Partnerships
Our aim is to ensure no-one sleeps rough in Oxford
On World Homelessness Day, Linda Smith explains Oxford City Council's partnership approach to ensuring no one should have to sleep rough on the streets of the city.
Place-shaping with a Flourish!
Gavin Sneddon reviews Nesta’s board game that lets management teams reinvigorate their visionary capabilities.
Who are you talking to?
Who you regularly sit down with and who you talk to one-to-one makes a difference and who gets to talk to who varies from one authority to another, says Blair Mcpherson.
Ikea-owned firm strikes deal with council to build ‘flat-pack’ housing
Bristol City Council has reached an agreement with a Scandinavian firm that will see 200 ‘flat-pack’ homes built in the city.
The new outsourcing landscape
With the impact of austerity and the collapse of high-profile firms like Carillion, outsourcing is under pressure. Council chief executives gathered at a Serco/The MJ round table to look at the future of contracting out. Heather Jameson reports
The MJ Data and Digital: Getting digital right
Working on digital partnerships is fraught with pitfalls. Kirsty Cole and Melvyn Ingleson offer top tips for making sure you get the best out of your digital transformation deals.
The answer to the leadership question
Blair Mcpherson looks at how leaders have to come to terms with the apparent contradictions inherent in demonstrating leadership behaviour.
It all starts in the community
Pawda Tjoa of the New Local Government Network (NLGN) says a new community-led model is needed to shift the focus of children's services to prevention.
Councils owe it to citizens to investigate the possibilities of public cloud
Public cloud can help councils provide better, smarter and more efficient public services and is critical in helping managing costs, says Ian Sherring.
Doubts over future of Kent councils' housing company
The fate of a housing company established by four councils in Kent hangs in the balance after a catalogue of failings was uncovered.
Public sector drives growth at Galliford Try
Developments with local authorities have delivered a boost to construction firm Galliford Try.
Collaborative leadership for thriving places
PlaceMakers is a programme that brings local leaders from all sectors together to develop a collective understanding of their place. Anna Randle and Alex Khaldi explain why single-sector leadership development programmes are not enough.
Accelerating positive change with shared perspectives
Paul Little outlines how the range of new perspectives and experiences he encountered with colleagues throughout England while on the Accelerate course has helped him rise to the challenge of setting up combined health and social care teams.
Landing new homes
The Government’s ambitious plans to boost housing supply is being hampered by a lack of land, so Homes England is working with councils and partners to free up spaces to build, says Stephen Kinsella.
Accessing key drivers for partnership working
Access to skills, technology and investment were among the key reasons for local authorities to work with the private sector says a recent survey jointly commissioned by The MJ and Serco. Michael Burton reports
Making digital partnerships work
Melvyn Ingleson says that while the expertise of technology companies is genuine, there is an opportunity for councils to re-balance relationships, drive a harder bargain and ensure robust engagement from those you hold accountable for outcomes.
The importance of team bonds
Tracie Evans ponders the challenge of managing multiple contracted companies working on a single programme. She concludes that KPIs are important to success, but making sure the client makes time for collaborative work is even more crucial.
Enfield’s world class development plan
By retaining control of the £6bn Meridian Water project, Enfield LBC will be able to ensure it meets the needs of residents – speeding up delivery of new jobs and homes, writes Sarah Cary
Oxfordshire councils to extend joint working arrangements
Two councils are considering extending their working partnership in a move they hope will trigger a ‘broader conversation’ on local government organisation.
Avoiding fiscal risks - and 'daddy dragon' moments
Tracie Evans says her 'daddy dragon' of the week is not Brexit but the question of what is the optimum number of contractors needed to deliver a very complex organisational transformation.