LGC in the media 2011

LGC’s mentions in the media during 2011.

December 2011

• News of an interim director at DCLG being paid £580,000 led to a diary piece on the Guardian’s website. Hugh Muir’s diary, Guardian Website, 12 December 2011
• The Camden New Journal referenced LGC in their interview of outgoing Camden LBC chief executive Moira Gibb. Camden New Journal, 1 December 2011

November 2011

• Exclusive research by Ruth Keeling into the potential take-up of funds from central government for councils to freeze their council tax levels was picked up by BBC News in their headline stories. BBC News 24 November 2011.
  The research was also covered by The Mirror, The Daily Mail, The Telegraph, The Independent and hosted on the BBC website; as well as being picked up by BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme, the Huffington Post, the London Evening Standard, the Press Association and a number of regional radio and news outlets. 24 November 2011.
• LGC’s charity gallery showcasing local government employees efforts for Movember was recognised by the We Love Local Government blog in their review of the week’s events in local government. We Love Local Government Blog, 18 November 2001
• News of Sir Bob Kerslake’s appointment as head of the Civil Service led to a diary piece on the Guardian’s website digging up a LGC diary piece from the 21st March 2007 edition about Sir Bob’s liking for hip-hop. Hugh Muir’s diary, Guardian Website, 16 November 2011
  The news of Sir Bob’s tastes in music were then picked up by UTV News. UTV News Website - Diary, 16 November 2011
• The editor’s blog on the Guardian’s local government network followed up on James Illman’s and Ruth Keeling’s report into the LGA proposal for members to maintain a minimum standard or be kicked out. The Guardian Website, 4 November 2011

October 2011

• The Norwich Evening News reported on the Hethel Engineering Centre’s fifth birthday citing the LGC Awards win in economic development and regeneration by Norfolk CC as one of the highlights of the year. Evening News 24, 27 October
• LGC’s editor Emma Maier took part in BBC Radio Somerset’s Breakfast radio show, discussing council commissioning. BBC Radio Somerset, 13 October 2011
• LGC’s editor Emma Maier took part in BBC Radio Bristol’s Ben Prater radio show, discussing public sector finance following North Somerset Council’s decision to delete the post of director of finance and resources. BBC Radio Bristol, 10 October 2011

September 2011

• The editor’s blog on the Guardian’s local government network used Allister Hayman’s exclusive report into pooled resources as an example of localism failing to materialise. The Guardian Website, 9 September 2011

August 2011

• Camilla Pemberton’s blog on Community Care picked up on LGC’s ‘Media comments spark ministers’ attack on council’. Community Care, 31 August 2011
• Society Daily listed ‘On my radar…” Ruth Keeling’s analysis of recent reports into chief executive pay. The Guardian Website, 24 August 2011
• The Public Leaders Network listed Dan Drillsma-Milgrom’s report into the local government response to recent riots, including the LGA attending a meeting of Cobra in their Pick of the Web. The Guardian Website, 10 August 2011
• A report on the ‘Coalition’s Programme for Government’ cited Emma Maier’s response to the transparency agenda within a document for Parliament use. Local government: transparency agenda, House of Commons Library; 4 August 2011

July 2011

• BBC News followed up on the LGC’s round up of social enterprise news. BBC Website, 25 July.

June 2011

• Society Daily listed ‘On my radar…’ Emma Maier’s commentary on the prime minister’s speech at the LGA annual conference, suggesting friction between Westminster and Town Halls was unlikely to end anytime soon. The Guardian, 29 June.
  Senior salary research by Ruth Keeling was quoted by the prime minister in his speech at the LGA annual conference, 29 June
• Society Daily listed ‘On my radar…’ Allister Hayman’s report into a DCLG official being reported suspended over the twitter account @nakedCservant. The Guardian, 8 June
• The FT once again referenced LGC due to its continued coverage of the LGA leadership contest, picking up on a quote given to LGC by Cllr Richard Kemp. Jim Pickard, The Financial Times, 7 June
• The Evening Standard also picked up on Ruth Keeling’s exclusive report into public sector pension opt-out levels. Craig Woodhouse, London Evening Standard, 3 June
• The FT cited Ruth Keeling’s exclusive report into predictions of a rise in public sector pension opt-out levels. Nicholas Timmins, The Financial Times, 2 June

