Township of Ferguson’s Post

In my nearly six years as a volunteer on the City of Holland Board of Appeals, I've listened to many public hearings about a variety of applications. It is always interesting to see who contributes to the discussion and why, and to see how it does or doesn't influence the board on a certain application. It is critical for board members to maintain a level head and treat each application as objectively as possible - which has lead me to wonder if opening the floor to public comment is of genuine value to the city or if it ends up being ineffective or doing more harm than good. Negative emotions drive engagement in all things more than positive feelings do, and as such, it can feel like a city of over 34,000 is against something when only a tiny portion of citizens who are angry, fearful, and often uninformed or misled come to complain about an improvement. I think a better way to do this is a technique Holland has already utilized: proactive public input on long-term land use. The city's master plan was influenced by community discussions, including what were effectively city-hosted public hearings in neighborhoods across town. Those conversations helped inform our leaders of the future we want to see for our city. While that did not address some of the nitty-gritty details we have to deal with on the BOA such as setbacks, it was a big step in the right direction. I believe similar discussions ought to be held for those zoning minutia, which can prompt updates to ordinances to reflect broader public desires.

How did you feel when you read that thousands of people living in public housing towers in the inner-north were told their homes were to be be demolished? I know the shock I felt. More importantly, how do you think they felt? This may or may not be a good idea, but is this the way we treat people and their homes? Is this the way to go about housing reform? Human rights has a lot to say about this, which is embodied is a set of principles called the Human Rights-Based Approach. Now these issues will be examined by a Victorian Parliamentary Committee. The Legislative Council Legal and Social Issues Committee has announced an inquiry into the redevelopment of Victoria's public housing towers. Here are the extensive terms of reference 👇 https://lnkd.in/gfn8py8r The committee recently announced that it has begun taking submissions, which can be made anytime from now until 31 March 2025. Please start thinking about this important issue and consider making a submission. Find out more👇 https://lnkd.in/gsk5nEmN

Standards Development Organizations (SDOs) like the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) enable markets and the safety of communities by developing and promoting standards. SDOs should benefit from the value they produce through these activities. Copyright protection allows them to capture value for the value they produce. The Pro Codes Act (H.R. 1631) would ensure these protections. After failing to advance the Pro Codes Act (H.R. 1631), the House should put this bill back on the suspension calendar.

The recent vote against the PRO Codes Act (H.R. 1631) to ensure copyright protection for Standards Development Organizations focused on critical safety and performance standards in the USA will negatively impact the viability of standards in our country as well as our international leadership in Standards Development. We strongly encourage the House of Representatives to put this bill back on the suspension calendar for another vote to protect American, Standards Development Organizations while preserving public access to safety and performance standards in the USA.

Housing is still the number 1 issue in this country, so looking forward to this Summit on 16th April. Will be contributing a piece on housing costs. Check out the Agenda below. #housing #residentialconstruction #scsi #lovesurveying

Understand your pessimism Gareth Hawkins, politicians have done themselves no favours in thr last decade. Let’s not generalise though. Here’s some food for thought: To determine which post-war UK political party delivered the most consistent economic growth, we analyzed GDP growth, employment, interest rates, and inflation during key periods. ### Conservative Party: 1. **1951-1964 (Churchill, Eden, Macmillan, Douglas-Home)**: Steady GDP growth, high employment, low interest rates, moderate inflation. 2. **1970-1974 (Heath)**: Fluctuating GDP due to oil crisis and industrial strife, high unemployment, high interest rates, high inflation. 3. **1979-1997 (Thatcher, Major)**: Strong mid-80s growth but recessions in early 80s/90s, high initial unemployment, high initial interest rates, inflation controlled later. 4. **2010-2019 (Cameron, May, Johnson)**: Moderate GDP growth post-2008 crisis, significant employment improvement, historically low interest rates, generally low inflation. ### Labour Party: 1. **1945-1951 (Attlee)**: Strong post-war reconstruction, high employment, low interest rates, moderate inflation. 2. **1964-1970 (Wilson)**: Moderate GDP growth, high employment initially, varied interest rates, rising inflation. 3. **1974-1979 (Wilson, Callaghan)**: Weak GDP growth, high unemployment, high interest rates, very high inflation. 4. **1997-2010 (Blair, Brown)**: Consistently strong GDP growth until 2008, high employment, stable/low interest rates, low/stable inflation. ### Conclusion: The **Labour government from 1997 to 2010** delivered the most consistent economic growth. This period featured strong and steady GDP growth, high employment, stable interest rates, and low inflation until the global financial crisis in 2008. While the Conservative period from 1979 to 1997 saw significant reforms and growth, it was marked by higher volatility. The 1997-2010 Labour period stands out for its sustained economic stability and performance.

Understanding Scotland’s Government, Parliament and MSPs in 2025 How well do you understand the inner workings of Scotland’s government? Whether you're a policymaker, advocate, or professional working to make an impact, understanding how decisions are made is crucial. This conference offers: ✅ Insight into Scotland’s parliamentary system ✅ Guidance on engaging effectively with MSPs ✅ Strategies for influencing policy in 2025 📅 Join us on 25th February 2025 to deepen your understanding and amplify your voice. 🔗 Learn more and register here: https://ow.ly/jh9g50UnnCo #Scotland #Government #Parliament #PolicyInfluence

Lawyers in Local Government (LLG) and the Association of Democratic Services Officers (ADSO) have said they are “very encouraged” by the Government’s response to a letter sent as part of a campaign for permanent provision for local authority virtual meetings. Planning specialists Nigel Hewitson, Stephanie Hall and Chrisa Tsompani explain the impact: The 2020 lockdown required an instant response to enable local authority business to continue. Most local authorities rose to the challenge and some argued that virtual meetings encouraged greater public participation as it did not require physical attendance at council offices. Until now, both the government and the judiciary seemed out of step with the general consensus in local authorities, but this offers encouragement that change may be on the way. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/eSXkbA8r #davittjonesbould #realestate #commercialproperty #planning

Parish councils are an important part of England’s local governance jigsaw and often overlooked. The viral story of Jackie Weaver and Handforth council sadly played to the worst stereotype of parish council meetings. But that image doesn’t do justice to the parish councils who play an important role in looking after local environments and building pride in their communities. Given 91% of England’s land is covered by a parish council they deserve closer scrutiny and thought to their future. In this excellent report by my colleagues at IPPR North they describe what works and what doesn’t about the current parish council model then outline a series of reforms that could put them at the forefront of democratic innovation in England. These suggestions including introducing votes at 16 and the use of electronic voting. Combined their recommendations would address issues of participation, representation, powers, funding, coverage and cooperation between different tiers of government. #parishcouncil #localgovernment #democracy Read the report here👇 https://lnkd.in/dtjgY3yG