PoPP E-zine: February 2013 The Latest News from the Department of Politics and Public Policy RESEARCH, CONSULTANCY & EXPERTISE Political and Constitutional Reform Committee: Prospects for Codifying the Relationship between Central and Local Government On 29 January 2013, at the House of Commons, a long overdue attempt to break the centralised nature of English governance was launched by the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee. What is already being called ‘a new Magna Carta for English for local government’ was written by Professor Colin Copus, Director of the Local Governance Research Unit at De Montfort’s Department of Politics and Public Policy. He was asked by the committee to draft a code that could stand on a statutory basis and set out the way in which local government could become independent of central government control. The Committee spent best part of last year consulting on the draft code and received record returns for a select committee consultation exercise. Professor Copus redrafted the code and his final version was published by the committee to be sent with a covering report to the government for a response. The code covers areas such as: local government’s constitutional status, protection for council boundaries, political decision-making structures, the right to work in conjunction with other bodes and of course finance. The code gives councils the right to raise and spend money without central control or capping. The Committee’s report and the code written by Professor Copus is available from http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/politicaland-constitutional-reform-committee/publications/ Pictured at the launch of the Committee’s report, L-R: Graham Allen M.P, Chair of the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee; Professor Colin Copus, Director of the Local Governance Research Unit; Sir Merrick Cockell, Chairman of the Local Government Association; Brandon Lewis M.P, Local Government Minister
Colin’s blog on the code is available from The Guardian Professional Local Government Network (20 January 2013) http://www.guardian.co.uk/local-governmentnetwork/2013/jan/30/code-central-local-government-relationship.
PoPP E-zine Edition 10: February 2013
1
Councillors and the Community Colin Copus and Melvin Wingfield have given evidence to the Communities and Local Government Commons Select Committee on Councillors and the Community. For further details see the DMU press release http://www.dmu.ac.uk/aboutdmu/news/2013/january/why-people-are-put-off-becoming-councillors.aspx and http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commonsselect/communities-and-local-government-committee/inquiries/parliament-2010/councillorsand-the-community/. Hospital Infections Rob Baggott is part of a research team that has published an important survey on the surveillance and management of hospital infections. The study, led by Judith Tanner, Professor of Nursing at DMU, was published online in the Journal of Hospital Infection in January 2013. It found that people who spend time in UK hospitals undergoing surgery go on to suffer from infections far more frequently than is reported. Given the controversial nature of this topic, the article attracted media attention and was the subject of heated debate in the British Medical Journal. Tanner, J., Padley, W., Kiernan, M., Leaper, D., Norrie, P. & Baggott, R. (2013) A benchmark too far: findings from a national survey of surgical site infection surveillance, Journal of Hospital Infection, Vol 83, No 2, pp87-91, available from http://www.journalofhospitalinfection.com/ Doctoral Scholarships The Department has successfully bid for funding for two Doctoral Scholarships. They will attract full bursaries for 3 years:
Understanding and Transforming Crisis Governance – contact Jonathan Davies City Leadership in Times of Austerity – contact Colin Copus
Interrogating Urban Crisis Governance Contestation and Critique Details and the call for papers for this conference, organised by Jonathan Davies, is now available from http://www.dmu.ac.uk/about-dmu/schools-and-departments/leicesterbusiness-school/politics-and-public-policy/interrogating-urban-crisis-governancecontestation-and-critique.aspx. Amsterdam Housing Market Michael Oxley is working with colleagues at the University of Amsterdam on a project on the issues facing young people accessing the housing market in Amsterdam. Michael will be presenting a related paper at the RC43 Conference in Amsterdam 10 to 12 July 2013 http://rc43-conference.uva.nl/programme/conference.html. Award for Academic Reference Source The Encyclopedia of Housing (Second Edition, edited by Andrew T. Carswell, Sage Publications, 2012) to which Michael Oxley contributed the section on Supply Side Subsidies has won an award in the USA. The award from the American Library Association signals the work as an Outstanding Reference Source recommend for inclusion in academic library collections. See http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/news/ala/rusa-reveals-2013-
PoPP E-zine Edition 10: February 2013
2
