Paul Marinko
Trust in councils is on the up
Trust in councils is on the rise – reaching its highest level for three years.
TPA hits out at council art collections
The Tax Payers’ Alliance has also hit out at councils across the UK for owning art collections worth nearly £1.9bn and only displaying less than a third of the pieces.
It’s party time
With just a week to polling day, the race to form the next Government is nearly over. Here Paul Marinko tries to help the sector navigate the web of policy commitments for local government on offer after 12 December.
COSLA kicks off funding formula review
A review of funding for Scottish councils has been launched following concerns around the current formula.
Unlock potential of social workers through self-management, report argues
A new report has called for a radical reduction in middle management to boost the time social workers spend with families.
A vision of the past
The party manifestos have been branded ‘a little last decade’ after they were released in quick succession ahead of the General Election.
Conservatives call for care consensus in cautious manifesto
The Conservatives are set to keep the council tax cap, seek cross-party consensus on social care reform and toughen powers to tackle illegal traveller encampments if they win the General Election.
Spending freeze for Shropshire
Shropshire Council’s boss has told staff the authority has imposed a ‘spending freeze’ until 2020 in the face of a potential £6m overspend.
Council to buy back estates from developer
Hammersmith and Fulham LBC is to take back ownership of two housing estates 12 years after they were sold off by a previous administration.
Middlesbrough faces £4.4m overspend
The English council with the highest number of young people affected by income deprivation is facing a £4.4m overspend.
Labour proposes BT public ownership plan
BT would be partly taken back into public ownership under Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s plan to nationalise the UK’s broadband network.
Interserve's White to step down
Interserve has announced its chief executive will step down at the end of the year with her responsibilities devolved to the company’s three main divisions.
Chief departure has 'no link' to joint working move
Allerdale BC has insisted there is ‘no link’ between chief executive Ian Frost’s departure and a decision to establish joint working with neighbouring Copeland BC.
Our poor children
Child poverty in the UK impacts not only on the children who are put into care. Its ripple effect piles pressure on local authorities, particularly those in the West Midlands and the North. Paul Marinko reports.
Figures expose shameful causes of children's care costs
The impact of poverty on council children’s services saw calls for action this week from MPs and councillors, as ministers moved to softened welfare reforms.
Government's building safety appointment was 'a mistake', says Porter
Former Local Government Association (LGA) chairman Lord Porter has branded the appointment of Dame Judith Hackitt as government adviser on a new building safety regulator ‘a mistake’.
‘Reform of this broken system cannot come soon enough’
The first phase report of the Grenfell public inquiry may have focused on the weaknesses in the fire and rescue service’s response, but there was much for local authorities to take away, says Paul Marinko.
Westminster leader selected for parliamentary seat
Nickie Aiken, the leader of Westminster City Council has been selected to fight the city’s parliamentary seat for the Conservatives in December’s General Election.
Poverty driving up children's care costs
Councils have seen an 85% increase in child protection plans over the decade, with poverty and poor housing among the key factor behind the rise.
Hopson warning over politicising health and social care
Politicians should avoid using the NHS as a weapon during the General Election and instead offer ‘proper, sustainable’ solutions for the social care crisis, a leading health sector figure has argued.