Recommended reading for Lib Dem Councillors and local campaigners from the last seven days. Been a big week for local government: Local Government Settlement, Localism Bill and the Pupil Premium – so here are just a few highlights:
On the Local Government Settlement:Pickles finds £85m to ease pain of front-loaded cuts (Municipal Journal)Local councils ‘face average 4.4% cut’ (Independent)Cuts in council services to be deeper in wealthy areas as Coaltion diverts millions into poorer towns and cities (Telegraph)
On the Localism Bill:Pickles hails ‘ground-breaking’ shift of power in Localism Bill (Municipal Journal)This localism bill shows Eric Pickles is Hazel Blears in super-sized wolf’s clothing (Simon Jenkins, The Guardian)Localism Bill: councillors who fail to declare personal interest fail criminal charges (Telegraph)
And on both:Andrew Stunell writes… Localism Bill and finance settlement are defining moment for local government
On the Pupil Premium:Dan Rogerson MP writes: the Pupil Premium is launchedThe Telegraph considers the previous Government’s efforts to tackle educational inequality and standards – Labour’s pre-school reforms ‘failing to raise standards
In other Local Government news:Councils get electric car cashGrant Shapps: Councillors being given more powers than ever to become local championsThe Party in London has announced our candidates for the Greater London Assembly
Finally – LGA LIb Dem Group Leader tell’s Richard Grayson what we all think of him! – Opinion: Planet Earth to Grayson