Management
Mitie and Interserve Support Services to merge
Outsourcer Mitie has proposed to merge with facilities management firm Interserve Support Services by the end of the year in a £271m deal.
The best managers are misfits and weirdos
Organisations with a higher tolerance of misfits and weirdos will benefit from their creativity, innovation, energy and enthusiasm, says Blair Mcpherson - and we also need dreamers, visionaries and revolutionaries.
'Missed opportunities' to safeguard neglected children
Four youngsters were left to live in ‘filthy and squalid’ conditions despite ‘numerous referrals’ to children’s services, a serious case review has found.
Bristol to bring back chief executive
Bristol City Council will bring back the role of chief executive – three years after scrapping the position.
It’s all part of the myth
Blair Mcpherson rejects the stereotype of an old-fashioned local authority chief executive of 20 years ago’ perpetuated by an unnamed special advisor.
Joint chief executive for districts
Two districts hope to save more than £15m over 10 years by appointing a joint chief executive and forming a strategic alliance.
Prepare for a bright future
Neil Lupin looks at how local government might start to reinvent its future in the months ahead.
The days after – creating a new learning community
The Public Service Transformation Academy has set up a free virtual learning community to help prepare for a ‘real reboot’ and radical rebuilding after the coronavirus crisis. Benjamin Taylor explains.
11 steps to ensuring outstanding internal comms
The importance to councils of outstanding internal communications cannot be underestimated during the COVID-19 crisis and there are 11 steps that will help provide that excellence, says Richard Stokoe.
Council taking too long to tackle 'critical weaknesses'
Gloucestershire CC is taking ‘too long to address critical weaknesses’ identified by inspectors two years ago, an Ofsted report has found.
Smashing the communication silence
Rebecca Davis examines the need for communication, dialogue and trust within organisations and how pioneering programmes are developing strategies to smash the culture of silence that impedes progress
Predicting the workplace of 2021 (and beyond)
In a lively session at The MJ’s recent Future Forum North event in Manchester Dr Nicola Millard, principal innovation partner at BT, looked ahead at tomorrow’s workplace. Here she outlines the seven ‘Ds’ shaping the future of work
The vitally important triangle
Donna Hall says the main role of the council chief executive is ‘always triangulation, every single time’ – making sure what is being agreed ‘is the right stuff and actually happens on the ground in integrated frontline teams’
Be more than just good at your job
Nicola McCoy Brown says that while she hadn’t reached her third decade of work ‘without knowing the mechanics’, ADEPT’s leadership development programme in partnership with SOLACE has given her ‘a wider network, learning and reinvention’.
Who you gonna call
If an urgent problem emerges at a local authority, whose call should a senior director return first, asks Blair Mcpherson.
Ofsted highlights 'serious and widespread failures' at council
Children in Middlesbrough are being left at risk for too long because of failures in practice and leadership, Ofsted has warned.
Auditors in fees increase warning
Auditors have warned a number of councils that their audit fees for 2019/20 could be more than one-fifth higher than they were expecting.
Council acts after planning 'collusion'
‘Swift action’ has been taken by Northumberland Council’s senior management after ‘several persons in positions of authority and control’ appeared to ‘collude’ with a developer.
Hertsmere appoints managing director following management restructure
Sajida Bijle has been confirmed as Hertsmere BC’s new managing director following a management restructure.
Roney warns against complacency after damning review
Manchester City Council’s chief executive has insisted the authority will not be complacent about child sexual exploitation after a damning review was published.
