Crime
The use of child spies ‘needs urgently reviewing as a priority’
Stuart Carlton says the Association of Directors of Children’s Services and the Department for Education need to know which children are being used as spies - and jointly assure themselves that the risks are acceptable.
Use of child spies is 'plain wrong'
One of England’s most high-profile directors of children’s services has spoken out against police use of child spies to penetrate criminal organisations.
Javid announces public health duty to tackle violent crime
Home secretary Sajid Javid has announced a new legal duty that will require local authorities to prevent and tackle serious violence.
More joined up approach is needed from central Government to tackle county lines
Central Government departments work in silos on tackling serious violence and county lines and need to work together ‘in a more smart way’, says a council expert.
Council apologies for failing to spot signs of historic exploitation
Kirklees MBC has apologised for failing to protect two girls from abuse after an independent review found opportunities were lost to protect them from exploitation.
Westminster announces u-turn on cuts to youth services
Westminster City Council leader Nickie Aiken has admitted the council made a mistake when it cut funding to youth services.
Readdressing reoffending
Not enough is being done to prevent a system that sets people up to fail as soon as they are released from prison, says Bob Neill. It’s time for a holistic, multi-agency approach, done with local government involvement.
Police looking at new fraud allegations at West Dunbartonshire
New information concerning alleged fraudulent activity at West Dunbartonshire Council has been passed to police.
Police launch investigation into £70k fraud at Surrey
A police investigation is underway into how nearly £70,000 was ‘misspent’ by a council officer.
LGA decries youth offending budget cut
Government funding to prevent young people entering a life of crime has reduced, sparking disappointment from the Local Government Association (LGA).
Councils to play 'key' role as radicals return
Local authorities will play a ‘key’ role in assessing potentially radicalised individuals and families returning from conflict zones such as Syria, a senior police officer has said.
EXCLUSIVE: Violence could delay EU poll
Polling at the EU elections may be suspended if rioting or open violence breaks out today, returning officers have been told.
Is the Prevent strategy reaching maturity?
The Home Office is positioning its controversial Prevent counter-terror activity alongside town hall safeguarding activities. Mark Conrad speaks to key players involved in a major pilot of the new regime, dubbed ‘Operation Dovetail’
Councils left in dark over youth offending budgets
Funding uncertainty is undermining councils’ efforts to tackle knife crime and County Lines drug dealing, the Local Government Association (LGA) has said.
Cuts to youth services factor in knife crime rise - MPs
The local areas that have experienced the largest cuts to their youth services budgets have reported some of the highest increases in knife crime, MPs have revealed.
Austerity holding back local government fight against knife crime
‘Inadequate’ Government leadership and funding is hindering local government in tackling knife crime, a former Whitehall tsar has said.
Committing to youth wellbeing
Councils are being ‘forced to divert the limited funding they have left away from preventative work. But with levels of knife crime rising, will the Government put more money into targeted youth services responses? Ann McGauran reports
Pledges focus on what matters most to Londoners
London Councils’ Pledges to Londoners set out the aspirations the 32 boroughs and the City of London have agreed to work on together to improve the lives of all the capital’s residents, says Peter John.
Halting knife crime is a multi-agency endeavour
Rachel Dickinson says much greater investment is needed in children and young people if we are to make a difference to levels of knife crime - and treating serious youth violence as a public health issue makes absolute sense.
EXCLUSIVE: Whitehall warned as Brexit tensions grow
‘Early signs’ of escalating community tensions and hate crime related to Brexit have been reported to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), The MJ has learnt.