Westminster City Council

“Westminster City Council is delighted to have the opportunity to work with Localis on a range of issues. Localis’ agenda of generating challenging and robust debate on crucial issues for local government – such as decentralisation of political power, a fairer regime of local government finance and more local accountability of public services – strongly reflects the Council’s own ‘One City’ agenda for strong communities and excellent services.”

Sir Simon Milton
Chairman of the Local Government Association and Leader of Westminster City Council

Bracknell Forest Council

“Localis’ user-led research programme has suited Bracknell Forest Council well. We have a close consultative relationship with the researchers at Localis, and it has produced reports that consistently address the issues that are most pressing in the development of the Council in the future. The events and seminars are well run and stimulating, and the researchers and directors ensure that we feel that our needs are met and that our membership represents value.”

Cllr Paul Bettison
Leader of Bracknell Forest Council

Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

“During our membership of Localis we have really profited from the close connections it has to Policy Exchange and the access that it has to its resources. With these, we’ve had access to key policy formation debates and seminars, and we feel that we’ve been able to make our voice heard in them. Localis strongly supports the localist cause in all areas of public service and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has benefited as a result.”

Clrl Merrick Cockell
Leader of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

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

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.

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 ...

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.

From rhetoric to reality

James Morris writes about the policy challenges ahead and the future work programme of Localis

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

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...