Local Government Chronicle
5 January 2006
View all stories from this issue.
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£250M RISE ON COUNCIL FUEL BILLS 'DEEPLY WORRYING' - COUNCIL LEADERS WARN
A new year energy saving drive has been launched by the Local Government Association as new figures reveal that the... -
£9.4M INVESTMENT IN MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES EDUCATION
Museums and galleries across England have received a£9.4m boost as the Government announced new funding for educat... -
10 WEEKS TO REGISTER LONDON'S HALF A MILLION MISSING VOTERS
Government launches initiative to protect London's democracy... -
A 'FAIR' SERVICE FOR DISTRICT'S TENANTS
The housing service provided by Wear Valley DC is 'fair' and has 'promising prospects for improvement', according t... -
ANALYSIS - TIME TO UNLOCK THE FREEDOMS TREASURE CHEST
>> Best performing councils still not receiving enough freedom from central control... -
APPOINTMENTS TO ENGLISH PARTNERSHIPS BOARD
The Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott today announced the appointment of three new members to the board of Engli... -
BACKCHAT - LOCAL DIFFICULTY
By Tim Dawes... -
BACKCHAT - TOULMIN SMITH
Über-anorak... -
BEST PRACTICE - GOING PRIVATE TO SAVE CASH
Chasing private work has helped Kent's legal team raise thousands in extra revenue, says Claire Laurent... -
BEST PRACTICE - NO BLAME, NO CLAIM
Daytime TV is packed with ads for no-win, no-fee lawyers. Chris Gray investigates how councils are fighting back... -
BEST PRACTICE - THE KNOWLEDGE
A round-up of good practice and useful information... -
BEST PRACTICE - WHAT'S ON
The Grand: Checking into history... -
BOGUS COMPENSATION COSTS
Local authorities are spending between£200m and£250m a year paying off compensation claims, risk manager Zurich M... -
BRIAN BRISCOE TO STEP DOWN FROM 'THE BIGGEST JOB IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT'
Sir Brian Briscoe, the Chief Executive of the Local Government Association (LGA) for the last ten years, will today... -
BROADBAND IN EVERY COMMUNITY OF SCOTLAND
Every community in Scotland now has access to affordable broadband services.... -
BURNLEY NAMES ACTING CHIEF EXECUTIVE
Burnley Council has named an acting chief executive to run the authority until a permanent appointment is made.... -
CAMPAIGNS GROW TO SAVE COUNCIL SWIMMING POOLS
Local authorities are being urged not to close public swimming pools. The chief executive of the Amateur Swimming A... -
CAREERS - JOY OF GOING PUBLIC
Dena Smart used to work in the private sector before she spotted an advert in LGC. Alia Waheed talks to her about h... -
CAREERS - PEOPLE
MANAGEMENT... -
CAREERS - SPOTLIGHT
Steve Bakewell... -
CAREERS - YOUR NEXT MOVE
Alia Waheed looks at the role of executive director of the 5 Boroughs Programme... -
CHALLENGES FACING LOCAL AUTHORITY CHILDREN'S SERVICES
The new Chief Inspector of Schools, Maurice Smith, today joined the Chief Inspector of the Commission for Social Ca... -
CHIEFS IN NEW YEAR HONOURS
Christine Gilbert and Phil Watson, chief executives at Tower Hamlets LBC and Blackburn with Darwen BC, have been aw... -
CIPFA IN SCOTLAND CELEBRATES 100 YEARS IN PUBLIC SERVICES
2006 welcomes the centenary year for the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) in Scotland.... -
CITIES GROWTH FUND BID APPROVED FOR MAJOR REGENERATION SCHEMES
The Scottish Executive has approved a further£36.435m to be spent over the next two years to fund major regenerati... -
CLEAR LINK BETWEEN BENEFIT DEPENDENCY AND DEPRIVATION HIGHLIGHTED
New figures released today by John Hutton, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, show a clear link between high... -
CONSULTATION ON UK'S FIRST NATIONAL ACTION PLAN TO TACKLE HUMAN TRAFFICKING
The government's commitment to tackle the appalling modern day slave trade of human trafficking moved up a gear yes... -