May 2011

• Patrick Butler’s Cuts Blog on the Guardian website highlighted Ruth Keeling’s report into Chorley BC and Wyre BC abandoning their joint management arrangements after just seven months. Patrick Butler, The Guardian, 26 May
• Journalism.co.uk and the BBC picked up on LGC’s latest FoI investigation into council spending. Journalism.co.uk quoted LGC’s deputy editor, Daniel Drillsma Milgrom, whose request for information was knocked back by DCLG.
• Dominic Campbell at number 36 on the 2011 LGC 50 is a man with influence in local government; the Guardian uses his status in the 50 to reiterate his pull in local government, particularly in digital mediums. Kate Sahota, The Guardian, 11 May
• Community Care cited an exclusive report from Allister Hayman and James Illman on the limited impact of community budget pilots due to a lack of funding. Judy Cooper, Community Care, 3 May

April 2011

• Press Gazetta revealedthat Local Government Chronicle’s very own chief reporter, Allister Hayman, has been shortlisted for the Writer of the Year (Business Media) in the PPA Awards 2011. Press Gazetta, 18 April
• Society Daily picked up on Allister Hayman’s street party blog ‘On my radar…’: “The strange tale of Camden council’s decision to refuse a royal wedding day street party application by the Republic pressure group. Allister Hayman charts the story…”
  Society Daily also covered the LGC 50, showcasing the 50 most influential individuals in local government: “The movers and shakers in local government. The Local Government Chronicle has just published its list of the most influential figures in the sector, the LGC50. While Eric Pickles is at number one, for the first time eight of the top 10 are from town halls.” The Guardian, 13 April
• The LGC 50, detailing the 50 most influential individuals within local government, as well as a list of ‘ones to watch’ and ‘drivers of change’ was picked up by a variety of regional media outlets: Hertfordshire Mercury, Herts and Essex Observer, The York Press, This is Derbyshire, Burton Mail, This is Wiltshire, Uttoxeter Advertiser, This is Lincolnshire, Hull Daily Mail, Grimsby Telegraph, Spalding Guardian.
• LGC’s editor Emma Maier was interviewed by BBC Radio Berkshire on councils charging for green waste collection and reintroducing weekly bin collections. The Andrew Peach show, BBC Radio Berkshire, 11 April
• The Guardian followed up on LGC’s exclusive rebuttal from the deputy leader of Nottingham City Council to the community secretary’s demands for all costs of over £500 to be published: “Writing in the Local Government Chronicle, Chapman said the attention the council has received over its decision not to adhere to the government’s transparency agenda was “far in excess of the merits of the case”. The Guardian’s public leaders network, 8 April
• Community Care referenced Jim Dunton’s social services story, Child protection guidance set to be reviewed: “according to the Local Government Chronicle, almost 30 of England’s 152 top-tier and unitary councils either have structures deviating from this or plans to adopt such structures.” Community Care, 8 April
• The Telegraph picked up on exclusive research by Allister Hayman into the reoganisation of Jobcentre Plus using FoI requests: “Documents obtained under a Freedom of Information request show Whitehall officials warned any changes to the way Jobcentre Plus operates could cause “distraction and upheaval impacting on performance” just when millions of unemployed people are trying to use the service to find a new job.
  The documents, obtained by the Local Government Chronicle, show ministers at the Department for Work and Pensions were warned “trade union relations may be severely tested” as a result of the restructuring, which could add fuel to potential mass strike action across the UK.” Louisa Peacock, The Telegraph, 7 April
• Society Daily also picked up on Allister’s research ‘On my radar…’: “Jobcentres. The Local Government Chronicle reports that Iain Duncan Smith has launched a major reorganisation of Jobcentre Plus. The LGC’s chief reporter, Allister Hayman, writes:
  “Mr Duncan Smith has embarked on a top-down reorganisation all of his own, quietly putting in place a whole new structure for Jobcentre Plus, which his own officials have described as “high-risk” and union leaders claim is the thin end of a wedge aimed at privatising the agency.” The Guardian, 7 April
• The Guardian referenced James Illman’s exclusive report on local authorities raiding their reserves: “It seems most local authorities have heeded ministerial exhortations to dip into their reserves to make ends meet in the Age of Austerity. Local Government Chronicle (LGC) correspondent James Illman reports today that 72% of councils are spending reserves.” Patrick Butler’s Cuts Blog, 7 April.
• LGC’s editor Emma Maier was interviewed by BBC Radio Berkshire on councils selling advertising space on their websites, this was later posted on the BBC’s website: “It’s logical to be a little concerned about it because of the possibility of unsuitable ads appearing on the site..” BBC, 4 April.

