Scandal of the council-owned empty garages continues
Our survey identified 15,875 of them. Many of these could be redeveloped to provide new homes.
Thomas Kerr: The SNP is relying on a culture of secrecy to hide its failings in Glasgow
We need a positive alternative to encourage enterprise. That must include lower Business Rates and ending perverse planning rules.
Barry Lewis: In Derbyshire, we have not allowed the Left to hijack the climate change debate
Adaption and technological solutions must be part of a practical response. Just passing motions proposing unrealistic targets is meaningless.
Council by-election result from yesterday and forthcoming contests
In the only contest this week the Lib Dems held a seat in Gosport.
The local elections revisited: an analysis of results in Yorkshire and the Humber
The straight-talking people of Yorkshire would seem to be impatient with the delays and obfuscations over Brexit.
Gareth Bacon: The ever-growing cost of Khan
He has splurged £400,000 on a beach party in Newham and £10 million on a test which enables Met Police officers to determine the ‘colour’ of their personality.
Judy Terry: Health and Wellbeing Boards are failing to hold the NHS to account
Funds go to leasing expensive cars for managers – while more specialist care for our courageous servicemen and women should be made available.
Shaun Bailey: We need to find practical ways of cleaning up London’s air
Hitting Londoners with a tax for driving when they have no alternative is unfair. More electric car charging points and improved public transport are needed.
Ian Lewis: How Labour lost control of Wirral
Discussions with voters, particularly those who remembered the damage done by Militant to our neighbouring authority in Liverpool, confirmed that our message was hitting home.
Council by-election results from yesterday and forthcoming contests
An independent gained a seat from Labour in Neath Port Talbot. Independents won seats in Tendring held on new boundaries.
The local elections revisited: an analysis of results in the North East
Labour losses was the big story here. Many working class voters switched to backing independents, with the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats also gaining.
Lee Pettman: In Slough, residents swung to the Conservatives – as we campaigned for a cleaner, brighter, and safer town
Despite our efforts, the national picture punished us. The problems for the party are top-down, not just with the leadership, but also CCHQ.
Gary Porter: The local elections weren’t just about Brexit. Hostility to new housing was a big factor.
The Government has committed to building 300,000 new homes by the mid-2020s. But we need to deliver this with public consent.
Jamie Rose: How we bucked the trend in Dover
We took ads on Facebook to trumpet our town’s success stories. It also helped that the local MP is recognised to be fighting for Brexit.
Jamie Bartch: Labour mismanagement in Darlington gave us the chance to make Conservative gains
A much-hated traffic management experiment, called the Haughton Throughabout, imposes misery on many residents caught up in daily delays.