CONSULTATION PAPER ISSUED ON PEOPLE TRAFFICKING
The government is publishing a consultation paper today on tackling human trafficking. It may also decide in the ne... -
COUNCIL HAS PLANS IN PLACE TO COMBAT WINTER
With weather forecasters predicting one of the coldest winters on record, Hounslow Council is working hard to ensur... -
COUNCIL WELCOMES AIRPORT LEASE SALE
The Leader of Coventry City Council, Cllr Ken Taylor, has welcomed the news that Coventry Airport's lease has been ... -
COUNTY LAUNCHES BIGGEST EVER REVIEW TO CUT COSTS
Surrey CC's executive has given the go ahead to start formal consultation on the biggest ever review of how the cou... -
DAVID CURRY - CAMERON LIGHTS TORY FIRE
So who expects to wake up and smell the coffee this New Year?... -
EASTENDERS WANT GATEWAY HOUSING TO PASS THE 'PINT OF MILK TEST'
Corner shops and local facilities are among the priorities for East Londoners when considering moving to new housin... -
EFFICIENCY PLANS ON TRACK TO HIT TARGET
Councils are on course to meet their three-year efficiency target despite failing to live up to their own predictio... -
EUROPEAN FUNDING ALLOCATIONS
Communities in the Highlands and Islands and South of Scotland have received a share of over£7 million funding fro... -
EXCELLENCE WALES ON TARGET FOR DELIVERING HIGH QUALITY SERVICES
Excellence Wales, the new award scheme for local authorities in Wales has received a clear sign that it is on targe... -
EXPECTATIONS OF LOCAL AUTHORITY WEBSITES RAISED
The Society of IT Management, which has set the standards for local authority website performance with its annual B... -
FEATURES - LEEDS: UNITED WE STAND
Two of the July 7 bombers hailed from Leeds, sparking fears the community could be torn apart. Six months on, Seamu... -
FEATURES - UNDER PRESSURE
Angry backbenchers, sniping from John Prescott, fierce council criticism - selling the education white paper was ne... -
FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY TRANSPORT
A village hopper minibus in Aberdeenshire, a local community car scheme in Perth and Kinross and an inter-island bo... -
FUNDING TO TACKLE POVERTY IN RURAL AREAS
Adult learning, community transport and recycling projects in rural areas are among services which could be improve... -
FURTHER SUPPORT TO HELP LOCAL AUTHORITIES MANAGE WASTE
Specialist support to help local authorities manage their waste more effectively has been extended for another two ... -
GAMES REVISION MAY FORCE OUT BOROUGH
Cost threat to east London partners... -
'GLA PRECEPT IS GOING UP - AGAIN'
'The GLA precept is going up yet again! This massive, inflation-busting 16.6% will add£42 per year to Band D counc... -
GOING LIVE IN 2005 - A REVIEW OF THE RENEWABLE ENERGY YEAR
The Department of Trade and Industry has picked out ten of the best green energy projects that began generating ele... -
GROWING NUMBER OF OLDER PEOPLE ARE NOW LIVING INDEPENDENTLY
New technology helps provide support to let people live at home... -
HUNT IS ON TO FIND LGA CHIEF EXECUTIVE
Sir Brian Briscoe stepping down... -
'INCREASED USE OF VOLUNTARY SECTOR MUST INCLUDE BETTER WORKING CONDITIONS'
The Scottish Executive's vision of increased use of voluntary sector must include better working conditions, Scotla... -
ISLINGTON 5 CLEARED IN STANDARDS BOARD CASE
After three and a half years the Standards Board for England has cleared Islington LBC leader Steve Hitchins and co... -
ISLINGTON HEARING CLOSES - STANDARDS BOARD COMMENT
Following the end of the independent Adjudication Panel for England hearing, the Standards Board for England's chai... -
JOB LOSSES DUE TO SOUTHEND FINANCIAL CRISIS
Dozens of Southend-on-Sea BC officers face the sack after a financial crisis hit the council.... -
KELLY DEFENDS ADMISSIONS CODE
Education secretary Ruth Kelly, speaking to the education conference in Gateshead today, will face further criticis... -
LEADER - WHO WILL STEP UP TO THE CHALLENGE?