March 2011

• LGC research into senior local authority pay was cited in the Hutton Review. Hutton Review of Fair Pay in the public sector: Final Report, March 2011

February 2011

• The FT referenced Allister Hayman’s exclusive report on a clash between Vince Cable and Eric Pickles: “The latest reported clash is over Mr Cable’s land auction plan - whereby a local council would invite landowners to say what land they would sell and at what price; the council would decide on planning permission and then capture the added value when the land is auctioned to developers. Mr Pickles allegedly sees this as “communist” and akin to “nationalising land”, according to Local Government Chronicle.” Column, Brian Groom; Financial Times, 28 February.
• Writing this week [Moira Gibb] in the Local Government Chronicle: “Try organising rubbish collection on a big-society, street-by-street basis, and you’ll soon realise nobody wants to do it unless you pay them.” Amelia Gentleman, social affairs columnist for the Guardian, credits LGC’s exclusive opinion from Camden LBC’s chief executive over the agonises of service cuts. The Guardian, 24 February.
• Community Care picked up on LGC’s ‘Lack of leadership puts community-based budgets at risk’. Molly Garboden, Blog, Community Care, 23 February.
• “When discretionary sums are included, the cost [of redundancies] could reach £1.5 billion, according to a study by the Local Government Chronicle.” The Sunday Times picks up on Ruth Keeling’s report about the future cost of local government redundancies, The Sunday Times, 13 February.
• “The Local Government Chronicle first outed these figures, but this remarkable fact has not percolated into national consciousness. Perhaps it’s just too hard to believe that any government could do such a thing so blatantly.” Polly Toynbee credits LGC’s research on the true extent of spending cuts to councils’ budgets in the local government settlement. The Guardian, 11 February.
• “Reaction to the big merger announced yesterday by three London councils … This expert analysis by the Local Government Chronicle’s Allister Hayman points out the limits of sharing services.” Society Daily credits Allister Hayman’s blog on the Hammersmith & Fulham LBC, Kensington & Chelsea LBC and Westminster LBC “tri-borough” plan.
• “Vince Cable has moved to reestablish new regional government offices just six months after Eric Pickles axed them, according to the Local Government Chronicle.” The Guardian picks up on LGC’s exclusive report on the creation of new regional Local BIS offices. The Guardian, 4 February.
• “Phil Redmond disenchanted by ‘big society’ progress in Liverpool: Scheme’s champion says vision to showcase volunteering and cultural activities in the city has been ‘subsumed by the cuts’”. The Guardian reports on LGC’s exclusive interview with Phil Redmond on the problems with Liverpool’s Big Society vanguard. The Guardian, 3 February.
• “David Cameron’s Big Society suffered another embarrassment yesterday when Phil Redmond, the Brookside creator, said the pilot project he is running had been stymied by cuts.” The Times covers LGC’s exclusive interview with Phil Redmond on the problems with Liverpool’s Big Society vanguard.The Times, 3 February.
• “The business department said it needed “a policy presence outside Whitehall to ensure it can communicate effectively with local enterprise partnerships, the business community and other bodies, including local authorities”, according to the Local Government Chronicle.” The Financial Times reports on LGC’s exclusive report on business secretary Vince Cable’s plan to resurrect the regional government offices that were scrapped by Eric Pickles just six months ago. The Financial Times, 3 February.
• “Nick Clegg, deputy prime minister, wrote to David Cameron, prime minister, and George Osborne, chancellor, this month proposing that councils should be given the ‘greatest range of revenue-raising powers and freedom form Whitehall contraints’”. The Financial Times picks up LGC’s exclusive on the battle between the deputy prime minister and Eric Pickles over the scope of the local government finance review. Financial Times, 2 February.

January 2011

• “Clegg: Give councils new tax-raising powers” Nick Clegg is demanding councils be given the power to impose a massive range of new local taxes. The Daily Mail reports on LGC’s exclusive on the battle between the deputy prime minister and Eric Pickles over the scope of the local government finance review. The Daily Mail,19 January
• “Local Taxes CAN work - if we scrap VAT and council tax first”: Harry Phibb’s column in the Daily Mail support Clegg’s call for local taxes; while theSpectatoralso agrees that Clegg is right as does Conservative Home
• “Interesting piece by Cllr Lynne Hillian, the Conservative leader of Barnet Council in the Local Government Chornicle. It defines the Big Society as ‘asking people for their time, rather than their money’. It describes the proposals for the Barnet Pledgebank - ‘If a resident pledges to clear their street of snow and nine other residents sign up to do so, we could, for instance, provide the grit for them to spread’.” ConservativeHome, 10 January