A useful review of government plans to grant mayors powers to build new homes by Chris Smyth, Whitehall Editor in The Times (Sunday 13 July 2025) has set me thinking afresh. How to get locals on board to support change near them . The context is the new English devolution bill published last week that … Continue reading Will Mayors break the log-jam?

There is a podcast series on BBC Sounds called Political Thinking led by the well respected BBC reporter Nick Robinson. Published tomorrow (5 July 2025) the BBC release a new podcast called The Keir Starmer’s Prime Minister One comprising a 45 minute conversation with the Prime Minister. As Sir Keir Starmer personally dominates the Labour … Continue reading Can Starmer meet the challenge?

Reading The Political Animal by Jeremy Paxman makes me wonder if the housing deficit in England can ever be overcome.The task, despite its domestic nature, needs levels of understanding and foresight that exceed the resources recent local history shows. . Paxman may be a cynic but cites valid points. Perhaps the most forthright and blunt … Continue reading Lost cause?

The Federation of Cambridge Residents Associations recently invited Peter Freeman, chair of the Cambridge Growth Company to tell them about CGC’s plans for greater Cambridge. His talk, and in particular the long Q & A session which followed can be viewed on YouTube. It is worth the 2 hours viewing timesbecause the government’s plans for … Continue reading Will residents ever support development?

On 3 June 2025 Jim McMahon, Minister for local government and devolution made a Written Statement in Parliament. It matters massively and is largely ignored by the media and by most commentators who understand the shenanigans called local government devolution and strategic planning. It is absolutely worth the read. The WS sums up with clarity … Continue reading Unreal

Full credit to Joshua Nevett of BBC News (Politics) 7 June 2025 for spotting, investigating and reporting on the new, messy world of town halls and council chambers. Reform campaigned mainly on immigration, according to Cornwall’s new Lib Dem council Leigh Frost. A view ‘echoed in conversations with other local leaders across the country’. The … Continue reading Local democracy, or local insanity?

Not sure if a piece by Melissa York yesterday (3 June 2025) in The Times is good news or a passing flash. It seems encouraging. Talking about the new Conservative Yimby’s (yes in my back yard) activists she reports one of the promoters of a new approach to house building by the Conservatives is Airey … Continue reading Positive news?

‘Get on and Build, the Deputy Prime Minister urges housebuilders.’ This headline of a government press release issued on 25th May sums up all that is wrong and ridiculous about their approach to new housing. How can they believe that making a cycle of new threats to housebuilders will deliver their cooperation, when it manifestly … Continue reading Wake up!

At UKREiiF in Leeds last week communications consultancy SEC Newgate launched its fifth survey of 485 local councillors sitting on planning committees. The results offer an interesting but alarming glimpse of their insights into housing policy failure. Most must be muddled or confused. 92% of councillors report the housing crisis has persisted or worsened; 77% … Continue reading Are 485 councillors confused?

Now we know. If the government understands the broken housing market and how to mend it. They do not. Since last year’s general election and the government’s high profile commitment to build 1.5 million new homes by summer 2029 I have wondered and have entertained hopes. Their flurry of planning initiatives have attracted a lot … Continue reading Big error. Please U-turn.