Jack Shaw
@JackTShaw
Policy Fellow at The Productivity Institute and Affiliated Researcher at the Bennett Institute for Public Policy
The development of new towns in England presents a strategic opportunity to advance the Government’s missions. Aligning them with infrastructure investment and local growth strategies is essential to maximise their economic impact. For @TPIProductivity: productivity.ac.uk/news/new-towns…
According to @TheMJcouk, Hillingdon has confirmed that it is engaging with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government about Exceptional Financial Support for 2025-26. If agreed, it'll be the eighth authority in London to do so.
This is really interesting. As part of YouGov's survey of 101 Civil Servants, 43 per cent take the view that it's "too risk averse and closed to new ideas":

On Friday the Government published its evaluation of the £4.8 billion Levelling Up Fund - announced in the 2020 Spending Review. It concludes that 95 per cent "were delayed, relative to the timeline envisaged". gov.uk/government/pub…
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has confirmed that the Indices of Multiple Deprivation 2025 will be published in October or November. It has been suggested that it'll be included in the Local Government Finance Settlement.
Plymouth votes against a city Mayor - narrowly. They will stick with the Leader and Cabinet model. There was a 19.1 per cent turnout and 52 per cent supported the status quo while 48 per cent supported a new Mayor.
Agree with Re:State that some of our strategic authorities are too small. As we've seen in the North East, and may see in the West of England, some of them will increase in size through ad hoc mergers. This is the key chart in the report:
1/ Great to have 'Go big or go home' out in the world today! Quick thread below on the idea, the argument, and the context 🧵👇
An 'Innovation Squad' will be sent into nine local authorities as part of the Cabinet Office Test, Learn and Grow Programme. Could the principle of the Power to Innovate enshrined in the Education Act be an alternative for authorities navigating difficult policy challenges?
There are now 108 local authorities where Reform have Councillors - equivalent to 34 per cent of all authorities in England.
One to watch: the Commissioners model is under scrutiny as residents in Birmingham are taking legal action against the authoriry after Commissioners allegedly blocked Councillors from 'calling in' a decision to close facilities for vulnerable adults. theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/j…
I'm on leave so I missed the launch, but @TPIProductivity's new publication on UK productivity is worth reading. I enjoyed being a discussant for @TimLeunig in his chapter on why we should invest in roads (I prefer public transport in northern England).productivity.ac.uk/research/joini…
Want to understand the difference between Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities and Mayoral Strategic Authorities? Or Combined Foundation Strategic Authorities and Single Foundation Strategic Authorities? See this explainer of the Devolution Framework:gov.uk/government/pub…
One significant change in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill is that Mayors and Police and Crime Commissioners will be elected via Supplementary Vote. That was the case until May 2024, when the Conservatives changed it to FPTP in the Elections Act in 2022.
Cumberland and Westmorland authorities want the Mayoral Election to be paused for 12 months and held alongside their elections, as doing so would save them an estimated £1 million: itv.com/news/border/20…
The English Devolution and Comminity Empowerment Bill has been published: bills.parliament.uk/bills/4002
The Senedd approved the Visitor Accommodation Bill this week, meaning that Welsh local authorities are entitled to raise revenue of up to £1.30 per person per night from 2027. The rate is set by the Senedd. The UK Government should follow suit. gov.wales/VisitorLevy
I'd missed this from the National Audit Office: the Department for Education estimates that 43 per cent of local authorities have Dedicated Schools Grant deficits that are higher than their estimated reserves in March 2026.

That a majority of Brits hold the view that Britain never left or is returning to austerity highlights the scale of the challenge facing the Government. Its focus on the structural challenges is the right one, but the public are seeking a better tomorrow:
