Cheers to 2011. Here’s three aims for 2012

It doesn’t seems like six weeks since I blogged about my reflections on 2010, which contained some personally important landmarks in my life. I’d like to take a different approach this time and look forward to 2012 rather than spend a lot of time looking back on a year which – for all sorts of reasons – was tough, [...]

I’m in Devon for a week

No internet access or TV either. I’ll blog again when I return.

Links I like 11.05.11

A couple of views on the Big Society Two commentators have made some interesting points on the Big Society in the last couple of days, which I thought I’d share here. Sheffield-based regeneration writer Julian Dobson blogs about the Incredible Edible Todmorden project, which features in a book published today on what’s termed the ‘Civic [...]

I’m in Pembs for Easter

I will blog again when I get back…

Is ‘self build’ the answer to our housing headache?

I remember the feeling as a reporter when I wrote about workers who were taking action over what they perceived to be bad wages, and would realise they were paid more than me. I’m reminded of this today when I hear of measures aimed at helping young families onto the housing ladder and the need [...]

Eric Pickles’ spring conference speech in full

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles used the Conservative spring conference yesterday to speak about some of his priorities for local government. In his speech, he drew an interesting parallel with a Private Members Bill brought forward by Margaret Thatcher more than 50 years ago, which opened up council meetings to the press, and his challenge to authorities to [...]

Another view of how ‘churnalism’ works

Heather Yaxley makes some key points about the Media Standards Trust’s ‘churnalism’ website in the post below, which I blogged about earlier in the week. It’s an inteligent viewpoint on a multi-faceted issue. According to the Guardian, “PR has taken over the media” based on the launch of the website, churnalism.com (created by charity the [...]

Twelve months that have passed like a train

In what has been a varied and challenging week at work, I’d forgotten until today that it has been a year since I left my old job at IPB Communications. Maybe it’s a measure of what has happened in that time (the hectic end to the last financial year, followed by an election, new Government [...]

Plymouth puts its partners to work

I was up at the crack of dawn today to travel to Plymouth, where the city council hosted a day’s session with partners to help it map out its housing strategy. Having witnessed the scores of partners in attendance, listened to intelligent, high-profile speakers and seen some amazing regeneration taking place, I left feeling impressed and energised by the the city’s ambition. Attendees included some of [...]

Pickles’ vision: how localism can make cities stronger

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has spoken today about how the principles underpinning his Localism Bill can help transform our cities. Speaking at The Economist’s Liveable Cities Conference, he outlined his belief that the bill’s key principle – handing power to local people - can be used to fuel economic growth in our metropolitan areas. Until now, most things I have [...]