William Eichler
Whitehall must develop 10-year social care plan - MPs
The Government must detail a costed 10-year plan to help shore up the struggling social care system, MPs have said.
Virgin Care awarded contract to deliver Lancashire health services
Virgin Care has been identified as the preferred bidder for the delivery of 0-19 public health services in Lancashire after a legal challenge forced a reevaluation of the bid.
Whitehall must spend £19bn annually to end austerity
Theresa May’s promise to bring an ‘end to austerity’ is incompatible with the chancellor’s aim of balancing the books by the mid-2020s, financial experts have said.
Health and care inspection regime leaves ‘room for improvement’
The new health and care inspection regime is a ‘significant improvement’ on the previous system, but there is room for improvement, concludes landmark report.
Northern Powerhouse experiences ‘building boom’
Northern cities are leading a British ‘building boom’, according to a new study on where and in which sectors development is taking place.
Councils should benefit from land value uplift - MPs
Increases in land value that result from public policy decisions should be shared with councils instead of ending up in the pockets of private developers, MPs have said.
Councils should ‘step back’ from service provision - think-tank
Local authorities should shift their focus away from direct service provision and focus more on enabling communities to ‘step up,’ a new study has argued.
Councils ‘struggling’ to provide services for most deprived
Local authorities serving the most deprived areas are struggling to provide services for their most vulnerable residents, a report has found.
Brum vows to improve SEND after critical report
Birmingham City Council has vowed to take urgent action to make ‘significant improvements’ after a special educational needs and disabilities inspection (SEND).
Somerset proposes 130 job cuts to balance books
Somerset CC has proposed more than 100 job cuts as it faces considerable financial pressure.
Highland Council warns of £5.1m overspend
A Scottish council has warned of ‘harder times ahead’ as it projects an overspend of at least £5m this financial year.
Unitary council stops all non-urgent spending in face of £2.8m overspend
Torbay Council has been forced to announce an ‘immediate moratorium’ on all non-urgent expenditure.
Lancashire to re-run public health tender
Lancashire CC has agreed to re-evaluate its tendering process for public health services after a court ordered the council to set aside its agreement with Virgin Care.
Northamptonshire library closures ruled 'unlawful'
The decision to close 21 council-run libraries in Northamptonshire was made unlawfully, a court has ruled.
Former council leader censured for ‘repeated’ sexual harassment
A former leader of Devon CC has been censured for ‘sustained and repeated’ sexual harassment of female members of staff.
Planning functions ‘downgraded’ by councils
Planning has been ‘downgraded’ in more than eight out of 10 local authorities, town planners have found.
Make social care ‘free at the point of need’
Social care should be ‘free at the point of need’ like the NHS, a bold new report into the health and care system has recommended.
Northern council chiefs call for devolution of powers to solve ‘railway fiasco’
A coalition of northern local government leaders has called for full powers governing the management of all rail infrastructure to be handed to the region.
Council signs joint venture agreement to deliver 500 homes
Hertfordshire CC has signed a joint venture agreement with developers Morgan Sindall Investments to deliver an estimated 500 new properties.
Councils spent £3.8bn on commercial property, study finds
Local authorities spent nearly £4bn on commercial property assets between 2013 and 2017, a new study has found.