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Centre for Governance and Scrutiny @cfgs.bsky.social · Aug 22

Exciting new training opportunity for scrutiny officers!
CfGS has launched the Elevate Scrutiny Officer Leadership Training Programme - an initiative to support scrutiny officers who want to build their leadership skills and strategic confidence. Find out more here: www.cfgs.org.uk/elevate-pilo...

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Centre for Governance and Scrutiny @cfgs.bsky.social · Aug 22

Navigating SEND Scrutiny – Shared Insights for Effective Scrutiny.
This free learning event is for councillors, officers and scrutiny practitioners who want to improve how they approach scrutiny of SEND services.
Find out more and sign up: www.cfgs.org.uk/navigating-s...
#SEND #Scrutiny

Centre for Governance and Scrutiny @cfgs.bsky.social · Aug 21

Many councils face challenge in where audit ends and scrutiny begins. Our free online learning event, “Audit and Scrutiny – understanding the finance and risk governance divide” on 30th September, 11-12.30pm will help untangle these issues.

Book your place: www.cfgs.org.uk/shades-of-gr...

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Centre for Governance and Scrutiny @cfgs.bsky.social · Aug 1

Navigating SEND Scrutiny – Shared Insights for Effective Scrutiny.
This free learning event is for councillors, officers and scrutiny practitioners who want to improve how they approach scrutiny of SEND services.
Find out more and sign up: www.cfgs.org.uk/navigating-s...
#SEND #Scrutiny

Centre for Governance and Scrutiny @cfgs.bsky.social · Jul 28

Embedding Effective Scrutiny in Combined Authorities - free online learning event
Date: Wednesday 30 July 2025
Time: 11:00 am – 12:30 pm BST (Online)
Find out more and register here: www.cfgs.org.uk/embedding-ef...
#Scrutiny #CombinedAuthorities #Governance #CfGS #PublicSector #Democracy

Centre for Governance and Scrutiny @cfgs.bsky.social · Jul 21

Check out our featured case study of transition from committee to cabinet governance model, with a bountiful basket of top tips from #BrightonHoveCouncil. Essential reading for others looking to do this as it's packed with learning. #GovernanceChange #LocalGovScrutiny #ResidentFocused

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Centre for Governance and Scrutiny @cfgs.bsky.social · Jun 26

Our deputy CEO Ed Hammond says that developing the right form of scrutiny for mayors means thinking about the system of place governance we're creating as a result of the government's plans for English Devolution.
www.cfgs.org.uk/there-are-di...

Quote: Government now envisages mayors being at the centre of the public service reform agenda – leading and driving policymaking, and decision-making, across the whole place, rather than just having a role in convening

Centre for Governance and Scrutiny @cfgs.bsky.social · Jun 25

We'll be at the LGA Conference, starting on Tuesday next week. If you're there make sure to come and find us at stand A46, where at least one of our team of
- Mel Stevens
- Sarah Fenn
- Ed Hammond and
- Andrew Brightwell
will be!

LGA Conference, LGA Conference, Find us at Stand A46

Centre for Governance and Scrutiny @cfgs.bsky.social · May 30

Mel Stevens, in the MJ: "If the Government is in the business of re-designing our democratic system, then the way to meet the new deficits this system creates might well be in resolving the ones we've been living with for years."

Filling in the holes in local democracy

Last week we saw elections take place across England – although for a smaller number of councils than had originally been planned. Suspending polls in areas that...

www.themj.co.uk

Centre for Governance and Scrutiny @cfgs.bsky.social · May 29

Our deputy chief exec @se13ed.bsky.social says it's time to rethink governance and scrutiny for mayoral authorities, given their increasing power - and because of how they'll use that power:

Ed Hammond: Rethinking combined authority scrutiny

The convening power of mayors means we need to rethink governance and scrutiny in their areas, write...

www.lgcplus.com

Centre for Governance and Scrutiny @cfgs.bsky.social · May 28

Ed (@se13ed.bsky.social) in his latest column for the LGC argues that mayors' place shaping goals mean that there are huge opportunities to rethinking how mayoral governance and scrutiny work. www.lgcplus.com/politics/gov...

Quote: It remains too easy to think of combined authority governance as simply 'institutional' governance

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Centre for Governance and Scrutiny @cfgs.bsky.social · May 27

Our chair, Catherine Howe says CfGS is busy exploring how our democracy can adapt as part of our wider work supporting councils facing this profoundly important moment for the future of the local state.

Read more of Cathrerine's thoughts and about our work: www.cfgs.org.uk/why-we-shoul...