outstanding-reference-sources-list-reference-publications-small-andmediu?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=amlibraries and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reference_and_User_Services_Association. Land and Property Taxation Michael Oxley has been appointed to the Land Tax Advisory Group that will guide research that Policy Exchange is undertaking on reforms to land and property taxation in the UK. The research, which is supported by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Shelter, will consider how changes to the property taxation system could improve the way the housing market operates so that it delivers more supply and more stability. It will look at Council Tax and Stamp Duty Land Tax and consider the options for new forms of land tax. Private Rented Sector Tim Brown was invited to give oral evidence to the House of Commons Communities and Local Government Select Committee on 4 February 2013 as part of its inquiry into the private rented sector. Details are available online: Inquiry and Parliament TV: http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commonsselect/communities-and-local-government-committee/news/private-rented-sector/ DMU press release: http://www.dmu.ac.uk/about-dmu/news/2013/february/privaterenting-must-escape-rising-damp-image.aspx Tim’s blog article in The Guardian Professional Housing Network (14 February 2013): http://www.guardian.co.uk/housing-network/2013/feb/14/instability-problem-privaterented-sector In the Media Alistair Jones was on:
BBC Radio Leicester, on Drive Time with Ben Jackson, discussing the defeat of Government proposals to change the electoral boundaries (and reduce the number of MPs by 50). An analysis was given of the reasons for the defeat and the possible consequences. Andrew Bridgen (MP for Northwest Leicestershire) was also interviewed in the same package. He was to lose his seat in the restructuring, but had still voted with the government. (29 January 2013) BBC Radio Cambridgeshire (Peterborough Breakfast show) discussing councillors’ allowances. Peterborough City Councillors were voting on proposals to increase their allowances by 20%. There was a discussion over what councillors actually did, and the extent to which they were value for money. (25 January 2013) BBC Radio Leicester, on the Jim Davis Show, discussing David Cameron’s EU speech. The possible likelihood of a referendum, and of even getting to that stage, were assessed. (23 January 2013) BBC Radio Leicester discussing the coalition government. This was prior to the official announcements of the plans of the coalition for the second half of their term in office. Thus there was a progress report of achievements and failures to date, and some crystal ball gazing as to what might happen in the next 2 ½ years. (7 January 2013)
PoPP E-zine Edition 10: February 2013
3
New Publications Alasdair Blair has had a journal article accepted: Democratising the learning process: the use of Twitter in the teaching of Politics and International Relations’, Politics, forthcoming, Vol.33, No 2. There is a newly published symposium of Jonathan Davies’ book Challenging Governance Theory in Dialogues in Human Geography, available from http://dhg.sagepub.com/content/current. Tim Brown and Ros Lishman have a blog article in The Guardian Professional Housing Network (17 January 2013) on the French Government’s interest in choice-based lettings – http://www.guardian.co.uk/housing-network/2013/jan/17/choice-based-lettings-france-socialhousing. Conferences, Workshops & Events Philip Davies attended the annual conference of the American Politics Group of the UK, chairing the opening panel, at the University of Leicester, 4-6 January 2013. Tim Brown participated in a joint event on 17 January 2013 run by Coventry Partnership and Coventry University on creating an age friendly city for Coventry – http://wwwm.coventry.ac.uk/HEALTHANDLIFESCIENCES/NEWS/Pages/NewsArticle.aspx? articleID=1131. Philip Davies attended the inauguration of President Barack Obama at the invitation of the US Association of Former Members of Congress, Washington DC, 21 January 2013. Jo Richardson gave a plenary speech on 28 January 2013 at the Local Government Association conference in London on Planning for Traveller Sites, where she spoke about the need for political leadership in delivering sites http://www.local.gov.uk/web/guest/events/-/journal_content/56/10171/3781927/EVENTTEMPLATE. Tim Brown is a keynote speaker at the National Housing Federation East Midlands Conference on 14 March on housing and growth in the East Midlands – http://www.housing.org.uk/our_regions/east_midlands_region/east_midlands_events/east_m idlands_regional_confe-1.aspx. Clodagh Harrington has been invited to run a US Politics session with a US State Department official at Bedford Modern School on 14 March 2013. Alasdair Jones has been approached by the Clarion Group to chair a debate between Leicester MPs on the future of British membership of the EU. This is planned to go ahead in March 2013. EDUCATION AND TRAINING Student Success Eulyn Silcott-Greaves, Director of Housing on the island of Montserrat, has been awarded her MSc Housing Studies by distance learning as well as the CIH Distance Learning Student of the year. The DMU press release is available from http://www.dmu.ac.uk/aboutdmu/news/2013/january/now-thats-distance-learning!.aspx.
