United Nations COP26 Climate Change Conference starts: but will humankind change course?

United Nations COP26 Climate Change Conference starts: but will humankind change course?                                                                    By John Brace (Editor) and Leonora Brace (Co-Editor) Please note that any comments left are subject to moderation before publication due to the ongoing byelection in Oxton. First publication date: 28th October 2021, 20:24 (BST, GMT+1). For over ten years this blog […]

United Nations COP26 Climate Change Conference starts: but will humankind change course?

                                                                  

By John Brace (Editor)
and Leonora Brace (Co-Editor)

Protest about green spaces and climate change outside Liverpool Town Hall 15th January 2020
Protest about green spaces and climate change outside Liverpool Town Hall 15th January 2020

Please note that any comments left are subject to moderation before publication due to the ongoing byelection in Oxton.

First publication date: 28th October 2021, 20:24 (BST, GMT+1).

For over ten years this blog has had a focus on Wirral Council, broadening out also into an exploration of wider local government here in Merseyside and the Liverpool City Region.
Continue reading “United Nations COP26 Climate Change Conference starts: but will humankind change course?”

Accountability failures by local government highlighted in report by Research for Action and High Court Judge

Accountability failures by local government highlighted in report by Research for Action and High Court Judge

Accountability failures by local government highlighted in report by Research for Action and High Court Judge

                                 

By John Brace (Editor)
and
Leonora Brace (Co-Editor)

First publication date: 28th April 2021, 05:48 (BST).

The three boxes on the left comprise the PFI fire stations contract
The three boxes on the left comprise the PFI fire stations contract

A 40 A4 page report published today (28th April 2021) by Research for Action titled Democracy Denied: Audit and Accountability Failure in Local Government looked at the experience of those who have tried (during a 30 working day period each year) to inspect the financial records of councils, as well as the experience of those who have asked questions of auditors or made objections using rights in the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 (in England) or the Local Authority Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2014 (in Scotland). The report concentrates on requests to inspect, as well as related rights to ask questions to the auditor and/or object to the auditor. The report is mainly about requests in relation to PFI (Private Finance Initiative) schemes or LOBO (Lender Option Borrower Option) loans.
Continue reading “Accountability failures by local government highlighted in report by Research for Action and High Court Judge”

Is Liverpool City Council in denial?

Is Liverpool City Council in denial?

              

This blog post is dedicated to Ellen Forster (who has started a regular weekly vodcast called Conversations by the Sea) and Anna Codrea-Rado. Both have taught me a lot in a short time and reminded me some of what I’d forgotten.

By John Brace (Editor) and Leonora Brace (Co-Editor)

First publication date: 2nd March 2021, 10:44 (GMT).

Policy and Resources Committee (Wirral Council) 1st March 2021
Licensing and Gambling Sub-Committee (Liverpool City Council) 1st March 2021

Continue reading “Is Liverpool City Council in denial?”

So who’s putting up your council tax in Wirral, Liverpool, St Helens, Knowsley and Sefton and what happened when the Race Equality Task Force reported?

So who’s putting up your council tax in Wirral, Liverpool, St Helens, Knowsley and Sefton and what happened when the Race Equality Task Force reported?

So who’s putting up your council tax in Wirral, Liverpool, St Helens, Knowsley and Sefton and what happened when the Race Equality Task Force reported?

                                     

By John Brace (Editor) and Leonora Brace (Co-Editor)

First publication date: 7th February 2021, 15:37 (GMT)

Chief Constable of Merseyside Police Andy Cooke (Merseyside Police and Crime Panel) 4th February 2021
Chief Constable of Merseyside Police Andy Cooke (Merseyside Police and Crime Panel) 4th February 2021

This last week has been an interesting one, as politicians decided (despite concerns about affordability) to put up local taxes such as council tax for the people of Merseyside.

Thursday saw a public meeting of the Merseyside Police and Crime Panel meet (who are ten councillors appointed by the district councils on Merseyside (Wirral, Liverpool, St Helens, Knowsley and Sefton) plus two independent members.
Continue reading “So who’s putting up your council tax in Wirral, Liverpool, St Helens, Knowsley and Sefton and what happened when the Race Equality Task Force reported?”

What are the new restrictions on what you can’t do in Wirral, St Helens, Sefton, Knowsley, Liverpool and Halton from the 14th October 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic?

What are the new restrictions on what you can’t do in Wirral, St Helens, Sefton, Knowsley, Liverpool and Halton from the 14th October 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic?

What are the new restrictions on what you can’t do in Wirral, St Helens, Sefton, Knowsley, Liverpool and Halton from the 14th October 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic?

                                     

A protest outside Wallasey Town Hall in 2016 - protests of this size whilst the regulations are in force will only be allowed if a risk assessment has been carried out and all reasonable measures have been taken
A protest outside Wallasey Town Hall in 2016 – protests of this size whilst these regulations are in force will only be allowed if a risk assessment has been carried out and all reasonable measures have been taken

By John Brace (Editor)
First publication date: 13th October 2020, 12:46 (BST).

Tomorrow (Wednesday 14th October 2020) further public health restrictions come into force in Wirral, St Helens, Sefton, Knowsley, Liverpool and Halton. The regulations are called the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Local COVID-19 Alert Level) (Very High) (England) Regulations 2020 and are 27 pages long with a 13 page Explanatory Memorandum.
Continue reading “What are the new restrictions on what you can’t do in Wirral, St Helens, Sefton, Knowsley, Liverpool and Halton from the 14th October 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic?”

Privacy Preference Center

Necessary

Advertising

Analytics

Other