Skills
Devolve powers to tackle jobs crisis, council leaders urge
Local authority leaders have called on the Government to devolve more powers to councils to free them up to tackle the growing jobs crisis.
Green jobs are the route to shared prosperity
Groundwork’s Growing Green Careers report sets out a number of principles designed to address both worklessness and environmental injustice, writes Graham Duxbury.
Closing the digital skills gap
Simon Collinson looks at how to widen the talent pool and bridge the digital skills gap in the UK public sector.
Leaning in to leadership in districts
The DCN staff development programme has been relaunched after a pause during COVID. Bill Cullen sets out why we must nurture the next generation of council rising stars, while current and former participants talk about what they’ve gained.
Shared Prosperity Fund shortfall leaves a gaping hole at the heart of levelling up
The Shared Prosperity Fund allocations present a bleak picture, and represent serious cuts, but the concerns don’t end at the lack of money, says Henri Murison.
Zero progress on climate but devo can keep things on track
The Levelling Up White Paper’s relative silence on net zero represents a huge missed opportunity – unless the devolution genie is quickly let out of the bottle, writes Grace Newcombe.
UK Shared Prosperity Fund: there is time to put flaws right
Lord Bob Kerslake says the UK Shared Prosperity Fund has fallen short on all of his three key tests of matching the scale of EU funding, delivering the Government's levelling up ambitions and advancing devolution.
A national workforce strategy is needed to tackle skills shortage
With pay likely to remain stagnant and labour shortages to continue, local authorities need a robust workforce strategy with the full backing of central Government, says Michael Burton.
Levelling up: the digital challenge
The MJ and BT recently held a round table debate with nine leading council chief executives from the Midlands and the North to debate the challenges and opportunities from the digital revolution. Michael Burton reports.
Dundee: the UK’s best-kept life sciences secret
Dundee is mapping out the young and dynamic city’s economic revival through its approach towards the development of life sciences, says Cllr John Alexander.
Section 106 agreements to be scrapped
Proposals for a standard Infrastructure Levy to replace the current system will be included in an overhaul of planning, it has been confirmed.
Gove pledges a 'waterfall of devolution'
Levelling up secretary Michael Gove has claimed there will be a ‘waterfall of devolution’ as powers cascade down to local areas.
London’s continuing uncertainty over UKSPF
Cllr Nesil Caliskhan says London boroughs waited in vain for an update in the spring statement on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and concerns remain that the capital will lose out.
Future Forum North: Investment in skills ‘comes without guarantees’
Investment in improving skills and qualifications ‘comes without guarantees’ that workers will stay local rather than move away once qualified, a council chief told Future Forum North.
Give communities a real stake in skills improvement
Dr Marius Ostrowski says Local Skills Improvement Plans, one of the Government’s key Levelling Up White Paper commitments, must be made truly representative of the communities they intend to serve.
The digital and the democracy
The new chief executive of Adur and Worthing Councils, Dr Catherine Howe, has a unique perspective on both technology and democracy. She tells Heather Jameson why she is looking to the horizon.
Devo should not be about what Whitehall is prepared to cede
After nearly a decade of devolution, the Levelling Up White Paper has finally created a blueprint for devolved decision-making. Jessica Studdert calls for less ‘divide and rule’ and more decentralisation.
Building a new North
What lies ahead for communities across the North after the publication of the Levelling Up White Paper? Ann McGauran reports from the Convention of the North with NP11 Conference.
Tackling local places’ resourcing and skills crisis together
Homes England and DLUHC have invested in Public Practice as a way of building the public sector’s capacity to improve places, with Oxford City Council as one of the success stories, says Poona Agrawal.
It’s time for local leaders to unleash their creativity on levelling up
The lack of a central roadmap in the Levelling Up White Paper offers a unique opportunity to local leaders, Georgina Cox and Marc Kidson of PA Consulting.
