What's the local vision and what structures will get us there writes Phil Swann. The government’s much anticipated devolution and recovery white paper looks set to be delayed. According to some reports ministers’ apparent enthusiasm for the creation of more unitary councils is rapidly waning. All of...
Plans for unitary local government need to support wider public service reform – and this needs time writes Tony Blake. The government has reignited the unitary council debate but is local government reorganisation a guilty pleasure? We all know that the discussions distract from business as usual...
By Phil Swann, Exec Chair When I first heard about Betty she was in her mid-80s and lived in rural Dorset. Her husband had died a few years ago. She often got nervous at night, sometimes because of a urinary infection. She got in the habit...