought the cable and everything

The Chancellor has made sensible calls to lift hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty by ending the two-child benefit cap, narrowing the gap between income on wealth and work, and putting more money into the NHS Coverage of our Budget reaction in the LGC 👇 www.lgcplus.com/finance/budg...

Budget day is finally here and we've kicked off our the LGC live blog - latest updates related to local government ⬇️ Send us your thoughts, comments and musings - we'll be here to the bitter end (or until the biscuits run out!) www.lgcplus.com/finance/budg...

I've read all four business cases for LGR in Essex (for a combination of work and personal reasons...) Firstly I would like some sort of prize! Secondly I've spoke to those involved and written about it ⬇️ www.lgcplus.com/politics/gov...

Instead of the pink tupperware tub with my lunch in, I picked up the blue tupperware tub with a block of cheese in... hoping to style it out as a new diet fad

Today hardly seems like the most appropriate timing for a pro Palestine protest at Liverpool St station

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...