Improvement
Improvement panel to remain in Birmingham
The team brought in to turn Birmingham City Council around has backtracked on its plans to withdraw.
Welsh councils' performance improves
Nearly two-thirds of council services in Wales have improved over the last year, according to new figures.
Rotherham wins back more control
Rotherham MBC has won back democratic control of all functions apart from children’s social care, the Government has confirmed.
Brum leader Clancy steps down amid growing pressure
Birmingham City Council leader John Clancy has stepped down amid growing pressure from the media and central government.
Javid calls for urgent update on Brum
Communities secretary Sajid Javid has called for an urgent update on what is happening in Birmingham, as the leader faces calls to step down.
All councils should sign up to peer review challenges
Following the results of a survey by The MJ, Michael Burton argues peer reviews are critical to performance monitoring.
Brum leader faces down pressure to quit
Birmingham City Council’s leader was battling for his political survival this week as he faced down calls for him to quit over the long-running bin dispute.
Croydon scolded for children's services performance
Croydon LBC has failed to improve children’s services quickly enough, according to a damning report from Ofsted.
Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi...
Milton Keynes’ corporate director for people caused a stir when he blogged that the history of sector-led improvement (SLI) could be explained using Kylie song titles.
An uncomfortable truth
Mark Rogers says the sector is not regulating itself properly and offers a suggestion for a revamped sector-led improvement scheme.
Brum improvement team set to withdraw
The team brought in to help Birmingham turn itself around has called on the secretary of state to let it step back in light of improvements and the new management team in place.
Councils need to come up Trumps on building trust
While British local government hasn’t reached the depths of the Trump administration when it comes to farce, the sector does need to build trust, to communicate and to engage the public more effectively, writes Heather Jameson.
'Slow' progress council to create children's services company
Reading Council has announced plans to transfer its failing children’s services to a council-owned company after inspectors noted improvements were not happening fast enough.
All change at Birmingham
Heather Jameson talks to Birmingham City Council leader John Clancy and interim chief executive Stella Manzie about the massive changes within the authority and the city as a whole.
Javid: Steady improvement at Rotherham
Communities secretary Sajid Javid has announced plans to return further powers to Rotherham MBC following ‘steady improvement’ at the authority.
Spielman heralds new relationship with ADCS
Ofsted’s chief inspector has said she wants to ‘strengthen the relationship’ between her organisation and the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS).
Ofsted criticises Reading for slow improvement
Reading BC is failing to improve its services to children and young people quickly enough, inspectors have reported.
Council makes 'significant improvements'
Inverclyde Council has made ‘significant improvements’ in its financial management and service delivery, auditors have found.
Worcestershire hires interim to replace Marchant
An ‘experienced local government chief executive’ has been hired to the top role at Worcestershire CC for up to nine months.
DCLG cuts sector-led improvement grant
The Department for Communities and Local Government will provide a £21m grant for sector-led improvement in 2017/18, it has been confirmed.