Jessica Studdert

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Articles

Jessica Studdert: The roots of a more radical shift are being established

Dec 9, 2024 | lgcplus.com | Jessica Studdert

The government needs an overarching strategy for public service reform that dispenses with traditional Whitehall ‘business as usual’ assumptions, writes the chief executive of New Local. Entering office amid tight finances and public services in crisis meant the new Labour government’s inbox was not an enviable one – something to which many in local government will relate. This has required a balance between urgent response with steps towards longer term reform.
Addressing the structural weakness at Whitehall's heart

Nov 7, 2024 | themj.co.uk | Jessica Studdert |Dan Peters |Jon Rowney |Heather Jameson

The newly established cross-party Council of Leaders, chaired by minister for local government Jim McMahon, is a positive step. Creating a forum for dialogue marks a shift from previous administrations who have adopted less than constructive behaviours towards the sector in recent years. This should be only the start of a wider process to deepen understanding between national and local government. Whitehall sees its role as devising policy, local government's role is merely to deliver it.
Embedding meaningful participation through devolution

Sep 26, 2024 | themj.co.uk | Jessica Studdert

DEVOLUTION Embedding meaningful participation through devolution The new Government signalled early and clearly that it means business on devolution. A warm reception for mayors at No10 in the first days of office and an intention to ‘complete the map’ assuaged any doubt that devolution might not withstand a change in national administration.
There is enormous energy and hope out there

Aug 9, 2024 | themj.co.uk | Jessica Studdert |Ewan King |Greg Clark |Anna Randle

As folk at Westminster, like many of us, head off on much-needed summer breaks, we can take stock of what a momentous couple of months it has been. A new party in government is a once-in-a-generation event, judging by recent history. Labour's new Cabinet have quickly shorn their shadow status, launching a lightning first few weeks getting manifesto commitments on stream and kicking off a multi-year Spending Review. The shift in tone has been remarkable.
Three elements will be important for mission-driven government to make an impact

Jun 25, 2024 | themj.co.uk | Jessica Studdert

Counter-intuitively, General Election campaigns are not the best environments for addressing serious matters of statecraft – our political leaders are too busy trying to keep Ming vases aloft and avoiding ‘gotcha’ moments. Yet one concept has broken through: ‘mission-driven’ government. It’s one we will be hearing more of if, as polls suggest, Labour forms the next Government. We first heard of ‘missions’ in the current Government’s Levelling Up White Paper, which outlined 12 of them.
Jessica Studdert: Renewed purpose for leading change

May 14, 2024 | lgcplus.com | Jessica Studdert

There is an urgent need for deep change rather than tinkering around the edges, writes the interim chief executive of New Local. Our annual community power gathering Stronger Things returns in June for its fifth year. It keeps getting bigger and better. This year, we sold out in-person tickets before we announced a single speaker. There is still the chance to join online, which is a proper experience of its own – the event is purposefully hybrid, with a dedicated virtual programme and host.
Reform should not be detached from wider purpose

Apr 2, 2024 | themj.co.uk | Jessica Studdert

The question of civil service reform has rumbled on over the years. Jacob Rees- Mogg sought to cut the workforce by a fifth. Dominic Cummings promised ‘hard rain’ on what he saw as a bureaucracy captured by metropolitan groupthink. The Maude Review of the civil service concluded governance arrangements and accountability were ‘unclear, opaque and incomplete’. Yet rarely do reform proposals consider the perspective of other tiers of government.
We need a ten-year plan for local government

Feb 26, 2024 | newstatesman.com | Jessica Studdert

Our civic infrastructure is in decline. The local safety net has gaping holes in it. And increasing numbers of councils are declaring effective bankruptcy. Against a backdrop of national political paralysis and broken public finances, it’s fair to say local government funding reform is in the “too difficult” policy box. This situation is not sustainable.
Local government needs a 10 year plan for renewal

Feb 19, 2024 | themj.co.uk | Jessica Studdert

Enough. The gradual decline of our local safety net, punctuated by bursts of councils imploding, must stop. Local government needs a long-term plan for recovery, reset and renewal. Plugging funding gaps might enable the system to limp on, but it is fundamentally broken. To begin recovery local government funding could immediately be stabilised. Multi-year funding settlements would give certainty for councils to plan around.
Pooling together

Jan 29, 2024 | themj.co.uk | Jessica Studdert

Bleak public finance forecasts seem to promise never-ending constraints on investment in public services. If this is the new normal, then the underlying assumptions about how public services are resourced and managed need resetting. As a new policy paper published by New Local argues, too much inefficiency is currently priced into our Whitehall-led model of public service oversight, which only recognises value for money within separate siloes, rather than across them collectively.