More homes are being built, says Pickles

We have already delivered over 445,000 new homes since April 2010

John Bald: The climate of fear in Birmingham

Doing more, not less, should be the basis of Academies’ freedom.

Cllr Joel Davidson: The lessons from Brent

Council employees lined up to hand over Apple goodie bags to every new councillor – each contained a brand new ipad and iphone

Cllr Warren Bennett: Welfare Reform is working in South Ribble

A life on benefit should be for those in need – not a lifestyle choice.

Cllr John Moss: The lessons from Waltham Forest

All those who voted UKIP achieved was the election of two Labour Councillors.

Council by-election result from yesterday

Labour gain a seat from the Scottish Nationalists in South Lanarkshire

Labour councils boycott welfare to work schemes

What are these councils seeking to achieve by their obstructionism?

Cllr Chris Whitehouse: Challenging policy-based evidence making to deliver Gove’s policies

Hampshire County Council should allow popular schools to grow.

How is your council doing? Uses and abuses of performance data

Councils are required to provide a lot of data – some of it is of value.

Cllr Sean Anstee: Our Trafford result proves that Conservatives can win in the north

The choice was between an unproven spendthrift Labour Party or a Conservative Council able to stand by its record of achievement.

Miles Windsor: The lessons from Merton

Let us consider how to make local elections local