PoPP E-zine Edition 10: February 2013
4
Higher Education Academy (HEA) Tim Brown is acting as an assessor for the HEA on international scholarship proposals. Chirs Goldsmith presented on innovations in undergraduate dissertations at a HEA-Funded British International Studies Association Workshop on Teaching Research Methods at SOAS on 25 January 2013. Technology Enhanced Learning Ros Lishman, in her role as a ‘Technology Enhanced Learning Champion’, was invited to talk to colleagues in the University's Learning Development Network about improving teaching and learning practice using technology (17 January 2013). A follow-up staff development event is planned for April and will be extended to colleagues working in the Centre for Learning and Study Support (CLaSS). Staff Engagement On 30 January, Ros Lishman and Annie Britain ran a 'Tricks of the Trade' session in the Faculty of Business on Law. This lunchtime staff event was organised as part of Ros’ teacher fellowship research project on engaging staff in continuing professional development for teaching, learning and assessment. OTHER NEWS Department Seminar Series To reserve your place(s) please contact Suzanne Walker at swalker@dmu.ac.uk or telephone 0116 257 7780. 20 February 2013 (HU 3.96), 1.00pm: The Future of the EU, Joint Seminar: Law School & Department of Politics & Public Policy, Professor Martin Trybus, Professor of European Law and Policy, Director of the Institute of European Law, Birmingham University. Contact gdingwall@dmu.ac.uk to book your place(s). 6 March 2013 (HU 3.96), 3.00pm: The Politics of Tax Policy in the United Kingdom and the United States: From Thatcher and Reagan to Cameron and Obama - Dr Alex Waddan, University of Leicester. 13 March 2013 (HU TBC): 3.00pm: Work in Progress Seminar: Organisational change understood through hegemony and logics – Eleanor Mackillop, PhD Researcher, De Montfort University. 1 May 2013 (HU 3.94), 3.00pm: The Politics of public engagement: Policy work by official participation practitioners - Oliver Escobar, University of Edinburgh. 8 May 2013 (HU TBC): Genre blurring in political science: what can we learn from the humanities?, Professor Rod Rhodes, Professor of Government (Research), University of Southampton/Griffith University (Brisbane, Australia). 5 June 2013 (HU 3.94), 3.00pm: Reclaiming Local Democracy: developing an ethical framework for local government - Ines Newman, Senior Research Associate, De Montfort University.
PoPP E-zine Edition 10: February 2013
5
Films on Wednesday Students in the Department (studying for a degree in: IR with Politics, History or Journalism, International Business and Globalisation, Joints in Politics, Government or Economics, Housing and Public Administration and Management) are invited to watch films relevant to courses and discuss them afterwards. Light refreshments will be provided. Some films have been chosen because they fit with particular modules at a particular time. Time: 1pm, Location: HU3.94 Week 22: Wed 27 February - student choice For further information or suggestions for 'student choice' contact Frances Wright, room HU3.47 or fmwright@dmu.ac.uk.
Follow us on Twitter: @DMUpolitics Visit us online: www.dmu.ac.uk/pol and https://dmupopp.our.dmu.ac.uk Manage PoPP E-zine subscriptions: rlishman@dmu.ac.uk
PoPP E-zine Edition 10: February 2013
6