A new machine can provide more effective repairs at four times the speed and half the cost. But highways officers, and the contractors they use, are not incentivised to innovate.
Labour is confident in Swindon. But what of its traditional territory such as Stoke and Hull?
We have seen genuine levelling up being delivered in our constituencies thanks to the Coalfields Regeneration Trust (CRT).
The Chancellor’s announcement about investment zones shows that, far from being dead, levelling up is alive and kicking in those places with the ambition to deliver.
It may be the season of goodwill but many councils deserve a lump of coal after their misuse of public money.
We have Rugby’s Lego Trail, a pop-up beach in Stoke, and Wigan splashing out £125,000 on social media campaigning.
Children in care are denied the opportunities available to others. Levelling up must include transforming their life chances.
My area is rich in ambition but poor in educational opportunity, children are falling behind their peers around the rest of the country.
With new leadership in many local areas, there is lots of potential for bold and innovative ways to save money.
Greater clarity in the tendering process has allowed us to achieve value for money and to back local businesses.
Put simply, it is the “where” of decisions – it helps policy makers to see where, and how, to focus effort, direct investment and encourage economic activity.
Plus: Stoke cuts bloated management. Would Thatcher have approved of £100,000 of public funds for her statue?
The first of a ConHome series this week on Boris Johnson’s Reset Moment – and what should follow from it.
Leaving the European Union presents us with a historic opportunity to create a healthier environment for ourselves and future generations.
There was absolutely no way that the name was changing and, once the media had picked it up, the story began to rip. The combination of woke, dogs and the sheer arrogance of PETA has caught the public’s mood.