LGA boss Sir Brian Briscoe will be a hard act to follow... -
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - CLASSROOM POLITICS
I was pleased to learn of the new Department for Education & Skills schools council toolkit and the support being g... -
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - DO NOT SUSPEND KEN
The standards board adjudication committee considering Ken Livingstone's comments to a journalist should think twic... -
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - GAP? WHAT GAP?
Contrary to the view expressed in your leader (LGC, 8 December), the Institute of Value Management sees no reason w... -
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - GIVE IT TIME
We were entertained by your headline 'LGA reputation project fails to impress' (LGC, 8 December). At the time of th... -
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - POWERS PROBLEM
The proposal to allow the Electoral Commission to set targets for council performance in electoral registration, ad... -
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - RURAL RESTRUCTURING
While some will argue that a focus on structural reform will be at the expense of service delivery, this glosses ov... -
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - SHARE EXPERIENCE
It's not only the prospect of local government review which causes us to look across boundaries - a fact which made... -
LIB DEM 'SLOPPINESS' LED TO RECORD INVESTIGATION
A tribunal has concluded that the 'inept and ad hoc fumbling' by Islington LBC's Lib Dem administration during its ... -
LOCAL GOVERNMENT OMBUDSMEN INVESTIGATION REPORTS ISSUED SINCE 15 DECEMBER 2005
Findings of maladministration causing injustice... -
LYONS CALMS CPA ROW
Commission's acting boss brands Strachan's comments 'regrettable'... -
MAJORITY OF POLICE AUTHORITIES SAY NO TO MERGERS
Less than a third of the 43 police authorities are in favour of amalgamating with neighbouring police forces becaus... -
MAKE IT YOUR NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION TO VOLUNTEER IN 2006
As Year of the Volunteer 2005 came to an end, Home Office Minister Paul Goggins applauded the invaluable work of vo... -
MENTOR - CAREER CLINIC
Question... -
MENTOR - JARGON BUSTER
Gender Duty... -
MENTOR - MAKE WORK SUIT YOU
Nine-to-five working with everyone toiling in the same office is a thing of the past, writes Rebecca Coombes... -
MENTOR - TOP TIPS
How to encourage your workforce to be healthy... -
NATIONAL GROUPS JOIN FORCES WITH A VISION FOR MENTAL HEALTH
The next decade should be the one in which mental health becomes everybody's business, says a paper published today... -
NEW AUDIT COMMISSION BOARD MEMBER APPOINTED
Timothy Parker has been appointed to the Board of the Audit Commission, Local Government Minister Phil Woolas annou... -
NEW AWARD FOR INNOVATIVE WASTE AND RESOURCE AWARENESS INITIATIVE
The Chartered Institution of Wastes Management is inviting entries for a major new award - 'Innovative Practice in ... -
NEW FIGURES SHOW IT WILL TAKE UP TO 200 YEARS FOR WOMEN TO GAIN EQUAL POWER
New figures released today by the Equal Opportunities Commission as part of its annual survey of women's representa... -
NEW FIGURES SHOW LIBRARIES ON THE UP
Commenting on new figures released today by CIPFA that show that the number of visitors to libraries is on the rise... -
NEW PILOT PROGRAMMES TO HELP PEOPLE WHO LACK CAPACITY
Health minister Rosie Winterton today announced the seven organisations that have been chosen to pilot the new Inde... -
NEW POWERS FOR POLICE
New powers aimed at cutting bureaucracy and better equipping the police to tackle the changing nature of crime have... -
NO NEPOTISM FROM ISLINGTON LIB DEMS
