Local Government Chronicle
7 April 2011
View all stories from this issue.
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A model way to help LEP priorities
Now that most local authorities know their LEP line-up, attention is turning towards how LEPs should use their new-found power to help drive economic growth. -
An editor - and local library supporter - writes...
Five years ago Buckinghamshire County Council made the difficult decision to close several libraries. Communication was poor and people were angry. It was painful all round. -
Authorities forced into biggest reserves raid for a decade
English authorities are planning to raid reserves on a scale not seen in nearly a decade with official figures revealing coffers could be £880m lighter in a year’s time. -
Case study: Blackburn with Darwen BC
As councils face the prospect of implementing huge cuts to their budgets and local NHS administration budgets are slashed, the financial challenges ahead are becoming much clearer. One North West Council and Care Trust have come up with an innovative solution. -
Changes within the law are making a difference
The general power of competence is likely to spur an increase in the number of joint ventures created to turn a profit for local authorities. -
Child protection guidance set to be reviewed
Ministers are set to review statutory guidance for directors of children’s services and lead members amid concerns that sector-wide reorganisation is rapidly altering the lines of accountability for child protection. -
Community gets in the picture at Hebden Bridge
One of the country’s few municipally run cinemas may be about to be transferred into community ownership. -
Confusion slowing joint venture take-up
Joint ventures are underused by local government because they are poorly understood, experts have said. -
Council defiant over data refusal
Nottingham City Council’s deputy leader has issued a defiant response to criticisms of the authority’s refusal to publish details of its spending above £500. -
Council of the Year Winner: Blackburn with Darwen BC
Leadership, vision and partnership working are embedded in the DNA of Blackburn with Darwen BC, enabling it to demonstrate the inspirational leadership that has helped it gain the reputation it has today. -
Dorset apprenticeship scheme suspended
Apprentices at Dorset CC may not be able to finish their training because of a lack of placements, councillors have been warned. -
Funding is out there - make the most of it
The current economic climate has created a need for new solutions to address the perfect storm of a fragile economy, reducing public finances, deteriorating infrastructure, increasing unemployment and large cuts to public capital and revenue budgets. -
Go green and save more carbon
Local government needs to tackle its environmental efficiency with increased vigour to meet the UK national commitment to cut carbon emissions by 20% by 2020. -
Inside Out - Blogging to set the record straight
The blogosphere and all things interweb are fecund but fickle friends. I have found this to my cost. -
Involving residents in delivery of services
South Kesteven DC has embraced the drive to put citizens at the heart of public services and we have adopted a planned, proactive approach. The local economy is a key element in creating strong communities where people want to live, work and do business and this is integrated into future planning. -
Jobcentre shake-up fears ignored
Ministers have forced through a “high-risk” reorganisation of Jobcentre Plus, despite serious concerns raised by Whitehall officials and with no consultation with local areas. -
League table reveals most deprived councils
Three neighbouring district councils in Northamptonshire have shown some of the biggest increases in deprivation over the past three years, according to the government’s official rankings. -
Leicester chief 'on sick leave'
Leicester City Council’s chief executive is on sick-leave ahead of mayoral elections with potentially profound implications for her post. -
Living with grant cuts
Severe budgetary constraints have generated widespread acknowledgement that we need to think creatively about how best to meet local needs with limited resources. -
New structure for DCLG
The Department for Communities & Local Government has named 59 deputy directors as it finalises its new structure. -
News Review - 7 April 2011
LGC’s comprehensive round-up of local government news.(Click headlines for more) -
NHS pause offers window of opportunity to councils
The government’s “pause” in its NHS reform agenda is expected to offer councils a new window to push for the extra teeth the sector believes health and wellbeing boards should be granted. -
No Big Society barriers busted
The size of ministers’ challenge in ‘busting barriers’ to Big Society bodies in delivering local services has been highlighted by documents showing the nature of the requests received so far. -
Partnerships play a developing role
Local authorities are increasingly taking proactive action to bring forward town centre development. This partly stems from a reduction in the availability of development finance, which is mothballing many projects, but also from a desire to participate in the profits from development and to utilise surplus public sector assets and public sector covenant strength to the full. -
Partnerships play a dveloping role
Local authorities are increasingly taking proactive action to bring forward town centre development. This partly stems from a reduction in the availability of development finance, which is mothballing many projects, but also from a desire to participate in the profits from development and to utilise surplus public sector assets and public sector covenant strength to the full. -
Procurement rules still have a place
Many local authorities have become expert in managing the competitive dialogue process in order to quickly deliver complex contractual arrangements. -
Q&A Guide: joint ventures
A beginner’s guide to joint ventures and how they are being used -
Reforming the NHS: a chance for localism
The government is learning that tinkering with the NHS can cause serious political damage. -
Reserves a local question
Last year Eric Pickles accused councils of sitting on £10bn in reserves while making job cuts and slashing services -
Re-think was music to my ears
Twenty-five years ago, when my children were receiving music lessons from the Hillingdon Music Service, I led a campaign to prevent the closure of the service intended to save the borough some money. The service did not close. However I now find myself involved with another campaign to try to preserve the service for the next and future generations. -
Shapps sets 10-year limit on audit appointments
Councils will not be able to use the same auditor for more than 10 years in succession, Grant Shapps told MPs this week. -
Take a leaf out of our book
In Buckinghamshire, our libraries are often the heart and soul of communities and highly valued by local residents. However, financial pressures and ensuring that library services move with the times, means facing potentially unpopular policy changes. -
The Shortlist: Council of the Year
LGC congratulates those councils that made the shortlist for this year’s Council of the Year category in this year’s LGC Awards. -
Views of the week: 7 April 2011
LGC rounds up the best comment, analysis and opinion from the past week. -
We want our staff to work inside out
In these days of no money and no audit commission inspection how do we keep up the motivation to get better for the people we’re here for? -
Whitehall pay to stay unpublished
Nineteen government departments, including the Department for Communities & Local Government and the Prime Minister’s Office, have no plans to publish the details of their middle managers’ salaries, despite ministers insisting councils do so. -
Working together to improve procurement
Following last October’s Spending Review, local government organisations are under real pressure to achieve significant savings. Far-reaching cost reductions are planned and some organisations have been asked to reduce their budget by a third.
