At a time when think tanks have to effectively go into hibernation, the manifestos are a welcome distraction.
With pressure on government expenditure unlikely to abate any time soon, devolution can help drive maximum value for every taxpayer pound, the head of Localis, the leading local government think tank, has stated.
Alex Thomson, Chief Executive of Localis, responds to the publication of the major parties’ manifestos.
Localis’ Alex Thomson writes in The MJ on why a weak government may be beneficial for councils.
Lib Dem Voice and the local government think tank Localis co-hosted a debate under the title ‘What should the Lib Dems offer on devolution in their manifesto?’.
Around 100 could be shaved off council tax bills by 2020 as local government becomes more innovative and entrepreneurial, the Localis think-tank has predicted.
Localis has launched a major new report that explores entrepreneurialism in local government.
Council income from trading will almost treble in value by 2020, bringing in the equivalent of 27.4bn a year, new research has found.
New council-owned trading companies should be given a three-year corporation tax holiday funded by government departmental underspends, a think-tank report has suggested.
Localis’ Alex Thomson writes in The MJ on the role of LEPs in the next parliament.