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Stuart Hoddinott @stuarthoddinott.bsky.social · 1d

I'm increasingly convinced this is a huge driver of dissatisfaction with govt

Council tax is one of the most visible taxes that people pay, it goes directly out of their bank account and they get a letter about it going up every year

Yet bin collection frequency falls and libraries close

Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · 1d

It is also deeply unhealthy to have local govts who don’t provide many visible/valuable services for most residents (because they lack the resources). Encourages distrust and populism - “what am I paying my council tax for? The council does nothing for me.”

Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 1d

Amazed this is still going ahead - basic and obvious problem is that essentially everything local government does now is for the poor. You can’t move it around without really hurting poor people somewhere!

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Nick Davies @njdavies.bsky.social · 3d

Tell me you haven’t read Performance Tracker* without telling me you haven’t read Performance Tracker

*or literally any serious writing on local government finances

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Stuart Hoddinott @stuarthoddinott.bsky.social · 3d

So after promising to cut "wasteful spending" and council tax Reform has:
- Found no waste and instead plans to cut invest-to-save schemes
- Will now raise council tax by the full 5%
- Realised they don't control asylum spending

A staggering amount of failure in 5 months

Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 3d

Reform likely to raise Kent council tax after cost-cutting drive falters on.ft.com/4pTvJ62

Reform likely to raise Kent council tax after cost-cutting drive falters

Nigel Farage’s party promised to revive local authority finances by slashing wasteful spending

on.ft.com

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Nick Davies @njdavies.bsky.social · 14d

NEW REPORT: @instituteforgovernment.org.uk finds that confused missions, pervasive risk aversion, poor data quality, insufficient commericial capability, and a failure to focus on outcomes means that govt is failing to make the most of £400bn+ a year it spends on procurement

The role of procurement in delivering mission-led government | Institute for Government

How can the government remove the barriers to its missions?

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk

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Amber Dellar @amberdellar.bsky.social · 14d

Really interesting study on the impact of the closure of youth clubs during austerity.

It finds harm to educational outcomes, particularly for disadvantaged children, and an increase in youth offending.

Economics Observatory @econ-observatory.bsky.social · 14d

TODAY on the Economics Observatory – What are the effects of youth club closures in the UK? By @carmenvillaecon.bsky.social

What are the effects of youth club closures in the UK? - Economics Observatory

The widespread closing of youth clubs during the 2010s, driven by government austerity measures, led to falling educational performance and increasing rates of youth offending. The long-term…

buff.ly

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Ben Paxton @drbenpaxton.bsky.social · 14d

Government spends >£400bn each year (!!!) buying stuff from the private and voluntary sectors. With a tricky budget coming up and Starmer's focus on delivery, our new report sets out the role procurement can play in delivering mission-led government
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

The role of procurement in delivering mission-led government | Institute for Government

How can the government remove the barriers to its missions?

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk

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Thomas Pope @tompope.bsky.social · 15d

New @instituteforgovernment.org.uk report by me, @gemmatetlow.bsky.social and @jillongovt.bsky.social on how Reeves should approach tax this Autumn

With tax rises inevitable, Reeves should reject path of least resistance and embrace tax reform 1/3

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

The 2025 budget and beyond: How Rachel Reeves can approach tax reform to help drive growth | Institute for Government

A big autumn approaches for the chancellor.

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk

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Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 16d

New children’s minister Josh MacAlister has been handed a beefed-up brief, taking responsibility for safeguarding, counter-extremism in schools and maintenance of the education estate

Here's what you need to know as DfE confirms responsibilities...

schoolsweek.co.uk/childrens-mi...

Children's minister gets schools policies in beefed-up brief

Government has confirmed the responsibilities of its new education ministers

schoolsweek.co.uk

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Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 19d

Encouraging.

I've always thought that eventually pressure from the PLP will force HMT's hand on the two child limit. Sooner the better.

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 19d

Scrapping of two-child benefit cap closer as Bridget Phillipson attacks ‘spiteful’ policy

Exclusive: Clearest sign yet No 10 is preparing to ditch policy as its preferred deputy leadership hopeful says issue is ‘profoundly personal’ * UK politics live – latest updates Ministers are a step closer to abandoning the two-child benefit cap after Downing Street’s preferred candidate to be Labour’s deputy leader said the policy was “spiteful” and had “punished and pushed children into hardship”. Bridget Phillipson said the cap’s abolition was “on the table” – the clearest sign yet that Downing Street is preparing to scrap the controversial policy. Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

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Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 23d

The voices of children, their families and teachers will be 'at the forefront' of SEND reforms, the new education minister has said, as she promised 'there will always be a legal right to additional support'

schoolsweek.co.uk/new-minister...

Gould: Teacher and pupil voice 'at forefront' of SEND reform

New minister also confirms 'there will always be a legal right to additional support' amid SEND backlash

schoolsweek.co.uk

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Cassia Rowland @cassiarowland.bsky.social · 24d

This is moving in exactly the wrong direction! Education & meaningful activity in prison is crucial to reducing violence and improving outcomes

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Amber Dellar @amberdellar.bsky.social · 27d

If my figures are correct, Eton is 5 times cheaper than the average care home

£63,000 a year versus £318,000

Obviously Eton would not be suitable for most of these children, some of whom need specialist facilities etc. This is not AT ALL to say we should send them there.

But it's pretty striking

Rachel Reeves' Stunning Weave @jackazzopardi.bsky.social · 27d

It would be 10x cheaper to just send them to fucking eton.

Amber Dellar @amberdellar.bsky.social · 27d

New NAO report finds the cost of a place in a children's care home has nearly doubled in 5 years.

