Improvement
Capacity stretched at 'can do' council
Capacity at a ‘can do’ council is stretched and staff are under real pressure, a Local Government Association (LGA) peer review has found.
Whitehall demands in-year cuts to improvement programme
The sector’s ability to respond to crises such as a care provider failure could be hit after Whitehall demanded cuts to a key improvement programme, senior councillors have been warned.
Powys faces 'long improvement journey'
Powys CC has ‘much more to do’ to improve its children’s services, senior councillors have been told.
Brum vows to improve SEND after critical report
Birmingham City Council has vowed to take urgent action to make ‘significant improvements’ after a special educational needs and disabilities inspection (SEND).
LEPs told to improve ahead of EU funding changes
Fresh concerns have emerged about local enterprise partnerships (LEP) as the Government considers whether to use them to funnel UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) cash.
Better to be judged by a jury of one’s peers
Michael Burton comments on local government's appetite for peer reviews.
SOLACE: Peer reviews should be made mandatory and transparent
Council chief executives have suggested that the Local Government Association’s (LGA) peer reviews should be made ‘mandatory and transparent as they were originally intended to be’.
Council has taken 'too long' to improve
Reading Council has improved services for young people leaving care since an inadequate Ofsted inspection two years ago.
Brokenshire admits knowledge gap
James Brokenshire has admitted the Government does not know the councils that have not undergone a corporate peer challenge.
Councils resist peer challenge offer
The Local Government Association (LGA) is facing resistance as it struggles to persuade reluctant councils to undergo a corporate peer challenge.
Birmingham faces grievance complaint amid senior staff restructure
Birmingham City Council has launched a senior management restructure as part of the new chief executive’s efforts to improve the authority.
Birmingham back on the brink
Birmingham City Council’s financial crisis is deepening, a scathing report from auditors Grant Thornton has revealed.
LGA in Brexit uncertainty warning
The uncertainty surrounding the potential practical implications of Brexit is becoming of increasing concern to councils as March 2019 draws ever closer, a Local Government Association (LGA) report has warned.
Commissioners could 'take control' of Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire CC's deficit could continue to rise and commissioners may be forced to take control of the council, councillors will be warned next week.
Stop trying to explain away poor performance
The sector needs to be more open and honest about poor performance, writes Abdool Kara.
Leadership should be more visible - peers
Gloucestershire CC’s senior political and managerial leadership should be ‘more visibly seen by stakeholders,’ Local Government Association peers have recommended.
Peers suggest senior management restructure
Local Government Association peers have suggested there is an ‘opportunity to rethink’ Shropshire Council’s senior management structure.
Complaints increase while satisfaction drops
Complaints to the ombudsman have increased by 3.5% while Smith Square data has revealed the lowest level of residents’ satisfaction with councils since polling began.
A fork in the road to austerity
Could CIPFA’s plans to create a financial resilience index for councils help rescue local government from further catastrophe? Nathan Elvery explains why he thinks a ‘traffic light’ rating could be heading down the wrong road.
County chiefs show red to traffic light ratings
County council chief executives have broken cover to warn that plans for a traffic light-style financial resilience rating system ‘risk over-simplifying complex issues’.