Council staff
Six observations from my time as PPMA president
Against a challenging backdrop for public services, PPMA president Gordon McFarlane sets out six key reflections from his two years at the helm.
Don’t leave finance professionals short-changed
Andrew Tromans and Mizan Rouf outline the past and present recruitment challenges in public finance.
Adult services will reap the benefits of data
A pioneering initiative funded through the apprenticeship levy is aimed at fostering a community of adult social care data analysts, poised to shape best practices, says Sam Villis.
Revolutionising temporary workforce solutions
The approach taken to temporary workforce management within councils often falls short in several critical areas. Here, chief executive of West Midlands Employers Rebecca Davis discusses why collaboration among local authorities and agencies is key in tackling this issue.
Deprivation of Liberty backlog 'may never be eradicated'
A report has called for councils to get more resources to tackle the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) backlog.
Woking and Thurrock failures 'embarrassing'
The local government watchdog’s chief executive has said the collapse of councils such as Woking and Thurrock should not have been allowed to happen.
Recruitment conundrums and economic development
A key challenge for councils building economic development teams is understanding where to prioritise the service skills, while many candidates are opting for the contractor market, says Penna.
BCP breaks the glass ceiling
Writing for International Women’s Day, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council’s leader Cllr Vikki Slade says it’s time to celebrate progress on female representation within the local authority.
Getting Britain building again
The Purposeful Finance Commission’s recommendation that businesses raise a target of £22.5m to help unblock urban infrastructure projects is an investment rather than a cost, says Tracy Blackwell.
Warnings over job cuts repercussions
Councils embarking on mass job cuts have been warned it will have grave repercussions for the senior managers of the future.
The first cuts are the deepest
Sector experts talk to Martin Ford about the effects of job cuts on councils’ resilience, the impact of austerity on the number of leadership positions and the downsides of super-directorates.
Council delays four-day week decision
South Cambridgeshire DC’s decision on whether to permanently adopt a four-day week has been put on hold as it awaits the Government’s next move.
Time to break the barriers
Nicola Chiverton argues there is more to be done in key areas such as social inclusion if the sector is to make a success of tackling its workforce crisis.
Don’t fall for all the hype behind AI
Natalie Cramp talks to Ann McGauran about some of the opportunities, risks and challenges emerging from the use of data and AI in local government.
Local authorities in the spotlight: Hit the simplify button
Service director at Peopletoo Selinda Chouhan sets out nine foundations local authorities need to have in place to support the delivery of improvement, transformation and change programmes.
Council tax bands need a regional overhaul
Heather Jameson asks: 'Will any incoming government rush to reform council tax? Will they be braver and take on wider public finance reform?'
EDI – more than just letters
For recruiters it is more important than ever to ensure your equality, diversity and inclusion approach is clear and deep-rooted in your organisation, as Anj Popat and Jo Major explain.
It’s time for a ‘big bang’ to fix our workforce
'There is a need to rethink workloads across the public sector, to harness new technologies to do the grunt work while staff focus on the things only people can provide', says Heather Jameson.
View from the Hill
While the opportunities are there, a considered and well supported step up is crucial for thriving in the demanding yet rewarding world of local government, says Greg Hayes.
Welcome to a bright future
The benefits of developing the sector’s own talent is self-evident, says Cllr Abi Brown. By taking on a National Graduate Development Programme candidate, councils get extra capacity and capability to better reflect the communities they serve.