July 2, 2008, LGA Conference: The Spread of Innovation between local authorities
Merrick Cockell, Chairman of London Councils delivers speech at Localis fringe reception on 'The spread of innovation between local authorities'. To read the speech in full, please click here
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June 13, 2008, LBC Radio Interview: James Morris
James Morris gives his verdict on what the new Mayor should be focussing on in the coming years. To listen to the full interview, please click here
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June 13, 2008, LondonSays.org: The Million Vote Mandate
Localisand Policy Exchange yesterday launched their Million Vote Mandate report, looking at the big issues which the Mayor is going to face in his first term. To read the full article, please click here
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June 12, 2008, Evening Standard: Think small, Boris - and you'll change people's lives
For the first time in eight years, London politics is a blank canvas - or at the very least, one of those groovy, interactive white-boards that the schools all have these days, where you can move text around, write new things and delete whole chunks of the previous teacher's lesson. To read the full article, please click here
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June 9, 2008, ConservativeHome.com: The Million Vote Mandate
James Morris, Chief Executive of Localis and Director of the London Policy Institute, looks at what Boris' priorities should be as mayor. To read the full article, please click here
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June 5, 2008, Public Servant Magazine: Government should put stop to RDA plans
The government should halt its plans for regional development agencies (RDAs) and slim down their responsibilities because there is "little or no evidence" that they are effective. Also, the transfer of strategic planning powers to regional assemblies should be reversed. To read the full article, please click here
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April 28, 2008, eGov Monitor: The gap between rhetoric and reality
James Morris, the new Chief Executive of "Localis" looks at the local central relationship and argues Britain has become the most centralised government in Europe - as he maps out the work he will drive at Localis.
The relationship between central and local government is at a cross roads. Since 1945 there has been a powerful and seemingly unstoppable centralising tendency in the British system of government. To read the full article, please click here
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April 10, 2008, Dash.com: Localis appoints new Chief Executive
Localis, the leading independent think tank dedicated to the issues of localism and local government, has appointed James Morris as its Chief Executive.
James Morris has a strong track record as a policy maker as the Director of the innovative campaign group Mind the Gap in 2003 and as the founding Director of the London Policy Institute. To read the full article, please click here
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Headlines
08 Jul 2008
Localis at LGA Conference
Merrick Cockell, Chairman of London Councils delivers speech on 'The spread of innovation between local authorities' at a Localis fringe reception at the LGA Conference 2008. To read the speech in full, click here
25 Jun 2008
James Morris gives evidence at Local Government Select Committee
James Morris gives evidence to a Parliamentary Select Committee on the 'Relationship between Central and Local Government'. See here to watch the meeting in full.
09 Jun 2008
The Million Vote Mandate: The Challenges facing Boris Johnson
The new Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, was elected a month ago with the votes of over 1 million Londoners. This has given him a considerable popular mandate.
Now, a new report from leading think tanks Policy Exchange and Localis, the local government and localist think tank, looks at the big issues the new Mayor will face in his first term as set out by some of the foremost experts and commentators on London politics.
The opening chapter of the report, written by award winning Evening Standard journalist Andrew Gilligan, analyses the positives ...
03 Jun 2008
Localis proposes a radical overhaul of the current system of regional governance
A new Localis Research Note entitled 'The Future of Regional Governance' suggests that the Government's case for Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) is based on little or no evidence, and that the current Sub-National Review (SNR) does not go far enough to devolve power to local authorities (LAs). The report proposes a dramatic overhaul of the current responsibilities of RDAs.
06 May 2008
From rhetoric to reality
James Morris writes about the policy challenges ahead and the future work programme of Localis
06 May 2008
Who is on the board of Localis?
James Morris is Chief Executive and the members of the board are Lord Hanningfield, Leader of Essex County Council; Paul Bettison, Leader of Bracknell Forest Borough Council; Paul Carter, Leader of Kent County Council ; Merrick Cockell, Leader of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea; and, Anthony Browne, the Director of Policy Exchange.
See here for further details of the current members of the Localis board
25 Apr 2008
Localis appoints a new Chief Executive
Localis, the leading independent think tank dedicated to the issues of localism and local government has appointed James Morris as its Chief Executive.
James Morris has a strong track record as a policy maker as the Director of the innovative campaign group Mind the Gap in 2003.James Morris said: ‘I am delighted to be joining Localis at such an exciting and crucial time for the debate around localism and the future of local government. Localis will continue to lead the debate by focusing on producing high quality research and policy ideas a...
