Mark Conrad
New research: Whitehall needs to focus on preventative policies
Whitehall is regularly drawn into costly, reactionary spending cycles to mitigate crises within the NHS and adult social care but is failing to tackle the underlying causes, a study has found.
Birmingham fearing welfare crisis if UC rollout continues
Britain’s biggest local authority claims it faces a homelessness and debt crisis if ministers plough ahead with the rollout of the Universal Credit (UC) regime.
Council in talks with government after Vauxhall blow
Cheshire West & Chester Council’s leader is monitoring the situation at Ellesmere Port ‘carefully’ after hearing hundreds face redundancy from the Vauxhall car plant.
Committee chair claims minister ignoring Universal Credit concerns
A senior MP has warned Whitehall may be withholding ‘bad news’ in order to present the ‘mega reform’ as a success.
Unions claim 'huge victory' in equal pay case
Trade unions have claimed a ‘huge victory’ in a long-running equal pay case against St Helens MBC after the authority dropped a legal appeal.
Authorities ‘are vital port of call for advice about UC’
Universal Credit (UC) recipients who seek advice on managing their money are more likely to turn to local authorities for help than government agencies, new research has revealed.
Core Cities demands more aid in fight against ‘invisible killer’
Whitehall must give Britain’s urban centres the tools they need to tackle the air pollution that is responsible for 15,000 deaths across 10 major cities, a powerful lobby group has warned.
Sector’s ethnicity under government scrutiny
Councils have been warned they must ‘explain or change’ their record on ethnicity despite fresh data highlighting the sector’s strong performance in recruitment.
Gauke: Universal Credit rollout going to plan
Work and pensions secretary David Gauke has told MPs that the rollout of Universal Credit (UC) is ‘proceeding to plan, gradually and sensibly’ despite mounting concerns.
Welsh council tax support extended to 2019
The Welsh Government has announced it will extend its council tax reduction scheme into 2018/19 after helping 300,000 vulnerable and low income families last year.
Fostering tribunal could have national impact
Hampshire CC is facing a landmark employment tribunal at which a foster carer will argue for workers' rights such as holiday pay and discrimination protection.
‘Give us better access to Brexit negotiations’
Ministers must provide the sector with better access to ongoing Brexit negotiations or risk leaving councils unable to cope with new demands on services, a local authority chief executive has warned.
Delay homeless laws until more data is available
Ministers have been urged to delay new homelessness laws amid reports that the number of ‘hidden homeless’ is significantly higher than official estimates.
CCN vows to hold LGA to account over fairer funding
The chair of the County Councils’ Network has vowed to hold the Local Government Association’s (LGA) ‘feet to the flames’ as top-tier authorities seek fairer funding.
Financial fears grow in face of UC rollout
Pressure was this week piled on ministers as they vowed to push ahead with the troubled Universal Credit (UC) rollout.
Welsh councils bemoan 'catastrophic austerity'
A seeming increase in Wales’ public sector budgets masks the ‘catastrophic impact that eight years of austerity have had on local public services,’ the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) has warned.
Long-term solution call after mortality study
Social care directors have urged ministers to finance a long-term solution to delayed discharges after a damning study linked the issue to increased mortality rates.
Ministers hand councils new education role
Scottish ministers have watered down plans to reduce council influence over schools.
Fresh audit warning for Brum
Birmingham City Council’s auditors have delivered another major warning over the authority’s budget.
Scots set for new care abuse claims
Scotland’s councils have been warned to brace themselves for a wave of compensation claims from people who suffered abuse as children in local authority care.