English devolution and local government reorganisation highlight need for PR at local levelAngela Rayner, the Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities & Local Government, has announced the latest stage of the UK government’s plans for devolution and local government re-organisation within England. Six...Posted 11 Feb 2025
Positive statements on restoring the electoral system for Mayors and PCCsThere have been positive noises from government ministers on repairing one part of the damage done to our democracy by the previous government. At the Local Government Association conference this week, government minister Jim McMahon...Posted 24 Oct 2024
Constitutional Commission on the Future of Wales’s report is a welcome contributionLast Friday, after two years of work, the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales presented its final report at the Senedd. It recognises the urgent need to improve Welsh democracy and we welcome...Posted 25 Jan 2024
ERS Live: Where next for English local governance?Following the publication of our latest research report Democracy Made in England, last week we hosted our latest #ERSLive event, in which an expert panel discussed the question, ‘where next for English local government?’ for...Posted 29 Mar 2022
For local democracy to flourish our representatives need the power to deliverNew ERS research finds over two-thirds of councillors feel they lack the powers to represent the needs of their local community. Local government is at the front line of our democracy. It’s the closest level...Posted 10 Mar 2022
Democracy Made in England: Where Next for English Local Government?In the context of the changing nature of UK governance, England remains an anomaly. While the centres of power in the rest of the UK have shifted away from Westminster over the last two decades,...Posted 09 Mar 2022