Mark Sandford
LightNews LightNews
marksandford.bsky.social
Mark Sandford
@marksandford.bsky.social
610 followers 68 following 170 posts

Local and regional government, funding issues, national and regional identity; mostly writing for the House of Commons Library but elsewhere too. Occasional attempts at folk music, cycling, making food

Videos

Mark Sandford is a Canadian international lawn bowler.

Source: Wikipedia
Political science 54%
Economics 19%
Posts Replies Media Videos

marksandford.bsky.social
Mark Sandford @marksandford.bsky.social · 1d
What's a 'tourist tax' or 'visitor levy', how does it work, what are the options for England? See some background here commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-bri...
Tourist taxes: policy and debates
A briefing about transient visitor levies or 'tourist taxes', including information on plans for the introduction of tourist taxes in Scotland and Wales.
commonslibrary.parliament.uk

Reposted by Mark Sandford

conunitucl.bsky.social
UCL Constitution Unit @conunitucl.bsky.social · 1d
This edition includes contributions from Dave Busfield-Birch, Tom Fleming, Jim Gallagher, Robert Hazell, @rowaninlondon.bsky.social, @lisajames.bsky.social, @hannahkelly.bsky.social, @alanrenwick.bsky.social, Meg Russell, @marksandford.bsky.social, @paulsilk.bsky.social and @alanwhysall.bsky.social.

marksandford.bsky.social
Mark Sandford @marksandford.bsky.social · 6d
This is really interesting, JP. Any thoughts as to why Rotherham's productivity started climbing in 2021 specifically? I know that's around the time that the mayoralty got full powers but I'd be loath to claim a direct association...

Reposted by Mark Sandford

jpspencer.bsky.social
JP Spencer @jpspencer.bsky.social · 6d
Read more about the rise of Rotherham and South Yorkshire’s economy in the new post below.

futurenorth.substack.com/p/what-lies-...

6/6
What lies behind the rise of Rotherham?
Understanding the economy of South Yorkshire - and what the future might hold
futurenorth.substack.com

marksandford.bsky.social
Mark Sandford @marksandford.bsky.social · 7d
Delighted to discover that Dick Advocaat is the coach of Curacao's men's football team. Nominative determinism lives!

marksandford.bsky.social
Mark Sandford @marksandford.bsky.social · 9d
What does a tourist tax look like? For information about what has been done in Scotland and Wales, see commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-bri...
Tourist taxes: policy and debates
A briefing about transient visitor levies or 'tourist taxes', including information on plans for the introduction of tourist taxes in Scotland and Wales.
commonslibrary.parliament.uk

marksandford.bsky.social
Mark Sandford @marksandford.bsky.social · 9d
Tourist tax may be introduced via English Devolution Bill, says The Times: www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
Rachel Reeves may allow tourism tax, increasing the price of staycation
The chancellor is expected to announce in the budget that mayors will be given sweeping powers to raise taxes by charging visitors a levy on an overnight stay
www.thetimes.com

Reposted by Andrew Scott, Tim Bale, Mark Sandford

monkemma.bsky.social
Emma Monk @monkemma.bsky.social · 10d
I was tagged and asked to take a look at this claim - cos, well just look at it!🙄

Does it seem plausible that THE Trocadero is going to be turned into a Mosque?

It was pretty easy to debunk but I decided to do a deep dive into the reality AND the appalling press coverage

🧵
1/26

Reposted by Mark Sandford, Gary Sheffield

dannyshaw.bsky.social
Danny Shaw @dannyshaw.bsky.social · 13d
BREAKING Home Office is about to announce that police and crime commissioners are to be scrapped..
Established in 2012 by Theresa May, Labour has never been a fan of the PCC system…they’ll be replaced in 2028 by policing mayors & local policing boards ..

marksandford.bsky.social
Mark Sandford @marksandford.bsky.social · 21d
I would like to put on record my thanks to the late Professor John Stewart, who encouraged me to write something in this space several years ago. Only just found the time and the excuse: the English Devolution Bill is making some changes to these matters commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-bri...

