News
EXCLUSIVE: Frustration mounts on Brexit legislation list
Frustration is growing as the Government stalls on requests to provide a comprehensive list of secondary legislation affecting councils that needs to pass before Brexit.
EXCLUSIVE: Grimsey criticises speed of high streets bidding process
Retail expert Bill Grimsey has accused the Government of forcing the pace on bids to its £675m Future High Streets Fund.
'Much more to do' to improve quality of Northamptonshire CC services
There is ‘much more to do’ to improve the quality of Northamptonshire CC’s services, two Government-appointed commissioners have told Whitehall.
Local government employment down 2%
Local government employment has fallen by 2% over the last year, new figures have shown.
Sector unites in call for Troubled Families funding
The local government sector has urged the Treasury to continue funding the Troubled Families programme following a glowing report on its impact.
Councils agree to ramp up efforts to tackle children's services pressures
Local authorities in London have agreed to intensify their efforts to tackle the increasing financial pressures on children’s services.
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Opinion
Extracting quality from the Future High Streets Fund
Retail expert Bill Grimsey says the £675m Future High Streets Fund is welcome, but the Government is forcing the pace on bids and leaving councils without the time to put together quality schemes.
Our invaluable work needs to be better understood by the Government
We need to call on those in power to better understand the invaluable work we do in local government and help us deliver creativity without uncertainty, says Tony Kirkham
Rebuilding lives lost to slavery
Local authorities must do more than meet the ‘bare minimum of the Modern Slavery Act’, writes Paul Gerrard. With councils spending more than £40bn a year, there is leverage that can and should be used for social good
What do we want from our public services?
Heather Jameson says the cracks in our communities are starting to show, with knife crime, homelessness and poverty on the rise. But are we really ready for a mature, budget-sharing relationship across public services?
Certainty in the middle of so much uncertainty
Selby DC is going into its election period in the context of an unprecedented level and variety of uncertainties, says Janet Waggott. But she believes this creates certainty about what local government needs to do despite the challenges.
Remove immigration policy from the Home Office
Immigration policy is a mess, says Michael Burton - and has led to pay minimums which ignore big labour shortages in lower-paid public services. The Home Office is no longer the right ministry to manage such a cross-sector role, he concludes.
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Best Practice
A charter to tackle County Lines
Islington LBC’s first report on the local implementaton of the Charter Against Modern Slavery shows it has led to progress in earlier identification of children at risk of exploitation through County Lines. Ann McGauran reports
Analysis
Waiting for Godot and the Social Care Green Paper
Public finances are outperforming expectations, but the post-spring statement briefing from the Institute for Fiscal Studies highlighted the need to sort out taxation and those other topics that did not get into the speech. Heather Jameson reports.
Private sector
Councils agree 'zero tolerance' of abuse and assaults on staff
Workers for a major council outsourcing company have suffered 350 incidents of physical assault, abuse and threats in the past year, new figures have revealed.
Worcestershire to transfer education services to company
Worcestershire CC is expected to give the green light to widen the scope of its children’s services company next week.
Interserve rejects rival rescue bid
Doubts have arisen over outsourcing giant Interserve’s rescue deal after its largest shareholder mounted a rival bid.