We need to reclaim the idea of a 15-minute cities from the distortions and opportunism of conspiracy theorists... every neighbourhood, wealthy or not, well-connected or not, should be somewhere that people feel proud to call home - I wrote for @IndyVoices

Earlier today, I joined @ShamaTatler, @KiMcGuinness, and Evie John of @ICClimited to discuss inclusive growth We had a great discussion on the need for devolution, greater fiscal responsibility at a local level and the need for place based solutions to our challenges #Lab24

The bathos of a prime minister standing in the pouring rain trying to make his case to the country while his words are drowned out by things can only get better.

It shouldn't have to be like this, and eventually a long-term sustainable funding settlement is going to be needed for local government, but until then places need a plan that doesn't see them trading their right arm for a sticking plaster.

Almost certainly, the sale list has been drawn up on what's easiest to sell and what gets the quickest return, rather than based on what has the least long-term value to these councils and their communities.

Councils lose one of their strongest hands in shaping their local economies, in driving regeneration, and the growth in jobs and housing that delivers a more prosperous and inclusive future.

Even worse, selling off assets: land, buildings, commercial and retail premises, is about the worst decision that could be made in the long-term for the future of these places.

An increasing number of councils can't afford to provide vital local public services. What they've been made to do won't put their finances on a sound footing, it just extends the plank they're already walking on a little further over the cliff edge.

This isn't a bailout of councils. It's a fire sale. https://t.co/V0Vvhs97Tt

"Real wages ended 2023 at roughly the same level as in early 2008." The big picture is that the last 15 years have been a living standards disaster.

I really enjoyed talking to @edballs about this paper. Some wonderful contributions from others @tomriordan @Cadman1Deborah and @katekennally and thoughtful analysis. It’s complex but doesn’t need to be complicated! 1/2

Hopefully the first step in moving us away from a debate about housing that starts and finishes with “You can’t put that there!” And shows a real seriousness about unblocking the economy from the risk of stagnation.

A proper plan for strategic use of land, backed by infrastructure, connected to transport, and with services and shops within walking distance is a million miles away from the handful of homes in green fields approach that so antagonises communities across the country.

Not building enough homes has created an enormous drag on economic growth and prosperity, it’s a barrier to opportunity because people can’t move to build a career, and it blights lives with homes that are too expensive and not up to standard.

Housebuilding has been seen as the third rail in British politics for far too long. Really pleased to see the detail coming forward from the ‘builders not blockers’ slogan. https://t.co/0Ogeze17QM

Some councils are facing acute financial challenges, others a pinch in a year or two. For those with systemic issues the only way through: a long-term transformation plan (5-7 years) unequivocal consistent leadership; clever sequencing; 🧵

A serious conversation about the housing crisis *has* to talk about green fields, has to talk about green belt, has to talk about new settlements and urban extensions - and sadly this intervention from the government falls far short on that score.

‘Brownfield only’ means running out of capacity pretty damn quick - or to starts to ask towns and cities to start cannibalising their commercial, industrial and retail spaces - which are exactly the spaces that make urban areas economically vibrant and successful

Bad news - there’s not enough brownfield land to provide the homes we need. The @CPRE says there’s enough Brownfield land to provide 1.2 million homes. That’s a lot of homes, enough for about 4 years of supply - but not nearly enough….

Good news first - cities are already pretty good at getting homes built and turning unused land into housing (there could always be more and it could usually be denser to consolidate those benefits) *but*