marksandford.bsky.social
Mark Sandford @marksandford.bsky.social · 21d
When do UK councils and parliaments need a two-thirds majority, or another proportion that isn't a 'simple' majority, to do something? New House of Commons Library publication on supermajorities commonslibrary.parliament.uk/supermajorit... #devolution #mayors
Supermajorities in UK government
Certain decisions in combined authorities, and in the devolved parliaments, require supermajorities (a higher threshold than a simple majority.)
commonslibrary.parliament.uk

marksandford.bsky.social
Mark Sandford @marksandford.bsky.social · 22d
4) Add a government share of council tax. I've assumed above that a rise in revenue would go to councils, but some authorities (counties, police, mayors) already take a share (a 'precept'). If the money is needed for Government priorities could they take a precept too?

marksandford.bsky.social
Mark Sandford @marksandford.bsky.social · 22d
3) A separate mansion tax. Likely not a runner. Anticipate long delays due to legal challenges over valuation, second homes, etc. Should values be based on 1991, like council tax, or on a more recent date? If the latter, why not revalue everywhere? Etc.

marksandford.bsky.social
Mark Sandford @marksandford.bsky.social · 22d
This can be done very quickly, by an Order in Parliament. The Scottish Government has done this twice in the last decade, raising the band ratios for bands E, F, G and H.
The effects would - time permitting - feed through to the review of council funding that is due to take effect in April.

marksandford.bsky.social
Mark Sandford @marksandford.bsky.social · 22d
2) Adjust the band ratios. Currently, in any given council, the council tax bills in different bands are in fixed ratios. So a band H bill is always double a band D bill, for instance.
However, this could be changed so that, for instance, a band H bill is 3x a band D bill

marksandford.bsky.social
Mark Sandford @marksandford.bsky.social · 22d
That points towards doing a full revaluation. That would take a long time, thus increasing the time for argument over what new bands should look like, and also creating more delay before councils actually see any extra funding from this source

marksandford.bsky.social
Mark Sandford @marksandford.bsky.social · 22d
1) Add extra bands - I, J, K etc - and charge them higher rates.
BUT to put properties in those higher bands you really need to check all properties. You can't assume that properties that belong in higher bands - however defined - are all currently in (say) bands G and H

marksandford.bsky.social
Mark Sandford @marksandford.bsky.social · 22d
So how exactly do you go about changing #counciltax in order to obtain more money from valuable properties?

marksandford.bsky.social
Mark Sandford @marksandford.bsky.social · 22d
It's also very bizarre constitutionally to permit MPs any form of say over local spending decisions, although it might sound intuitive. MPs have never had decision-making rights of this sort. The only precedent is the predecessors of this funding programme under the Johnson/Sunak administrations.
oldtrotter.bsky.social David Higham @oldtrotter.bsky.social · 22d
This won’t be the big thing everyone’s talking about today, but shows how little ministers believe in empowering English local government. Ministers decide where funding goes and MPs want a say in how it’s spent. Local government as delivery agents rather than instruments of local democracy.
Labour to stop Reform councils taking credit for deprivation cash
The Pride in Place fund offers up to £20 million to be allocated by respected local figures — but Labour MPs fear Nigel Farage’s influence and want a greater role
www.thetimes.com

Reposted by Mark Sandford

oldtrotter.bsky.social
David Higham @oldtrotter.bsky.social · 22d
This won’t be the big thing everyone’s talking about today, but shows how little ministers believe in empowering English local government. Ministers decide where funding goes and MPs want a say in how it’s spent. Local government as delivery agents rather than instruments of local democracy.
Labour to stop Reform councils taking credit for deprivation cash
The Pride in Place fund offers up to £20 million to be allocated by respected local figures — but Labour MPs fear Nigel Farage’s influence and want a greater role
www.thetimes.com

marksandford.bsky.social
Mark Sandford @marksandford.bsky.social · 23d
Council tax raid? www.ft.com/content/8fce... Is it possible to raise taxes on 'expensive homes' through the council tax system without a revaluation? Many 'expensive homes' will have been below bands G and H 35 years ago...
Rachel Reeves plans Budget tax raid on expensive homes
UK chancellor predicted to plump for ‘least worst option’ of creating higher council tax bands in England
www.ft.com

marksandford.bsky.social
Mark Sandford @marksandford.bsky.social · 23d
www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/c...

