Elliot Topham

Local Government Chronicle (LGC) • 5th August 2026

Revealed: Stark differences in strategic authority staffing

An LGC analysis has revealed stark differences in the number of staff employed by strategic authorities as the prime minister puts the organisations at the centre of his devolution plans.
Staffing levels ranged from 5.9 full time equivalent (FTE) staff at Devon & Torbay CCA to over 1,500 at the Greater London Authority and nearly 1,000 at both the West Yorkshire and West Midlands CAs.
Much of the variation can be explained by how long the different organisations have been established, and the ex...

Local Government Chronicle (LGC) • 29th July 2026

On the ground in Britain's biggest byelection

Greater Manchester goes to the polls tomorrow to elect its combined authority’s second mayor. Elliot Topham talks to candidates and voters about the contest for a role that could help shape the future of devolution.
With the departure of Andy Burnham for Number 10 – both north and south – the race is on to succeed him as Greater Manchester CA mayor. And for candidates and voters, housing and the cost of living are taking centre stage.
Mr Burnham’s boots may be a hard fill. According to a YouGov...

Bridging & Commercial • 26th November 2024

FCA seen as ‘incompetent at best, dishonest at worst’ in report featuring Connaught scandal testimonies

The FCA has been heavily criticised in a report released today (26th November) by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Investment Fraud and Fairer Financial Services (APPG) following widespread concerns about the regulator in the wake of a series of external inquiries such as the Connaught Scandal.

Development Finance Today • 14th November 2024

Wembley Park: The sprawling BTR community at the beating heart of English national football

Walking down Olympic Way, Wembley Stadium, the colossal home of English football stares right back at you across the length the wide-tracked footpath, but the long walk is also dominated by the huge BTR scheme which dominates the journey in.

Bridging & Commercial • 9th October 2024

From battleground to boardroom: How an ex-paratrooper is bringing commercial finance to the armed forces community

Russ Lewis MC is no stranger to tough situations. As an officer in the British army’s elite parachute regiment with over 20 years of experience, he has been at the sharp end of many of the UK’s military engagements in recent history.

13th March 2024

SFO makes raids and arrests in alleged £76m care home development fraud case

On 12th March, the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) raided two sites and made three arrests across the south of England as part of a new investigation into an alleged £76m luxury care homes fraud case involving property developer Carlauren Group.

Bridging & Commercial • 9th January 2024

Ex-bridging lender directors ordered to pay £20m

The High Court has ordered two former directors of defunct bridging lender Tiuta International Limited (TIL) to pay almost £20m.

BTL Insider Magazine • 7th December 2023

Seizing the moment for sustainable commercial lets

Demand appears to exceed supply of green offices, driven by the market sentiment and looming government targets. Amid metrics that make sustainability hard to measure, how can landlords give tenants what they want and meet deadlines?

Development Finance Today • 28th November 2023

HS2 scrapped, but 'long-term effect' casts shadow on property values and SME developers

In October, prime minister Rishi Sunak announced the scrapping of HS2 Phase 2 line between Birmingham and Manchester following weeks of speculation.

The HS2 line was originally designed to provide high-speed travel between the North West and the South East of England, stopping at Manchester, Birmingham and London.

According to Jonathan, the uncertainty around compulsory purchases — whereby the government does not require permission from the owner or occupier to purchase land or property th...

Bridging & Commercial Magazine • 27th October 2023

Breaking the glass ceiling by empowering entrereneurship

Companies run by female entrepreneurs are often limited by poor access to capital. To help, two specialist finance experts have set up a brokerage, attracting over £100m worth of deals in its first four months.

Life360 • 28th September 2022

“When you see the horizon, it looks like black”: the hidden price of war and the cost-of-living crisis for Welsh-Yemenis

As people around the country struggle to pay for essentials, some members of the Welsh-Yemeni community struggle to support family in war-torn Yemen. But how are price increases and war impacting on their identity?

In 2018, Khaled Alshameri was making his trip from Cardiff to see his family in his home of Yemen. Sitting in Cairo airport, Khaled’s flight had a three-hour delay. What may have sounded frustrating was simply a small bit of added time compared to the four-day long trip home. Likewis