Business
Council to spend £250,000 on leisure centre inquiry
Dumfries & Galloway Council’s £250,000 investigation into the failings of a sports and leisure centre is expected to start after a meeting next week.
The combined authority that’s Educating West Yorkshire
Susan Hinchcliffe expands on the role of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority in successfully delivering education to further skills and employment in the Leeds City Region.
Missing the bigger picture?
It’s easy to ignore major issues and focus on smaller things to do and improve. But, argues Dan Corry, in public services there comes a time when you can no longer ignore that fact that the system is not working.
Hard-won cash
From our home in central London’s highly-desirable Pimlico, Diary is not the sort of Marxist guttersnipe to begrudge outgoing Capita chief executive Andy Parker his £645,000 departure package (plus bonus and share options).
Sector urged to create ‘digital enterprise zones’
Vodafone has called on central and local government to create ‘digital enterprise zones’ across England to stimulate growth.
Blackpool Airport back in council’s control for £4m
Blackpool Council has bought back Blackpool Airport (pictured) in a £4m deal.
Why we must reform public sector procurement
There is a growing clamour for post-Brexit public procurement reform, writes Mark Robinson.
Olympic loan fears for council
Newham LBC is to work with various partners to improve the financial performance of the Olympic Stadium, as fears abound that the council may never recoup a £40m loan given for the stadium’s transformation.
A culture shock for Aylesbury Vale
As part of its transformation programme, Aylesbury Vale DC asked all its staff to reapply for newly designed job roles in the pursuit of a single vision. Andrew Grant explains why.
Who’s ready to go commercial in the ICT sector?
The IT managers’ society Socitm has been surveying local authorities looking at their approach to commercial development, and finds that ICT in particular has been a slow area to make progress. Geoff Connell discusses.
Fife wins £3.1m after successful legal challenge
Fife Council has been awarded £3.1m from insurance group RSA after it won the legal challenge it launched against a coal mining company.
Call to simplify councils’ procurement processes
The Local Government Association (LGA) has called on Whitehall to simplify the procurement process for councils to promote local growth, as Brexit legislation is discussed.
Disappointment for Scottish employers as £10m fund is only for the few
Councils hoping the Scottish government’s flexible workforce development fund would boost firms will be ‘disappointed,’ according to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).
Barnsley and Doncaster to walk away from South Yorkshire deal
Barnsley and Doncaster MBCs have scuppered the election of a South Yorkshire elected mayor next year and have demanded a Yorkshire-wide devolution deal.
Council purchases office park in latest addition to expanding property portfolio
Warrington Council has snapped up a business park that is used as office space by more than 6,000 people in the latest addition to its property portfolio.
Council considers cancelling £350m contract
Swindon BC is considering cancelling a £350m contract with developer Muse.
Arms-length company 'misled' council over tram project, inquiry hears
Edinburgh City Council’s former leader has claimed the council was ‘deliberately denied’ access to important information by its arms-length company that was managing the delivery of one of the city’s biggest projects.
Council left with £20m bill after legal battle
Cumbria CC has been landed with a £21m bill after a disastrous dispute with its former highways contractor, Amey.
Hounslow urged to review ‘risk-averse’ Lampton 360
Hounslow LBC is looking into concerns that one of its arms-length organisations is too ‘risk-averse’.
Camden set to knockout joint venture plans
Camden LBC was this week expected to reject single joint venture deals as part of its efforts to provide affordable housing.