Make archive: archive
“Docking-in”: making traditional governance fit for purpose in a hyper-localist world
More councils are starting to experiment with different forms of decision-making. The emergence of mutual aid networks at the outset of the pandemics – agile, highly local, groups of neighbours getting together at street level to offer immediate help to the vulnerable – contrasts unfavourably with the lumbering setup of the national, NHS-led volunteering scheme. […]
Basic principles of governance for the post-COVID world
In a previous post, we set out four possible scenarios for how governance could develop as we continue to navigate the pandemic. Since then, we have been successful in securing funding for a major campaign on post-COVID governance. This post explores our initial thinking on this issue – inviting comment as we seek to turn […]
Our campaigning work around local governance in the post-COVID world
CfGS has been successful in securing funding to support a major campaign on local governance in the post-COVID world, and what steps could be taken to shift governance approaches to make the public sector, at a local level, more responsive to citizens. This work is running between now and September 2021. Our work will challenge […]
Response to Independent Review of Administrative Law
The Government has established an Independent Review of Administrative Law (IRAL), chaired by Lord Faulks, which is considering whether action is needed to change the operation of judicial review in English law. This is the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny’s response.
Building strong tenant involvement for housing associations
As the National Housing Federation’s Together with Tenants initiative is rolled out nationally this month, many housing associations will be taking a comprehensive look at their governance frameworks to ensure that they are applying best practice and are fully compliant with the principles of the TwT charter. Together with Tenants is designed to bring […]
Statutory instruments, the Covid Act and the importance of pre-decision scrutiny
Recent events in Parliament have provided us with a stark reminder of the absolute importance of scrutiny on the national stage – and act as a useful rejoinder to those who claim that the function has little practical impact. The Coronavirus Act gives Government sweeping powers to make Regulations on matters relating to the pandemic. […]
Our renaming
Today (29th September 2020) sees the Centre for Public Scrutiny change our name to the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny. This change reflects the wider scope of our work and expertise in governance, whilst being clear that we are still the experts in local government scrutiny, with an unrivalled wealth of knowledge and experience. We are proud of our long […]
Local government living with the pandemic and looking ahead
We are in the eye of this storm – there is no telling how or when it might recede. For the optimists, the New Year is when we can begin “going back to normal”. For the pessimists, a date well into next summer feels more likely. But what if we don’t – or shouldn’t – […]
Tim Gilling leaving CfGS
As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the law which brought in scrutiny, CfGS is saying farewell to its longest serving team member, Tim Gilling. Tim joined CfGS in 2004, soon after it was set up. His prior experience involved working in unitary, county and district councils across Yorkshire and the north east. CfGS was […]
Revisiting the four principles of good scrutiny
One of the first things that the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny did when it was established in 2003 was to try to articulate some fundamental principles of good scrutiny. We set out four things that we thought were essential to make scrutiny effective. These have stood the test of time and, with some minor […]