Local Government Chronicle
April 2012 - online articles

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Acute sector faces wave of mergers and reconfigurations

The English NHS hospital sector is facing a wave of mergers, acquisitions and reconfigurations, HSJ’s extensive survey of trust chief executives has revealed.
Anglesey to introduce secret leadership ballot

A troubled Welsh council is set to elect its leader in a secret ballot in a bid to end a troubled period of political instability.
Barnsley chief named

Barnsley MBC has selected a new chief executive following the departure of Phil Coppard at the end of last year.
Battle of the Codes

Ministers are keen to stop petty complaints about councillors and end confusion over predetermination of decisions, but their new standards regime looks set to exacerbate both problems rather than solve them, argues Ann Reeder
Bournemouth whistleblower absolved

A senior official suspended after raising concerns about a controversial outsourcing deal has been reinstated in his job.
Brighton acute chief to lead Public Health England

Duncan Selbie, chief executive of Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals Trust, has been named as chief executive designate of Public Health England.
Campaigners demand social enterprise future for community hospital

A campaign has been launched for a community hospital to be run as a social enterprise - to stop it becoming part of a foundation trust.
Casey: Academy data rules 'not a problem'

Louise Casey, the head of the government’s new £448m troubled families programme, has said she is not worried about the prospect that academy schools may hamper the scheme’s progress by refusing to share data on pupils’ attendance.
Charities pursue involvement for CCG commissioning support

National charities are expecting to become major suppliers of commissioning support in the restructured NHS, HSJ has learnt.
Charity to run council recycling centres

The first council recycling sites to be transferred to the voluntary sector control have opened for business.
Clegg aims for city votes

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has emphasised his party’s “proud record of success” running English cities as the party prepares for losses in Thursday’s local elections.
Combine efforts for growth, says NLGN

Councils should combine their borrowing powers and become “social venture capitalists” to counteract cuts in regional development funding, a thinktank has suggested.
Commissioning board mandate could lead to government clashes

The Department of Health and the NHS Commissioning Board are preparing for a likely clash over the contents of the first set of instructions for the independent new body.
Community groups to be helped to bid for council services

The government has confirmed that it will support community groups bid to run council services.
Concerns over Universal Credit workload

Government reliance on online and phone services during the switch to Universal Credit is unwise, a union has warned.
Councils told to test ‘twin hatter’ plans

Councils with or planning to create so-called ‘twin hatter’ directors of social services have been told to perform ‘assurance tests’ by the Department of Education.
County leader quits to seek police commissioner role

A county leader is quitting to try to run for police and crime commissioner.
County rapped over child care papers theft

Leicestershire CC breached the Data Protection Act following the theft of a briefcase containing sensitive personal data from a social worker’s home, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has ruled.
Courts to blame for worst adoption delays

Children’s services inspectorate Ofsted has admitted that the courts, not local authorities, are the main source of delays in adoption proceedings.
Cross sector spin-outs can help councils buy for good

I could almost hear the sigh of relief from social enterprises when the much-amended Public Services (Social Value) Act was passed in February. But for local authority commissioners, the journey is just beginning. With pressure from all sides to reduce costs and improve service quality, this bill poses yet another procurement challenge.
DCLG statisticians 'signed off' on controversial research

Advisers to Eric Pickles have insisted that departmental statisticians signed off on controversial research by private-sector consultants that was promoted by the communities secretary last summer.
DH faces 'significant' account auditing problem

The Department of Health could face problems with the auditing of its 2011-12 accounts unless potentially “significant” mismatches between the accounting of foundation trusts and commissioners are resolved.
DWP was 'too mechanistic', says minister

Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has said his department took “too much of a mechanistic approach” to a £200m European Social Fund programme to support troubled families.
East Herts appoints new chief

East Hertfordshire DC has chosen a new chief executive following the departure of Anne Freimanis earlier this year.
Enterprising developments in the Health and Social Care Act

The development of the Health and Social Care Act (2012) through Parliament has been tortuous but never underestimate the value of stubbornness, persistence, dogged determination, commitment and self-belief.
Figures reveal continued rise in number of children in care

The number of applications from local authorities to place children in care has risen above 10,000 for the first time.
Frater lends a hand to crisis council

Crisis-hit Wirral MBC has appointed local government troubleshooter Michael Frater to beef up its senior management team during the absence through illness of chief executive Jim Wilkie.
Freud details Universal Credit pilots

Local authorities wishing to pilot the roll out of the new Universal Credit have just three weeks to complete their bids, the government has announced.
George Clarke named empty homes adviser

The government has appointed George Clarke as an independent adviser on empty homes.
GP commissioners told to survey council officers

All clinical commissioning groups will sign a “development agreement” with the NHS Commissioning Board and many will also be given a “rectification plan”, before they take over budgets next year.
Growth fund deals reach £540m - Clegg

The deputy prime minister has visited the north-west ahead of the local elections to emphasise the benefits of the Regional Growth Fund.
Health changes to put boards into 'eye of the storm'

Public opposition to radical reform of health care will put new local health and wellbeing boards “in the eye of the storm” and leave councillors “tested to the limit”, a report has warned.
Health data services to come from local suppliers

