Jon Bunn

While this year’s local elections were framed as a disaster for both the Conservatives and Labour driven by the Brexit impasse, the rise of independents in many councils demonstrates something more complex happening than simply national issues being played out locally.

In an interview undertaken before the Covid-19 crisis and published in the week which marks a year before rearranged mayoral polls, Liverpool City Region's mayor demands greater pace to devolution. Steve Rotheram is an impatient person, he declares with the pride of a man who clearly remains committed to the role of mayor of the Liverpool City Region CA.

More than a quarter of officers and councillors say council colleagues have experienced abuse from members of the public during the coronavirus crisis, an LGC survey has found. More than 570 LGC readers responded to the survey which was open between 30 March and 6 April. When asked if their colleagues had suffered abuse while dealing with the crisis, 28% of respondents said they had. While 95% of these reported the abuse had been verbal, 11% said it had been physical.