For many of us who have been working and thinking in the space of democratic innovation this feels like a time of large scale change and turbulence for democracy

Centre for Governance and Scrutiny @cfgs.bsky.social · May 21

Ed (@se13ed.bsky.social) in his latest column for the LGC argues that mayors' place shaping goals mean that there are huge opportunities to rethinking how mayoral governance and scrutiny work. www.lgcplus.com/politics/gov...

Centre for Governance and Scrutiny @cfgs.bsky.social · May 20

Our deputy chief exec @se13ed.bsky.social says it's time to rethink governance and scrutiny for mayoral authorities, given their increasing power - and because of how they'll use that power:

Ed Hammond: Rethinking combined authority scrutiny

The convening power of mayors means we need to rethink governance and scrutiny in their areas, write...

www.lgcplus.com

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Centre for Governance and Scrutiny @cfgs.bsky.social · May 12

Mel Stevens, in the MJ: "If the Government is in the business of re-designing our democratic system, then the way to meet the new deficits this system creates might well be in resolving the ones we've been living with for years."

Filling in the holes in local democracy

Last week we saw elections take place across England – although for a smaller number of councils than had originally been planned. Suspending polls in areas that...

www.themj.co.uk

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Centre for Governance and Scrutiny @cfgs.bsky.social · May 9

‪Our CEO, Mel Stevens, in the MJ - on where the new democratic deficits will lie in the new local government landscape
www.themj.co.uk/filling-hole...

Filling in the holes in local democracy

Last week we saw elections take place across England – although for a smaller number of councils than had originally been planned. Suspending polls in areas that...

www.themj.co.uk

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Centre for Governance and Scrutiny @cfgs.bsky.social · Apr 8

Mel Stevens our CEO is in Leipzig for Upgrading Local Democracy today - an event bringing mayors from across Europe together. She'll be part of a session on empowering democracy, examining how mayors can harness citizen power, champion democracy and transform governance so it centres on citizen

Three questions: How can cities harness the power of citizens and
collaborative decision-making? What is the role and responsibility of cities for
championing just democracies? How can we transform the governance of cities so it
centres partnership with citizens and innovation?

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Centre for Governance and Scrutiny @cfgs.bsky.social · Apr 7

After our fabulous annual conference last month, we're collecting all the goodness from sessions - presentations and learning - over on conference resources page. So much great stuff there!

Annual Conference 2025 resources - CFGS

Assets, presentations and reflections from our Annual Conference held on 20 March 2025

www.cfgs.org.uk

Centre for Governance and Scrutiny @cfgs.bsky.social · Apr 2

There are big challenges but also huge opportunities for governance and scrutiny. Our chair, @curiousc.bsky.social opened our recent annual conference by summing up what's required to seize the moment
www.curiouscatherine.info/2025/03/30/c...

CFGS: Opportunity Knocks | Catherine Howe

www.curiouscatherine.info

Centre for Governance and Scrutiny @cfgs.bsky.social · Mar 31

The English Devolution White Paper sets out the government's plans for every area to get a metro mayor and for two-tier county and district councils to be replaced by unitary councils.

Read our explainer on its implications for scrutiny and governance lnkd.in/ev9tPjTG

English devolution and local government reorganisation

Centre for Governance and Scrutiny @cfgs.bsky.social · Mar 31

Our very own Ed Hammond in the MJ:
"Mayors will need to be tested against their ability to deliver as ‘place governors'– as convenors and relationship builders.. it will also mean that we must look at the public scrutiny of this model of place governance."

Joining the pieces when holding places to account

With the Government's deadline for submissions for reorganisation upon us, the reality of the big changes facing the sector has become that much more tangible. By...

www.themj.co.uk

Centre for Governance and Scrutiny @cfgs.bsky.social · Mar 20

Final session - what would make your scrutiny and governance more effective?

Word cloud including honesty, engagement, courage, transparency, confidence, member understanding, clarity

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Centre for Governance and Scrutiny @cfgs.bsky.social · Mar 20

John Denham: “Devolution will not work until we actually have a legally and constitutionally embedded layer of devolved government, which is not quite what we’re being offered at the moment.”

A man speaks in front of a banner Bold Governance and Courageous Scrutiny

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Centre for Governance and Scrutiny @cfgs.bsky.social · Mar 20

Great matrix of understanding vs communication from @juliacushion.bsky.social of @mysociety.org #cfgs2025

Slide showing understanding on x axis and communication on y axis with happy/angry/grumpy emojis

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Centre for Governance and Scrutiny @cfgs.bsky.social · Mar 20

Brilliant quote from Gloria Dawson of Research for Action: “Another local democracy is possible” #cfgs2025

Gloria holding microphone with her presentation in the background on a large screen