A leaked NHS Commissioning Board document suggests the majority of data “intelligence” services supplied to clinical commissioning groups will have to be provided by local commissioning support units, rather than on a national scale.
Hillan dies after cancer fight

Former Barnet LBC leader Lynne Hillan has died following a battle with cancer.
Housing cuts threaten to unwind public health 'victories'

Hard won victories on public health in unfit housing risk being reversed because of ‘short sighted’ government policies.
How to fund a new public library

How does a local authority build an attractive state-of-the-art library or leisure centre in cash-strapped times without selling off valuable land or saddling future taxpayers with debt? Well, you could do as Lambeth LBC did and enter into an innovative public-private partnership (PPP).
If ministers want us to vote for mayors, why make it so hard?

Even allowing for all the undecideds and the “ooh-I’ve-not-heard-anything-about-its”, opinion polls suggest that several, perhaps even most, of the ten referendums on 3 May could produce Yes majorities for elected mayors. None suggests, though, that there isn’t everything still to play for. So why are government ministers, who support this potentially momentous change, making life so difficult for Yes campaigners?
Labour pledges free end-of-life social care

Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham will today propose that the means test for end-of-life social care should be abolished.
Labour proposes schools role for councils

Labour has proposed giving councils a “strong” education role in a consultation on devolution of power over schools.
Labour's election targets clear

Although Labour’s spring spurt in the polls has suffered a reality check following George Galloway’s surprise victory in the Bradford West parliamentary by-election, the party is still favourite to be the clear winner in next month’s local contests.
Lansley letter requires commissioning board to devolve power

Andrew Lansley has written the NHS Commissioning Board setting out its “strategic priorities”, with an apparent aim to ensure it devolves power to local commissioners.
Leader retires as committee system re-appears

Sutton LBC leader Sean Brennan is to stand down after 10 years in office ahead of the council’s move to the committee system.
Leeds to set up ‘combined authority’ as part of city deal

The Leeds City Region is set to follow Greater Manchester’s lead and set up a combined authority in order to access billions of pounds of funding for transport and investment as part of its city deal.
Let cities elect ‘metro mayors’ next – report

A leading thinktank has called for cities that vote to create elected mayoralties next month to be allowed to turn them into ‘metro mayors’ in four years’ time.
LGA names procurement 'big winners'

‘Big Win’ efficiency projects have gained £160,000 from the Local Government Association to pilot new approaches to saving money.
Local data releases 'not comparable', complains NAO

Local government performance may mislead users and fail to give meaningful public accountability because it is not comparable across the sector, the National Audit Office has said in a report on transparency.
Local involvement gives hope amidst democratic malaise

Public involvement and interest in political processes have plummeted to fresh lows, the Hansard Society’s annual ‘audit of political engagement’ has found.
Mayors 'should cover metro areas to be effective'

Elected mayors need to lead an economic region to be effective, not just one city, an academic investigation has said.
Mental health provider under scrutiny in the South West

NHS Bristol’s decision to re-tender the city’s mental health service comes at a bad time for current provider Avon and Wiltshire Partnership Trust.
New MD for Surrey social enterprise

The newly formed social enterprise in east Surrey, First Community Health and Care, has appointed Philip Greenhill as its new managing director.
New Plymouth social enterprise below average on staff engagement

Plymouth Community Health scored below average on four key indicators of staff engagement in the 2011 NHS staff survey.
News round-up 10/4: London infrastructure fund planned

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News round-up 11/4: Labour mayoral revolt grows

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News round-up 12/4: Town halls pushing for 'no' votes

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News round-up 13/4: Pension fund deficits fall

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News round-up 16/4: Clegg backs fines for electoral register

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News round-up 17/4: Johnston press ends many daily titles

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News round-up 18/4: Tory fears over mayoral polls

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News round-up 19/4: Fall in unemployment welcomed

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News round-up 2/4: Gove pledges 'no turning back' on school reforms

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News round-up 20/4: Fresh row over Lords reform

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News round-up 23/4: Fresh spending curbs for departments

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News round-up 24/4: Council accused of social cleansing

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News round-up 25/4: UK returns to recession

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News round-up 26/4: Chancellor stands firm on austerity

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News round-up 27/4: Local candidates shun national leaders

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News round-up 3/4: Labour seeks to dampen election expectations

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News round-up 30/4: Social care white paper delayed

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News round-up 4/4: Legal blow to volunteer plan

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News round-up 5/4: Resources diverted from care home monitoring

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NHS Bristol gets keys to new hospital

Building work has completed on the £45m South Bristol Community Hospital.
NHS liberation 'won't happen overnight', says commissioning chair

The health service should not expect a “sudden overnight change on 1 April next year” to an autonomous and liberated system, the chair of the NHS Commissioning Board has told LGC’s sister magazine Health Service Journal.
NHS London chief to leave post

NHS London chief executive Dame Ruth Carnall, one of the service’s most respected leaders, is to leave the NHS next year.
Nottingham first with workplace parking levy

