Future Forum North 2018
All the news from our Future Forum North event, which looked at the impact of the financial resilience, leadership, children's services, and much more.
News
Brexit debates delay provisional finance settlement
Tomorrow’s provisional local government finance settlement has been delayed – just weeks after Whitehall agreed to bring it forward and fix a date.
Future Forum North: Sector ‘divided and ruled,’ claims Leeds chief
Leeds City Council's chief executive has issued a rallying cry for local government to come together to celebrate its achievements.
Future Forum North: End 'feudal' NHS structure to create place-based service
Work remains to reform the ‘feudal structure’ of the NHS before the full potential of health and care integration can be realised, The MJ's Future Forum North event has heard.
Future Forum North: Co-designed commissioning answer to outsourcing crisis
Co-designed commissioning is the answer to an era of heightened demand, budget reductions and supplier failures, council chiefs have been told.
Future Forum North: May's Brexit deal will leave UK worse off economically
It is undeniable that the UK will be worse off economically under prime minister Theresa May’s proposed Brexit deal, the director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies think-tank has said.
Future Forum North: 'Government still doesn't think sector is efficient'
Whitehall remains unconvinced that local government is as efficient as it can be, Smith Square’s deputy chief executive, Sarah Pickup, has said.
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Opinion
Be wary of good intentions
New Year’s resolution: however nasty social media might get, don’t let’s lobby for even more powers for Facebook, Twitter or the Met Police to brand what is difficult as hate, argues Claire Fox
Pressing on with spending plans despite uncertainty
Newcastle City Council has just launched its medium-term plan for consultation, says Tony Kirkham. Waiting for stability seems even more risky, he adds.
An independent view of finances is crucial
With the final settlement, budget-setting and the Spending Review all on the horizon, an independent view of finances is crucial, according to Heather Jameson.
‘We can’t go on as we are’
Investing in strategies that reduce childhood poverty is an efficient economic policy as well as the right thing to do, says president of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services Stuart Gallimore
More councils need to help drown out the voices of hatred
Many councils are leading the chorus which is starting to drown out the voices of hatred threatening local communities - but more need to join them, says Claire Kober.
Let’s rebuild support for our voluntary bodies
Something is not right in the state of the relationship between local government and the voluntary and community sector – yet the importance of a productive collaboration has never been greater, argues chair of NAVCA John Tizard.
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Best Practice
Co-production – the way forward for our youth
Kate Pieroudis outlines how the Social Care Institute for Excellence is developing a plan to make co-production more recognisable in services for children and young people – and to spread good practice
Analysis
Redefining the rules about resettlement
Andy Burnham threatened to pull Greater Manchester out of the asylum resettlement scheme - igniting the debate about refugee dispersal. But forcing councils to take on more families without more funding will make the problem worse, says the sector.
Hot Topic: Brexit
- Future Forum North: May's Brexit deal will leave UK worse off economically
- Future Forum North: 'Government still doesn't think sector is efficient'
- Future Forum North: SOLACE president urges sector to be less humble
- Brexit debates delay provisional finance settlement
- City leaders want more say on key post-Brexit policies
Private sector
In recruitment the art is more important that the science
Julie Towers advocates rigorous assessment and due diligence to test the suitability, experience and capability of candidates; but in her view it’s the ‘art’ that is more important.
Swansea to enlist private sector for tidal lagoon project
Swansea City Council is turning to the private sector in the hope of resurrecting a project for a tidal lagoon.
Helping take the risk out of ventures
The simple principles of planning, appraising and scrutinising investments in new ventures are easy to state and difficult to do, says chief executive of Local Partnerships Sean Hanson.