Agent 151: 2016 is on trial
The past 12 months are in the dock. Agent151 covers the trial of an offender that has left many feeling like victims of a crime. M’lud, the next case is[…]
Agent 151
Top Ten: the most popular stories from Room151 in 2016
In 2016, Room151’s top ten most popular stories touched on everything from Brexit to LOBO loans and business rates to LGPS pooling. Here they are in order of page views. 100 NHS[…]
Agent151: The ‘cathedral of complexity’ at the heart of devolution
The best systems impress with their simplicity. I am sorry to say that there is no likelihood that this will be the case with devolved business rates. The opportunity has[…]
Agent151: Homelessness and the economic solution
The DCLG local government select committee’s report on homelessness disappoints on a gargantuan scale, as it misses, or perhaps more accurately dodges, the fundamental point that the housing crisis has[…]
Agent151: Paddling in the shallow end of tech
Digital technology has made our lives better in so many ways. We can buy pretty much anything and have it delivered to us without leaving the comfort of our armchairs.[…]
Agent 151: Goodbye Mr Chips
James Hilton wrote a novella published in 1934 about the faithful schoolteacher Mr. Chipping, who dedicated 43 years of his life to the fictional Brookfield Grammar School. Although Chipping’s[…]
Agent151: Settlement largesse
You may think I am naïve in believing that the local tax level ought to be something local government is held to account for at the ballot box. This is[…]
Agent151: Anyone for a section 114?
The current tough times for local government will, no doubt, be remembered as the bad old days at some time in the future; but some of us are old enough[…]
Agent 151: It’ll never happen … those predictions for 2016
Agent 151 puts a local government perspective on the nation’s top predictions for 2016 and find conclusions to ease your worries. 1. 2016 will be the hottest year ever recorded. Councils[…]
Agent151: What the PM really thinks of councils
The recently leaked letter from the PM to the leader of Oxfordshire County Council, Cllr Ian Hudspeth, provides an interesting insight into his views about local government. In case[…]