Nottingham City Council this weekend became the first local authority to charge a workplace parking levy, 12 years after the power to impose these was introduced.
Officers asked for ideas on central-local links

Groups of council officers should put forward ideas on how the relationship between central and local government should be codified, the MP driving the idea has said.
Ombudsman blasts council's 'extreme and most serious' planning failure

Two parish councils are in line for £5,000 after an ombudsman found Hambleton DC guilty of an “extreme and most serious failure of planning administration”.
Over here, out of work and homeless

In 2007, at the height of the economic boom, Szymon was one of many economic migrants who came to live and work in the UK from Poland. On his arrival in Leeds, he managed to find a job working for Asda and he rented a property. Unfortunately, after a year he lost his job, and as a result was unable to pay the rent. He had lost his passport, and suddenly found himself homeless; squatting in Leeds on and off for three years.
Parsons survives removal motion

A crunch meeting over Leicestershire CC leader David Parsons’ expense claims and use of a chauffeur-driven car has seen him easily survive an oposition attempt to oust him.
Pickup vows to fight for reform

The new head of the adult social services professional body has vowed to continue the fight for reform of the funding system.
Poll pressure on Labour increases

The expectations on Labour in next month’s local elections have been ratcheted up yet again after experts said the party could need as many as 700 gains to demonstrate a clear lead over the Conservatives.
'Prevention better than cure' for problem potholes

Councils should tackle road potholes by assuming that prevention is better than cure, a report for the Department for Transport has said.
Programme seeks work for jobless young

A £1bn programme to help young people into work has been launched by the government, with councils still pressing for a wider role at the bottom of the age range.
Providers of poor care 'should share blame'

Care providers should “share the blame” with councils for poor-quality home care services, Sarah Pickup, the new president of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, has said.
Public health directors query LGA alcohol stance

Minimum alcohol pricing should be “an essential cornerstone of an overall alcohol strategy,” a leading public health director has said.
Public health leader chooses Canada over councils

One of the country’s leading public health directors will be leaving the NHS for Canada next month.
Public health transition chief to depart

The woman leading public health’s transition from the health service to local government is quitting the English NHS after securing a major new job in Wales.
Regional staff transfer questioned

An influential group of MPs has questioned the way the government has dealt with the assets and staff of the abolished Regional Development Agencies.
'Rich list' unites employers and unions

A lobby group has been criticised over the quality of its research after publishing a third annual ‘Town Hall Rich List’.
Saving with user-centred design

Recently, there’s been a lot of talk about improving service delivery and efficiency. Hundreds gathered at conferences such as the LGA Service Delivery Conference and the government-sponsored Public Sector Efficiency Expo.
Sefton public health director takes on national role

Janet Atherton has been named as the next president of the Association of the Directors of Public Health.
Shadow bodies created as reorganisation process starts

Transition committees of councillors have been set up to shadow each of the 11 proposed new councils as Northern Ireland’s acrimonious local government reorganisation begins.
Sharing York's heritage and future with the Chinese

I am writing this blog from China! I’ve been taking part in a UK/China cultural forum on the economic future of historic towns and villages. It’s part of a year long programme called UK Now, which aims to promote the UK and its creative industries in China.
'Single council' interested in full weekly bin service

Just one out of 184 councils responding to a survey about the government’s weekly collection fund is bidding for cash to revert to a weekly black bag round.
Social enterprise chair named best in sector

Ian Church, chair of Central Surrey Health, has been named by the Sunday Times as the best non-executive director within the public service sector.
Staff at BANES social enterprise motivated and engaged

Sirona Care and Health, the new social enterprise delivering health and social care in Bath and North East Somerset, scored above average on staff engagement in the NHS staff survey.
Staff keep NHS pensions as Virgin's Surrey deal goes through

Virgin Care has signed a £500m community services contract with NHS Surrey under an arrangement which will see staff employed by a social enterprise.
Standards row settled

A long-running row over the future of the standards regime has been settled with officers and members finally agreeing to a single code of conduct for councils.
Sykes takes lead in Doncaster intervention

Former Worcestershire CC chief executive Rob Sykes has become lead intervention commissioner at Doncaster MBC.
Taking positive action to help social enterprises

It is becoming widely recognised that good ownership of business really matters.
Thinktank launches probe of academy schools

The RSA thinktank has set up a commission to study impact on the education system of the rapid growth in the number of academy schools.
Triborough support shows small decline

The proportion of residents who support the ‘Triborough’ shared services plan in west London has fallen in the past year in two of the three areas concerned.
Urban parish council goes to the vote

Westminster City Council has given residents the go-ahead to hold a referendum on setting up London’s first ‘parish’ council.
VAT change could 'torpedo' community right to bid

A government proposal to charge VAT on alterations to listed buildings could be a “fiscal torpedo” to one of the key parts of the Localism Act, the charity leaders’ group Acevo has warned.
Wage costs reduced by £1.4bn

The wage bill in local government fell by almost a tenth in one year, according to figures published by the LGA.

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Local Government ChronicleApril 2012 - online articles

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Local Government Chronicle
April 2012 - online articles