This blog provides a summary of the latest policy news that is important to place, including reports, inquiries, consultations, government research and events.
UK Government inquiries and consultations
| Call for volunteers: help shape local and subnational data services | To sign up, please email your contact details to ONS.local@ons.gov.uk and specify how you would like to be involved in the research. | No deadline |
| Local Government Financial Sustainability | Inquiry by the Public Accounts Committee | Deadline – TBC |
| Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Call for Experts | MHCLG is recruiting individuals from a diverse range of science, engineering, and industrial backgrounds to join its first-ever College of Experts. | Deadline – not specified. |
| Innovation, growth and the regions | The Science, Innovation and Technology Select Committee is launching an inquiry into “Innovation, growth and the regions” to assess the role of the UK’s innovation ecosystem in achieving the Government’s mission to kickstart economic growth across the country. | Consultation closed |
| The Funding and Sustainability of Local Government Finance | Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee. As Government seeks to reform local government finance, this inquiry will consider whether the local government finance system is fit for purpose and assess how it can meet the needs of local authorities and service users. | Consultation closed |
Reports from the UK Government and Parliament
| Title | Details | Published |
| Local statistics update | The latest ONS news, publications, blogs and events on local populations, health, housing, and more. | 30 January 2025 |
| Supporting local economies, communities, and businesses | Post Note from the UK Parliament. How can the government help local economies, communities, and businesses to grow and become more resilient? | 28 January, 2025 |
| Labour market and workforce planning and supply | Post Note from the UK Parliament. Managing labour supply is central to workforce planning in maximising productivity and growth. This is impacted by a combination of longer-term and emerging trends. | 28 January, 2025 |
| The role of transport in improving access to opportunities | Post Note from the UK Parliament. There are significant regional and demographic differences in accessing opportunities, including jobs and education. How can transport improve connectivity? | 28 January, 2025 |
| Economic growth and productivity | Post Note from the UK Parliament. Solving the UK’s productivity puzzle is a key issue for the government, following its prioritisation of economic growth in the King’s Speech. | 27 January, 2025 |
| Community engagement with English devolution | Post Note from the UK Parliament. Successive governments have promoted greater devolution in England, but challenges remain about community engagement with the policy and local decision-making. | 9 January 2025 |
| Local Authority Planning Capacity and Skills Survey: 2023 findings | The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has published the findings of its first annual survey of local authority planning capacity and skills. | 9 January 2025 |
| English Devolution White Paper | Housing, Communities and Local Government | 16 December 2024 |
Reports from Academics and Think Tanks
| Title | Details | Published |
| Cities Outlook 2025 | Cities Outlook 2025 has a focus on the variation in wages across the country, and what policy will need to do to raise living standards. | 20 January 2025 |
| The Art of the Possible: Catalysts, Collaborations and Capabilities in Academic-Policy Engagement. | The final report from CAPE summarises the project’s achievements, insights, and conclusions. | January 2025 |
| Access to higher education and regional inequality: who is missing out? | This report from NEON looks in-depth at progression to higher education for young people from FSM backgrounds across regions and local areas in England from 2005/06 to 2022/23. | 14 January 2025 |
| Department stories: How communities are reimagining a national institution | Report by Power To Change on repurposing vacant department stores for community use. | December 2024 |
| Back from the brink: Radical ideas for sustainable local finances | Report by Reform | 12 December 2024 |
| Reforming the local government funding system in England | A joint report from the LGA, SOLACE and CIPFA makes the case for reforming council finances, focussing on the steps that need to be taken to help councils balance their annual books. | 13 December 2024 |
| Devolution and urban regeneration: How can metro mayors transform England’s towns and cities? | Report by the Institute for Government. | 12 December 2024 |
| Restoration and Resilience: building capacity and capability to deliver local services in the South East | Report from Localis | 4 December 2024 |
| Present tense: renewing and reforming local financial governance | Report by Localis | 3 December 2024 |
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Disclaimer:
The views expressed in this analysis post are those of the authors and not necessarily those of City-REDI or the University of Birmingham.