Annoushka Deighton led a campaign to take over & rejuvinate Stretford Public Hall.

Her story perfectly shows why it's a false economy for councils to sell off assets, when local ownership adds huge social & economic value.

A 📽️I made for We're Right Here: the campaign for community power: right-here.org/stretford-publ…

So we sent an envelope full of questions some of movers & shakers of #localgov and some of them were brave enough to pick some out at random.

Pleasure to start the series w/Bev Craig Manchester City Council - inspiring, authentic (and the 1st openly gay woman to lead a council 🤩)

Sue Gray's plans for citizens juries remind me of fascinating conversations I had writing this long-read for New Local - asking if citizens assemblies are fashionable focus groups or great hopes of democracy.

newlocal.org.uk/articles/citiz…

'Things are still hard. But we have a sense of possibility, hope, invigoration even.”

From ideas in the surgery coffee room, to a new way of working in primary care. GP Dr Gillian Orrow on how Growing Health Together flipped how health was done, with big results.

newlocal.org.uk/articles/uptur…

The centralisation of criminal justice creates backwards incentives & causes further harm to victims & hope of rehabilitation.

ICYMI this is a fantastic report from Transform Justice on the case for local control.

transformjustice.org.uk/news-insight/c… Penelope Gibbs @NinaChampion2023

When there are no words, Cold War Steve has pictures…

Was an antidote & a joy to speak to Omezzine Khélifa on her mission to make being a politician 'the most respectable job on earth', by helping community-powered changemakers reach positions of power.

Loved spending the day in snowy Stretford visiting We're Right Here: the campaign for community power newest team member Annoushka Deighton.

Led a year long campaign to put Stretford Public Hall into community, not private, ownership.

Fundraised, renovated, filled it with activity, boosted local wellbeing & economy. ✔️

Withdrawal of all funding for homelessness services. Street lights switched off between midnight & 5am. Cuts to buses & school crossing patrols. 4,000 people contributing more to social care.

John Harris puts councils' crisis in starkly human terms.

theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

Great start to the new year New Local with a couple of learning & development days feat. team skills exchanges; insights from the fab Sir Chris Ham & Piali Das Gupta and a fun spaghetti/marshmallow tower challenge…

All at the 😍 Footwork offices. Ready for 2024 proper now…

My Spotify unwrapped was mostly baby songs this year BUT I did listen to 26 days' worth of podcasts including these 💎s
lists.pocketcasts.com/a4891ddf-ac0b-… #pocketcasts #playback2023

📣 New research: community-powered initiatives help create better health ❣️

We analysed the impact of Local Trust Big Local & found improved wellbeing in these areas.

This local approach to preventive healthcare holds lessons for #NHS & system.

👀 newlocal.org.uk/publications/w…
🧵

Whoooops.

Nearly 1 in 5 councils at risk of bankruptcy, according to a survey of councils by Local Government Association (LGA).

The challenge is systemic, the problem is long term underfunding by central gov & the biggest consequences will fall on the most vulnerable members of society.
ft.com/content/82a841…

Loved visiting the Amazon rainforest (via Cornwall) with Fordhall Organic Farm's Charlotte a few weeks ago for Anthropy. What an experience! 🤩

Good news for pubs, less for public services.

🍻

#Budget2023 #AutumnStatement

1% per year increase in resource spending is incredibly tight. If that's what happens a lot of public services will see cuts.

Here's one we prepared earlier. Another year of 1% increase means another year of cuts for many,

Irony here is that any 'good news'/tax cuts in Autumn Statement will be largely the direct result of the immigration figures.

Over last year, higher migration means OBR has revised forecast output and tax revenues up by >1%, or £12 billion in 27-28.