Skills
To the moon and back
The model for getting a man on the moon is a good one for the post COVID world of local government, even if councils don’t have the same open-ended budget, says Blair McPherson.
Our plan to aid economic recovery by reimagining Waltham Forest’s future
Martin Esom says Waltham Forest’s Economic Recovery Action Plan is built around three key phases – and the ambitious plans for housing will not fall by the wayside.
Seeking a ray of fiscal hope
Sector experts say the chancellor’s summer statement may ease some pressures on local economies, but does not offer councils any more on funding. Heather Jameson gauges the reaction.
This is a partial kickstart at best
Tom Stannard says that while the Kickstart job creation scheme is welcome, an inclusive all-ages progression strategy for both young people and working age adults is vital .
Councils at a crossroads: Local government in a post-COVID world
Looking beyond the pandemic, Nazeya Hussain and other contributors put forward the case for a new local economy and a new trust-based relationship between national, regional and local government.
Chancellor unveils his three-part plan for jobs
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced the next phase of his plan to ‘protect, support and retain’ jobs in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic.
Councils can lead post COVID-19 'inclusive' recovery
Inclusive growth is now ‘out of grasp for the foreseeable future’, but building more inclusive economies is not, according to research published today.
Overcoming the unemployment mountain
The avalanche of unemployment that is soon to hit us needs to soar up the agenda, says Dan Corry. Here he outlines solutions that can help us avoid the worst outcomes.
Putting local communities at the heart of the green jobs revolution
Councils are driving the climate change agenda locally, says Cllr Sir Richard Leese. They can be the catalyst for a new green jobs bonanza to help recovery, he adds.
Five compelling reasons why HS2East must be given same priority as HS2West
It is vital that the Government’s Integrated Rail Plan for the Midlands and the North states categorically that HS2 east will be built concurrently with HS2 west, argues Cllr Judith Blake.
Charity launches Care academy
Education charity, The Shaw Trust, has launched a new Care Academy in response to the national skills shortage that has been highlighted during the COVID-19 crisis.
Helping local people gain new jobs and skills during the COVID-19 shutdown
West Midlands Combined Authority has launched a COVID-19 support website to help people who want to gain new skills, or to look for a new career. Cllr George Duggins explains.
COVID-19: Stockport MBC launches jobs match service inside three days
Stockport’s rapid and collaborative response to the disruption caused by COVID-19 has seen an online jobs matching website go from concept to reality in just three days, says Cllr David Meller.
Trusting our workforce to make the right calls in this time of crisis
Hertfordshire CC is providing ‘clarity, reassurance and the human touch’ - and its recruitment team turned into a redeployment hub once the potential impact of coronavirus was clear, says Sally Hopper.
Without a place-focused economic response, pre-coronavirus inequalities will become even more entrenched
In places that were often struggling prior to COVID-19 such as Barnsley or Stoke just 20% of people could work from home, writes Andrew Carter; the virus will have a bigger and longer-term impact in areas where the economy has now ground to a halt.
Levelling up and the Budget
Lord Bob Kerslake argues that a coherent plan is needed to ensure the Budget’s new capital spending and R&D cash geared at areas outside London and the South East has maximum impact.
The future of British Steel looks ‘very positive’
Securing the former Redcar steelworks site from SSI marks the start of a new era for Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool, says Ben Houchen - and the Chancellor’s £22.5m commitment for the Materials Processing Institute was a critical step forward.
Identifying and assessing candidate motivation
Often a tough quality to pin down, assessing motivation from prospective candidates is an important step to finding the right person for the role. Philip Emms and Tim Hills of Gatenby Sanderson offer some insight.
Transforming our thinking about digital
The mission of the London Office of Technology and Innovation is to boost boroughs’ ability to innovate, build common capability, and to foster digital innovation designed to improve lives, says Philip Glanville.
Don’t just leave us to muddle through
Anita Charlesworth examines what the Government’s radical new immigration plans mean for social care – and says it ‘now needs to join up the dots between its policies’ and commit to adequately funding the sector.
