News round-up 29/10: Councils told to share 'sovereignty'

Heseltine review

Communities secretary Eric Pickles has claimed that councils must be prepared to “share their sovereignty” following speculation that a government-commissioned review will advocate the reorganising of local government. Speaking on Sky News’ Murnaghan programme, Mr Pickles responded to questions that Lord Heseltine’s review of growth policy would call for the merging of councils by saying: “I’m in favour of authorities sharing their sovereignty, sharing their financial resources, working together, creating back office savings”. Mr Pickles also said that it was appropriate for local authorities to switch off street lighting in certain areas and defended the government’s planning reforms.

Economy

Britain’s double dip recession has left a fifth of all workers struggling to get by on less than the living wage, writes the Independent.

A new study by accountancy firm KPMG has found that almost five million workers are being paid less than the amount considered necessary to afford a basic standard of living - £8.30 an hour in London, and £7.30 outside the capital, the paper says.

PCC elections

Lord Prescott has accused the prime minister’s policing adviser of targeting him with a personal political attack over his decision to stand as a police and crime commissioner. In  last week Lord Wasserman urged people to vote in the first elections for commissioners next month and warned that they would “kick themselves” if they ended up with politicans such as John Prescott running their local forces. In a letter to The Times, Lord Prescott said that Lord Wasserman was supposed to be independent but had picked on him for a “personal political attack”.

Public health

Today’s Daily Telegraph leads with news that schoolgirls as young as 13 are being given contraceptive injections and implants during lunch-breaks without their parents’ knowledge.

A survey conducted by the paper reveals that school nurses have given implants or jabs to girls aged between 13 and 16 more than 900 times in the past two years.

Riots

The arrests of more than 200 leaders of London street gangs after last year’s riots has backfired by creating a power vacuum in which younger and more hot-headed members seized control of gangs on a wave of violence led to an increase in “chaos, violence and anarchy”, a report has claimed. The report, by the Centre for Social Justice think-tank, warned that the removal of the so-called “elders” from the streets has led to an increase in “chaos, violence and anarchy” in London, the Times reports.

Care home regulation

Care homes with five-star ratings are receiving premium fees despite not meeting essential standards set out by the care regulator, An investigation by BBC 5 Live has found that out of 80 homes given a four or five-star rating in the Sefton MBC area, 14 are failing to meet one or more of the essential standards set out by the CQC.

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