Local Government Chronicle
2 February 2012
View all stories from this issue.
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Another option now exists
The Localism Act, for the first time, enables all councils to choose the system of governance that they want. -
Believe it or not, Cassandra was right
The predictions for shared services can be likened to those of Cassandra in Greek mythology - they’ve never been believed. -
Brentwood sharing arrangement to end
The only district-county shared management arrangement is to be dissolved because of the “significant challenges” faced by both councils. -
Case study - Kingston-upon-Thames RBC
It’s been ‘back to the future’ in Kingston-upon-Thames RBC, which re-established a committee system last May – before the Localism Act took effect – by preserving a nominal executive for legal reasons while giving the real powers to its committees. -
Council tax benefit reform row deepens
Ministers and councils are in disagreement over who should bear the brunt of a 10% cut in spending when council tax benefits are localised next year. -
Inside Out - Redesigning the truncheon
We spend so much time reinventing the wheel - or in this case the truncheon. We used to have Bobbies on the beat, close to communities, who would ‘cuff’ the odd ragamuffin to stop, what would now be called, antisocial behaviour. Police came from the community they policed and knew who was up to what and when, now called ‘intelligence’. -
Let the goals shape the structure
The Centre for Public Scrutiny (CfPS) has developed four principles that underpin effective scrutiny, which apply regardless of organisational context or decision-making structure: -
LGC View - Committees: back to the future?
Under the principle of local autonomy, we should welcome measures in the Localism Act to allow councils to choose whether to continue with the executive model, opt to change to a committee system, or adopt an alternative. -
Make sure it’s an informed choice
“I used to feel I was making a half-decent contribution to my team, then the rules get arbitrarily changed with the result that I’m dropped and left to spend my time aimlessly sitting on the bench.” -
Managing the public health transition
As councils prepare to take back responsibility for public health services, questions are being asked as to whether they can genuinely tackle problems like smoking, obesity and binge drinking at a time when health budgets are being squeezed for every last penny. -
March deadline for 'city deals' sparks fears for flagship scheme
The government has set England’s cities a tight deadline by which to agree bespoke devolutionary deals, raising fears that arguments about systems could sideline the transfer of significant new powers. -
Plea for pooling incentives rejected
Calls for the government to use financial incentives to encourage councils to pool business rates have gone unheeded. -
Senior exodus ‘key risk’ to health reform success
The NHS Commissioning Board has said that “key risks” to its success include the haemorrhaging of senior leaders during the reform transition and a shortage of staff to commission specialist and primary care services. -
Small but ‘significant’ shift to committees
The government’s plans to allow councils to return to the committee system could be taken up by a small but significant number of single- and upper-tier authorities, LGC has learned. -
So many benefits under one roof…
Too often residents and businesses are confused about which organisation does what and where to access services. In Cambridgeshire we’re making real strides in addressing this problem. -
The politics of council tax
Director, Greater London Group, London School of Economics -
Time for a more grown-up relationship
Giving councils responsibility for distributing council tax benefit funding was badged as localism, but comes at a price -
Vision and determination at the heart of successful redevelopment
I am really pleased that Carmarthenshire has achieved recognition for our success in regeneration in recent years and I am often asked about the secret of our success. -
Why Birmingham believes less is so much more
On the 18 January the consultation phase for the Government’s flagship energy efficiency programme, Green Deal, closed with secondary legislation expected to follow later in the year.