There are - very initial - signs that sub-national government in England is on this track: collaboration, integrated funding, local innovation. Can these lead to real change in governance practices?
Neglected Solutions to Our Biggest Problems
Dani Rodrik argues that we already have the tools we need to address the world's biggest economic challenges.
www.project-syndicate.org

Reposted by Dani Rodrik

marksandford.bsky.social
Mark Sandford @marksandford.bsky.social · 23d
Sub-national experimentation hailed by Dani Rodrik:

"in advanced and developing economies alike, there are many subnational experiments in which partnerships between government agencies and the private sector or civic groups are delivering meaningful economic transformations."

marksandford.bsky.social
Mark Sandford @marksandford.bsky.social · 29d
Woking to have £500m of debt repaid as part of reorganisation questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-stat... That is a lot bigger commitment than I expected, raises prospect of moral hazard, but likely unavoidable in the circumstances
Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament
Information from UK Parliament on written questions & answers, written statements and daily reports.
questions-statements.parliament.uk

marksandford.bsky.social
Mark Sandford @marksandford.bsky.social · Oct 24
Exactly this. One could also look at the 50% turnout - up from 43% *at the last all-out Assembly election* - and conclude that greater party competitiveness is revitalising political participation!
robfordmancs.bsky.social Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · Oct 24
This is why I wouldn’t put too much stock in current MRP results showing reform majority - voters can and do tactically co-ordinate as we saw last July with anti-Con tactical voting. Indeed, strong MRP results for Reform may help inform and encourage anti-Farage tactical voting.
jackkessler.bsky.social Jack Kessler @jackkessler.bsky.social · Oct 24
It's easy to look at stuff like this and assume the next general election is going to a mess. But there are 650 individual contests — in which voters are pretty adept at working out which lever they need to pull to get the result they want.

Reposted by Tim Bale, Mark Sandford

robfordmancs.bsky.social
Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · Oct 24
This is why I wouldn’t put too much stock in current MRP results showing reform majority - voters can and do tactically co-ordinate as we saw last July with anti-Con tactical voting. Indeed, strong MRP results for Reform may help inform and encourage anti-Farage tactical voting.
jackkessler.bsky.social Jack Kessler @jackkessler.bsky.social · Oct 24
It's easy to look at stuff like this and assume the next general election is going to a mess. But there are 650 individual contests — in which voters are pretty adept at working out which lever they need to pull to get the result they want.
YouGov voting intention showing Reform UK ahead

marksandford.bsky.social
Mark Sandford @marksandford.bsky.social · Oct 16
The Government has published the 2024-25 Devolution Annual Report earlier this week: www.gov.uk/government/p...
This is much speedier than usual: normally the annual report appears about 11-12 months after the financial year in question!
Secretary of State’s Annual Report on English Devolution 2024-25
www.gov.uk

Reposted by Ben H. Ansell, Mark Sandford

gabrielmilland.bsky.social
Gabriel Milland @gabrielmilland.bsky.social · Sep 16
These words from a Tory activist in Kruger's seat deserve some attention.

marksandford.bsky.social
Mark Sandford @marksandford.bsky.social · Sep 4
4) Data, data, data. But also analysis, and narrative. This is important as the foundation for relationships with central govt and localities, but also for building some level of trust with the electorate. If they don't know what mayors do, tell them, then tell them again.

marksandford.bsky.social
Mark Sandford @marksandford.bsky.social · Sep 4
3) Convening isn't a substitute for hard power. Mayors need to bring something to the table: powers, funding, managing upward (of govt depts).