Telling social care’s story
April 25, 2024
As adult social care directors gather in Bedfordshire this week for the ADASS Spring Seminar the association’s new president Melanie Williams sets out her plans for the year ahead.
Analysis
-
Call for action on the adult care workforce
April 22, 2024
Ensuring care staff gain parity of esteem with the NHS and are valued by the public top the wish list for Association of Directors of Adult Social Services’ workforce lead Carolyn Nice. Ann McGauran reports.
-
Healing the sector’s crisis with respect
April 16, 2024
As veteran leader Ruth Dombey steps down at the Lib Dem’s longest-held council she makes a plea for a ‘grown-up’ relationship between Whitehall and town halls. Paul Marinko reports.
-
Fighting for the children
April 16, 2024
Incoming president of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services, Andy Smith, talks to Ann McGauran about the optimism and opportunities he sees as the organisation tackles the challenges ahead for children and young people.
-
Connecting health to cohesion
April 8, 2024
The evidence showing the importance of social cohesion to health, and the damage loneliness causes to mental health, is compelling. Ann McGauran reports.
You may have missed
Learning the stark lessons from a crisis
Slough Council’s sacked chief executive Josie Wragg reflects on ways to predict organisational instability and the risks of a tragic outcome as pressures on local government’s top officers increase. Ann McGauran reports.
We’re still moving forward
Cllr James Jamieson reflects on a challenging period for the sector as he marks more than four years as chairman of the Local Government Association. He tells Heather Jameson his original priorities for the organisation and applauds how far it has come
The leadership mission
Matt Prosser has taken over as the new president of Solace. Heather Jameson talks to him about his priorities, including the need to bring younger and more diverse people into local government leadership.
Peterborough’s baptism of fire
First-time chief executive Matt Gladstone says that when he took on the challenge of turning round Peterborough City Council everything was up for review. Heather Jameson reports on progress.
Time for a social care system refresh
Social care is beset by a perfect storm of problems. What needs to change, and are there any chinks of light on the horizon? Paul Marinko reports from a round table discussion organised by The MJ and the National Audit Office.
Breaking free from centralisation
George Jones and John Stewart examine the burdens imposed on authorities by central government and argue that failings in the system can only be resolved if the centralist culture is challenged
From the archive
Ahead for housing
Heather Jameson meets new housing minister Mark Prisk, and looks at the Governement's housing policy for the second half of the parliamentary term.
Briefing: SOLACE 2013
Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham last week told council chief executives that a national care tax might be one answer to care funding as Michael Burton reports
A way out of the woods
In an exclusive interview, Labour’s shadow communities secretary Jon Trickett outlines his vision for local government and how he plans to challenge the Treasury’s ‘Big Bad Wolf’. Thomas Bridge reports
