Will Donovan

[Will Donovan @williamdonovan]

Made the mistake of putting my birthdate into old áccount and was lòcked out of my twítter so restarting here! (accents on trigger words to try to not be swarmed by spàmbots)

[Peter Apps @PeteApps]

This is a problem I think about a lot, but I don't think policy makers consider anything like enough. My parents' generation are only really able to retire because they either paid off their mortgage or have social housing tenancies. What will become of us?

[Peter Apps @PeteApps]

The decimation of housing legal aid over the past three decades is hurting not just those who need to access it, but the entire social housing sector. And the problem has gone beyond simple fixes. @kathy_swinds reports #UKhousing https://t.co/pIFs0IPW1a

[Peter Apps @PeteApps]

A forward thinking government would see this as an opportunity to buy up some of these stranded projects at a discount and turn them into mixed tenure housing schemes with high levels of social housing

https://t.co/eToknHaPJz

[New Local @wearenewlocal]

"Real people don’t live their lives in separate departments or services. They often know what would make a difference but instead of services shaped around their needs they find duplication and gaps."

@JYDenham makes the case for place-based budgets 👇
https://t.co/rd1FMhm2RC

[@jesstud.bsky.social @jesstud]

There’s no financial quick fix for public services- we need to ensure maximum impact from existing ££.

Place-based public service budgets would re-route funding around priorities of communities, not Whitehall silos.

Read new report by @JYDenham & me: https://t.co/SHCuelGHwQ

[Jamie Ounan @JOunan]

This again....Ministers plan to push cash-strapped English councils to sell assets. Let's think about this logically 🧵below... https://t.co/ChpDARcotZ

[Peter Apps @PeteApps]

Here is probably the saddest opening to a piece that I've ever written.

Thanks to the @NewStatesman for giving space to the words of Grenfell bereaved and survivors. I hope last week did some good. But as many said, nothing short of justice will ever do

https://t.co/QB9a3JV4Yl

[Peter Apps @PeteApps]

This block, like many around the country, was involved in "discussions" between the housing association which owned it, the builder and the insurer about how to remediate it and who would pay.

But as we keep saying: the next fire won't wait

https://t.co/oWMLE3CvGB

[Jamie Ounan @JOunan]

🧵1/ A series of @FinancialTimes articles (links in following tweets) highlights a critical issue: the UK's hesitation in investing in infrastructure and home building when financing conditions were favourable. This thread unpacks why this was a grave mistake. #UKInfrastructure

[Jack Shaw @JackTShaw]

From the Guardian:

[@jesstud.bsky.social @jesstud]

Council spending has fallen in all areas except social care since 2010, @guardian data shows.

(From: https://t.co/Xnm18pThr7)

BUT demand for social care has risen due to ageing society & increasing poverty, so spending the same as 13 years ago = less support to go round overall

[James Riding @jamesriding10]

This morning I am at the fourth and final day of Grenfell Testimony Week, where family of the 72 people who died in the fire have shared their reflections.

Please read, and remember: none of them have seen justice for the tragedy yet.

[katharinesj.bsky.social @KatharineSJ]

Whilst recognition of the huge financial pressures facing councils is of course welcome, this is a drop in the ocean. When the @LGAcomms forecasts an annual deficit of £1.6 BILLION for children's social care alone - this will not even touch the edges...

[@jesstud.bsky.social @jesstud]

I remain unconvinced that long term underfunding combined with last minute cash injections to prop things up when they are about to fall over, is an effective or efficient form of statecraft.

[Guardian Opinion @guardianopinion]

One by one, England’s councils are going bankrupt – and nobody in Westminster wants to talk about it | John Harris https://t.co/wqUa1k9PIW

[Sophie @SophieLB1]

Still trapped. Still have a fire safety bill for £200k I can't get rid of. Still suffering mentally and financially. Why does it takean @ITV drama? #EndOurCladdingScandal #BuildingSafetyCrisis

[LGANews @LGANews]

Setting budgets for 2024/25 has been “exhausting and frustrating” for councils struggling with insufficient funding to meet demand and cost pressures

LGA Chair @CllrShaunDavies uses #LGAFinance Conference today to call on Gov to address acute funding challenges facing #localgov

[Dave Throup @DaveThroup]

As the waters recede on another monster flood, thousands of homes and businesses along the Severn and Wye remain dry thanks to flood defences.

They work.

But they’re not the answer to future flooding and are creating a false sense of security.

A (long!) 🧵

[David Thomas @dmthomas90]

I enjoyed reading this and expected some lessons for govt from the venture capital style approach the vaccine taskforce took. But the biggest lesson is one that I didn’t expect.

(Short 🧵)

[Will Donovan @williamdonovan]

@Barker4Kate @MollyAhmed 8/10, looking forward to a few days of quizzes at home!