Five Islington councillors were expected to be cleared this week of claims that they improperly appointed chief exe... -
PEER REVIEW FINDS THAT HULL IS IMPROVING
Local government leaders have found clear evidence that Hull City Council is improving.... -
PRIME MINISTER'S NEW YEAR MESSAGE
Britain is set for a successful year with its strong economy and good public services.... -
'PRIVATISING JOBS TO AVOID EQUAL PAY WILL SPARK MAJOR UNION REACTION'
Unison has warned local councils not to turn to outsourcing jobs to avoid low pay responsibilities, or face concert... -
PUBLIC SECTOR LEADERS FOCUS ON IMPROVING CONSTRUCTION PROCUREMENT
Affordable homes, better health and education projects and the Olympics infrastructure are just some of the public ... -
RADICAL ACTION REQUIRED FOR SURREY AND SUSSEX HEALTH ECONOMY
A report setting out the District Auditor's concerns about the financial position of the Surrey and Sussex health e... -
ROUNDUP OF LOCAL AUTHORITY STORIES IN THE NATIONAL PRESS - UPDATED 12:05HRS
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION PAYMENT U-TURN... -
ROUNDUP OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT STORIES IN THE MONDAY PAPERS
LYONS APPOINTMENT AS CHAIRMAN OF AUDIT COMMISSION IS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST... -
ROUNDUP OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT STORIES IN THE NATIONAL PRESS - UPDATED 10.22
By Alia Waheed... -
ROUNDUP OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT STORIES IN THE NATIONAL PRESS - UPDATED 10.59HRS
by Alia Waheed... -
ROUNDUP OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT STORIES IN THE NATIONAL PRESS - UPDATED 11.52HRS
By Alia Waheed... -
ROUNDUP OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT STORIES IN THE SUNDAY PAPERS
COUNCIL TAX BILLS SET TO ROCKET WITH 'SPY IN THE SKY' TECHNOLOGY... -
SCHEME TO PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTALLY-SOUND FOREST MANAGEMENT
Environment minister Elliot Morley is encouraging contributions to the assessment of a scheme to ensure that govern... -
'SCHOOLS FUNDING DIVERTED' FINDS ANNUAL SURVEY
The National Association of Head Teachers welcomes the funding levels announcement that will give schools, on avera... -
SCOTLAND'S COUNCILS EXCEED EFFICIENCY TARGETS
Scotland's Councils have made efficiency savings of over£122 million in 2005/06 a new study shows.... -
SCOTLAND'S£400M FUNDING HOLE
Scottish councils face a funding gap of£400m - despite achieving more than double the efficiency savings demanded ... -
STRACHAN QUITS AUDIT COMMISSION
By Nick Golding... -
SYSTEMATIC BULLYING LEADS TO THREE-YEAR BAN FOR FORMER COUNCILLOR
Former councillor Mabon Dane of Haverhill Town Council has been disqualified for three years from being or becoming... -
TEACHERS FLOCK TO WORK IN SCOTTISH SCHOOLS
Record numbers of qualified teachers from across the world are flocking to Scotland because of the pay and conditio... -
THEMATIC STRATEGY ON WASTE PREVENTION AND RECYCLING: KEY ISSUES QUESTIONED
Europe's local and regional government welcome the recent adoption by the European Commission of the thematic strat... -
TORIES LAUNCH PUBLIC SERVICE IMPROVEMENT GROUP
The Conservatives have launched a new policy group, charged with formulating plans to improve standards in Britain'... -
UNION URGES GOVERNMENT TO RESOLVE TO DO THE RIGHT THING BY PUBLIC SERVICE WORKERS
Unison general secretary Dave Prentis has called on the government to start 2006 with a resolution to do the right ... -
VIEWPOINTS - DID THE AUDIT COMMISSION 'SPIN' THE CPA RESULTS?
'The Audit Commission really ought to remember that there is more incentive to do well when our efforts are recogni...