The biggest private providers make average annual profits of 22.6%, many backed by private equity.

And many children aren't getting what they need, placed far from home, in unlawful settings

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Amber Dellar @amberdellar.bsky.social · 27d

New NAO report finds the cost of a place in a children's care home has nearly doubled in 5 years.

The biggest private providers make average annual profits of 22.6%, many backed by private equity.

And many children aren't getting what they need, placed far from home, in unlawful settings

Cost of place in children’s care homes in England hits almost £320,000 a year

Private firms’ profits soar, watchdog says, as prices nearly double in five years

www.theguardian.com

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Tim Durrant @timdurrant.bsky.social · Sep 8

What happened with ministerial changes over the weekend? @instituteforgovernment.org.uk has kept an eye on it - there are *62* ministers in new roles, meaning around half the government are in a new role today

Keep an eye on our analysis here:

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/live-blog/st...

Chart from the Institute for Govt showing the degree of change in the reshuffle

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Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · Sep 5

Pat McFadden to DWP - which will also take on skills (currently in the DfE).

(Quick education nerd aside: that is actually a big machinery of government change if that includes 16-19 skills because it's includes funding for school sixth forms).

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Institute for Government @instituteforgovernment.org.uk · Sep 5

LIVEBLOG!

We've fired up the IfG reshuffle liveblog.

Essential for all the latest information as Keir Starmer reshapes his team.

Packed with data, charts, details and analysis about all the ministerial moves.

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/live-blog/st...

Starmer government reshuffle: PM changes top team after Rayner's exit | Institute for Government

The IfG team analyse the moves as Keir Starmer reshapes his Cabinet.

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk

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Stuart Hoddinott @stuarthoddinott.bsky.social · Sep 5

Good to be quoted in this piece. Reform's "DOGE" has been a complete bust, high on rhetoric and low on meaningful change

Reform's councillors have worked out that their councils' finances are not going to be fixed by cancelling a few "DEI" programmes

www.ft.com/content/fd85...

Reality check looms for Reform UK’s Doge experiment

Nigel Farage’s party seeks to make local government a showcase for its ambition to take power in Westminster

www.ft.com

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Teodor Grama @teodorgrama.bsky.social · Sep 4

Great to see our latest @instituteforgovernment.org.uk report on the fast stream covered in The Guardian.

The civil service wants the fast stream to do too much, all at once. A smaller programme that is laser-focused on developing future leaders would deliver more for the civil service.

Civil service graduate talent scheme needs urgent reform, says thinktank

Exclusive: Institute for Government says failings are leading many fast streamers to leave programme early

www.theguardian.com

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martinbarrow.bsky.social @martinbarrow.bsky.social · Sep 4

How the super-rich profit from Britain’s chaotic children’s homes: special report by @ianbirrell.bsky.social

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...

How the super-rich profit from Britain's chaotic children's homes

Nine months ago, Manchester-based investment group Tristone put out a slick video to brag about delivering 'outstanding services' to society, while revenues rose by nearly 50 per cent.

www.dailymail.co.uk

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Helen Barnard @helenbarnard.bsky.social · Sep 4

Out tomorrow: our expert, cross-party Poverty Strategy Commission report. We propose a new social contract & plan to lift 4.2 million people out of poverty, incl 2.2 million stranded in deep poverty. Thanks @patrickjbutler.bsky.social for the insightful write up www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Scrap two-child benefit cap to help lift 4m people out of poverty, government urged

Exclusive: Cross-party Poverty Strategy Commission says abolishing limit would be part of its ‘once in a generation’ plan

www.theguardian.com

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Amber Dellar @amberdellar.bsky.social · Aug 28

A stark example of poor co-ordination between services.

Councils must take 'reasonable steps' to prevent homelessness among all eligible applicants who are likely to become homeless within *56 days*.

If HO and council timelines don't align, people are even more likely to fall through the cracks

Jules Birch @julesbirch.bsky.social · Aug 28

This comes only nine months after it doubled the move-on time to 56 days, recognising that 28 days is not long enough for refugees to find a home and causes homelessness
(Think this is for newly recognised refugees who've been granted asylum)

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Home Office plans to halve time asylum seekers given to find accommodation

Charities sound alarm over plan to give asylum seekers just 28 days to find new housing after a decision on their case

www.theguardian.com

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Shaina Sangha @shaina-sangha.bsky.social · Aug 26

Re. Farage's £ figures in announcement today on asylum plans, this is not a big money saver for govt. HO's total managed expenditure (for police, asylum, national security etc) in 24/25 was £22.5bn. That's a lot but £8bn less than e.g. DfT and 1/13th of what DWP spends. 1/7

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Institute for Government @instituteforgovernment.org.uk · Aug 21

How to successfully deliver refugee resettlement

In this paper, @sachinsavur.bsky.social and @catherineriachi.bsky.social summarise a roundtable discussion bringing together different parts of government working on resettlement schemes.

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

How to successfully deliver refugee resettlement | Institute for Government

This paper summarises a roundtable discussion bringing together different parts of government working on resettlement schemes.

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk

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Amber Dellar @amberdellar.bsky.social · Aug 21

And on the topic of GCSE results...

We don't yet know how they break down by pupil characteristics (other than gender) or by local area - and won't until October. So we can't yet say much about educational inequalities in 2025.

But to read about how they looked in 2024 - see our new report 👇

Educational outcomes across England | Institute for Government

Examining the performance gaps in schools.

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk

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Amber Dellar @amberdellar.bsky.social · Aug 21

As FFT eloquently puts it, this raises the question:

Why do we bother with the National Reference Test?

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