Mark Sandford
@sandfordm3
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Local government, English devolution, national and regional identities. Writing in blogs, journals, books, but mostly for House of Commons Library
Joined April 2022
@LGStudies has published a short article of mine asking where all the UK's local government scholars have gone, and the resulting absence of the sector from policy-makers' perspectives on government, the constitution and public policy
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Following the recent flurry of speculation on whether the Government had the single person discount on council tax in its sights - the Commons Library has published a blog from me Spoiler: abolition wouldn't, on its own, bring in more money for councils!
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because it isn't set by Parliament (?). Likewise, business rates case judgments are pretty parochial, operating within the confines of rating case law. Would a few robust judgments serve to bring business rates into the tax law world and begin to reverse this situation?
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This can only be done once per owner, so this may be a short-term issue...
Allowing second home owners to avoid the surcharge for a year if they put their property up for sale does sound like a particularly bad idea though - has obviously contributed to a sudden glut of property on the market, which is tough on those who need to sell to move house.
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My final reflection - not every question will be laid to rest by a flagship Bill. English devolution has many, many dimensions. Think of it as a cheesecake. Legislation is the base; funding is the cheese; local innovation is the topping. Each is a critical part of the whole.
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I am flattered and surprised to have received a @regstud Distinguished Service Award. I feel very privileged to receive praise like this for doing work that I enjoy!
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Further output from research on international local government finance, ongoing research which I have been fortunate to be involved with. Some useful ideas potentially of interest to government.
New: the 5th report from our unique project looking at how #localgov is funded around the world 🌎 providing evidence, ideas & points of comparison. This new report examines the Scottish system @muldoon_smith @sandfordm3 @AuditScotland @SPICe_Research
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RT @VivienLowndes: Do we need to ‘complete the map’ of English devolution top-down? Or embrace asymmetry & empower local communities to col…
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RT @LOS_Fisher: NEW: Labour is planning a major Whitehall shake-up that centres on breaking down departmental silos to pursue its five core…
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Hello - I'm guessing you've come across The British Regulatory State by Mick Moran? Taken together with his thesis, what you're suggesting amounts to a withdrawal from actual governance
I want to offer a short theory of why this has happened, not because I'm sure I'm right but because I want to test it more broadly. Fundamentally, it's about the structure of the State and how the Conservatives have failed to reform it. /1
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Note no. 6 here - I have been saying for a while it would feature on a list of this type...
🚨 NEW: Keir Starmer's chief of staff Sue Gray has compiled a "shit list" of crises a Labour government would face 1. Potential collapse of Thames Water 2. Public sector pay pressure 3. Prison overcrowding 4. Universities going under 5. NHS funding 6. Bankrupt councils [@FT]
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The pamphlet and draft Bill associated with this project can be seen at May be of interest @adamjlent @jesstud @KLyonette
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RT @JYDenham: Launching 'The Governance of England' with @DLidington tomorrow at 09:30. Proposals, with draft Bill, to put English local de…
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