Improvement
Sector to tackle peer challenge take-up
The number of councils that have not had a corporate peer challenge (CPC) since 2012 will be reduced by half in 2018/19, the sector’s Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) has agreed.
Here come the commissioners
You know the situation in local government must be bad when the comparisons with war-torn Iraq and Afghanistan begin.
LGA strikes £20m improvement deal
Whitehall is looking to strengthen the sector-led improvement regime in its latest £20m deal with the Local Government Association (LGA), The MJ understands.
Top team support demand rising
Demand for top team support has been increasing and is expected to rise further after next month’s local government elections, The MJ has learned.
Fitzgerald poised to leave Liverpool
Former Bradford City Council chief executive, Tony Reeves, has signed a three-month deal to provide further consultancy services to Liverpool City Council amid speculation that the Merseyside authority could part company with suspended boss Ged Fitzgerald.
Improvement in Brum's children's services
Birmingham City Council is making progress in its efforts to improve its children’s services, but needs to improve the consistency of its work, according to Ofsted.
Council takes over failing children's services
Plymouth City Council has taken over the running of children’s services at Torbay Council after a series of critical reports.
Our peer challenge experience
Mike Harden breaks down the key learning from Knowsley MBC's recent peer challenge.
Council company to take over children's services
Senior Worcestershire CC councillors are next week expected to approve the development of a wholly-owned council company to deliver children’s services.
Council rejects strong leader model suggestion
Knowsley MBC councillors have ‘little appetite’ to change the authority’s governance arrangements despite Local Government Association peers urging them to consider a strong leader model.
Brum improvement team vows to work with council
The team brought in to turn around Birmingham has vowed to work more closely with the council.
LGA: Officer-councillor relationships tend to be good
Relationships between officers and councillors tend to be good, Local Government Association (LGA) peer reviewers have found.
Council praised for achievements in face of austerity
Exeter City Council can ‘take pride’ in the way it has coped with austerity and promoted wide-ranging economic growth, a gushing peer review of the authority has concluded.
'Whiteman has brought energy to leadership team'
Guildford BC’s new managing director has ‘settled into the role well’ and has brought ‘energy’ to the leadership team, a Local Government Association peer review team has found.
Further improvement needed at Tower Hamlets
Tower Hamlets LBC has sustained improvements to its children’s services but faces ‘significant challenges’ to achieve the good Ofsted rating it has targeted by 2019.
Wheeler promises rogue landlords clampdown
Housing minister Heather Wheeler has promised a clampdown on rogue landlords using benefit changes to drive down standards in the private rented sector.
Councils told to improve strategic planning
Cherwell and South Northamptonshire DCs have been told they must improve strategic planning as they intensify their joint working.
Chief's arrival lifts Melton morale
The arrival of a new chief executive at Melton BC has ‘lifted staff spirits and morale,’ a group of Local Government Association peers has found.
Government to appoint commissioner to failing Bucks
The Government has announced plans to send a commissioner to Buckinghamshire CC to turn around the authority’s long-failing children’s services.
Sector-led improvement for critical Powys
Powys CC needs ‘significant’ support from the Welsh Government and the Welsh Local Government Association to ensure sustainable improvement, a critical report has concluded.