National and Devolved Politics

Cheshire East faces police probe over tampering of air quality data

22.09.17: Cheshire East Council is to be investigated by police following allegations that air quality data collected by the local authority had been deliberately altered.   Back in August, the organisation apologised after incorrect statistics...

Birmingham recalls Improvement Panel following ‘serious setbacks’

20.09.17: Birmingham City Council’s improvement panel is to stay at the city, despite the authority telling the DCLG that it no longer required its services last month. The council had previously written to Sajid Javid to recommed that the pane...

South Yorkshire devolution in doubt as councils clash over next steps

19.09.17: South Yorkshire’s devolution deal took a serious knock today after a statement from the Sheffield City Region (SCR) revealed that two councils, Barnsley and Doncaster MBC, have refused to back the plans. Though there has not yet been...

Voter ID checks to be trialled in five English areas next year

18.09.17: Mandatory voter ID checks will be piloted across five areas in England next year, it was revealed over the weekend. The move has been taken to crack down on electoral fraud through voter impersonation, which has more than doubled between 20...

Stalled Sheffield devolution to move forward with public consultation

14.09.17: The major devolution deal set for the Sheffield City Region (SCR) should move forward by undertaking a public consultation to be launched next week, it has been argued. Releasing its delayed update on the deal, the combined authority (CA) s...

‘Big strides forward’ being made in Rotherham as Javid returns more powers

13.09.17: Communities secretary Sajid Javid has this week confirmed that a further five functions will return to Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council following significant progress made by the authority. Earlier in the year, Javid stated his intent...

DCLG: Further Yorkshire devolution on table, but must follow SCR deal

06.09.17: Further devolution to Yorkshire could be on the table and considered by the government, but only after the delayed Sheffield City Region (SCR) deal has been concluded, PSE has been told. Earlier this week, a consortium of leaders in the cou...

Leaders reaffirm commitment to One Yorkshire devo deal

04.09.17: Council leaders in Yorkshire have pledged their colours to progress a ‘Coalition of the Willing’ One Yorkshire devolution deal with the government. Following a meeting last week, local authority leaders, including those from Bar...

LGA demands devolution report release as ‘stalled’ process missing vital opportunities

04.09.17: Economic growth opportunities are being missed across England because of the stalled devolution process, which has left many areas in limbo, it has been claimed. Today marks two years since the government’s deadline for devolution dea...

Sheffield launches pilot to make council meetings shorter and more accessible

30.08.17: Sheffield City Council has announced a move to make its authority meeting more accessible to the wider public so that residents can watch and participate in important debates and decisions. As part of a pilot scheme set to be launched in Se...

Reforms to make voting easier for visually impaired people

21.08.17: New reforms will make voting for people with visual impairments easier, as authorities will now be able to use records of voters to assist them with voting – provided the person’s consent has been given to do so. This will mean...

Open the doors of this Powerhouse and let the people in

16.08.17: PSE’s Luana Salles reports from the first-ever People’s Powerhouse, a northern conference shaped around the values of inclusion, diversity and hope. This year’s Northern Powerhouse Conference, the second instalment of an e...

The 2017 General Election: From landslide to precipice

16.08.17: Chris Painter, Professor Emeritus at Birmingham City University, assesses the aftermath of yet another election shock. Theresa May could not resist mouth-watering polling numbers in her favour, announcing an election in April 2017 well befo...

South Yorkshire business leaders voice concern over county devo deal

15.08.17: Business leaders across South Yorkshire have today penned a letter to four local authorities urging them to reconsider plans to push for a pan-Yorkshire devolution deal. At the start of the month, 17 councils in Yorkshire caused a stir when...

‘Urgent reform’ needed around local devolution business engagement

14.08.17: Over two-thirds (70%) of small firms in England support devolution, but more transparency is needed if further deals are to be beneficial for local economies. This is one of the findings from a survey by the Federation of Small Businesses (...