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”

How have councils been coping with virtual public meetings in the last month and what public meetings are happening locally in the week starting 11th May 2020?

How have councils been coping with virtual public meetings in the last month and what public meetings are happening locally in the week starting 11th May 2020?

How have councils been coping with virtual public meetings in the last month and what public meetings are happening locally in the week starting 11th May 2020?

                                      

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Cabinet (Liverpool City Council) 7th May 2020

Mayor Joe Anderson (Liverpool City Council) Cabinet 7th May 2020
Mayor Joe Anderson (Liverpool City Council) Cabinet 7th May 2020

As public meetings of local councils move online to virtual meetings, after a month of the new arrangements I thought it was time to write a piece about different council’s approaches including where things have gone wrong or well.
Continue reading “How have councils been coping with virtual public meetings in the last month and what public meetings are happening locally in the week starting 11th May 2020?”

Why has the report of the Merseyside Police and Crime Panel into Phil Davies as preferred candidate for Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner not been published yet?

Why has the report of the Merseyside Police and Crime Panel into Phil Davies as preferred candidate for Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner not been published yet?

Why has the report of the Merseyside Police and Crime Panel into Phil Davies as preferred candidate for Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner not been published yet?

                                   

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

Phil Davies at a public meeting of the Merseyside Police and Crime Panel (Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Confirmation Hearing 9th April 2020) from a still of a video filmed by Knowsley Council
Phil Davies at a public meeting of the Merseyside Police and Crime Panel (Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Confirmation Hearing 9th April 2020) from a still of a video filmed by Knowsley Council

Updated 20.4.20 – since this piece was published on the 19.4.20 the letter to the Police and Crime Commissioner and report about her preferred candidate Philip Davies for Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner has been published on the afternoon of the 20.4.20 and can now be read on Knowsley Council’s website.

Following the earlier blog post headlined Phil Davies faced grilling by Merseyside Police and Crime Panel as preferred candidate for Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner post, despite Phil Davies being reported as withdrawing his application I awaited with interest the publication of the report of the Merseyside Police and Crime Panel regarding the proposed appointment.
Continue reading “Why has the report of the Merseyside Police and Crime Panel into Phil Davies as preferred candidate for Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner not been published yet?”

Merseyside Police and Crime Panel struggle to recruit required extra Co-Opted Member nearly 2 years after resignation

Merseyside Police and Crime Panel struggle to recruit required extra Co-Opted Member nearly 2 years after resignation

Merseyside Police and Crime Panel struggle to recruit required extra Co-Opted Member nearly 2 years after resignation

                                                   

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

Councillor Paul Lynch (Chair, Merseyside Police and Crime Panel) 9th April 2020 from a still of a video filmed by Knowsley Council
Councillor Paul Lynch (Chair, Merseyside Police and Crime Panel) 9th April 2020 from a still of a video filmed by Knowsley Council

On Monday I published a piece headlined Phil Davies faced grilling by Merseyside Police and Crime Panel as preferred candidate for Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner post about the meeting last week of the Merseyside Police and Crime Panel. Since then the Liverpool Echo reports that Phil Davies has withdrawn his application.
Continue reading “Merseyside Police and Crime Panel struggle to recruit required extra Co-Opted Member nearly 2 years after resignation”

Councils and other local government bodies cancel many public meetings but courts are still sitting

Councils and other local government bodies cancel many public meetings but courts are still sitting

Councils and other local government bodies cancel many public meetings but courts are still sitting

                                           

Cllr Chris Jones (left) Health and Wellbeing Board (Wirral Council) 11th March 2020
Cllr Chris Jones (left) Health and Wellbeing Board (Wirral Council) 11th March 2020 as an example of a local council committee public meeting

Local councils including Wirral Council, Liverpool City Council, Knowsley Council as well as Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority have cancelled many planned public meetings that were due to take place next week (week commencing 23rd March 2020) and beyond. The reason given by one is “government advice”. However at the national level both the House of Commons and House of Lords continue to sit both this week and plan to do so all the way through to the end of the month before the break for Easter.
Continue reading “Councils and other local government bodies cancel many public meetings but courts are still sitting”

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