Following recent ministerial changes at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, I would like to congratulate Luke Hall MP on his appointment as Regional Growth and Local Government Minister and welcome Kelly Tolhurst MP to the team as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Rough Sleeping and Housing.
Although very low on the list of sacrifices that coronavirus has forced on people, I was sorry not to have my annual catch-up with local government friends and colleagues from across the UK at the Labour Party Conference.
As I predicted, test and trace has become a joke in many parts of the country.
September began with a growing number of challenges marching towards us – a forced reorganisation, planning numbers that make little sense, sweeping changes to the planning system that fail to address any current problems in the system, the ongoing fight for funding, a care crisis, climate emergency – and all at a time of a pandemic.
Together with a number of Labour councillors in Birmingham, I wrote to the Prime Minister in June, urging him to rethink plans for a new government commission on racial inequalities in response to issues highlighted by the Black Lives Matter protests and, instead, to act now on the detailed findings of previous reviews.
With the prospect of local government reorganisation and an overhaul of the planning system alongside responsibility for local outbreak management, the public sector can be forgiven for thinking it has a lot on its plate.
While most people are aware of the traditional and fine almshouse buildings dotted all over the UK, few know exactly what they are or realise how vibrant the almshouse movement is today.
Local authorities across the UK own a multitude of assets that rely on communications technology to keep in contact with business, customers and third parties.
When I was first elected to the council last year, one of my goals was to set up and run a youth club in my local area.
With a Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) under way, I have been writing to ministers on behalf of the LGA’s member councils.