Local Government Chronicle
26 July 2012
View all stories from this issue.
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Area told it has 1,700 troubled families finds... 32
Three London boroughs are struggling to find anywhere near the number of “troubled families” the government estimates they have. -
Collaborating to boost capacity
There are good reasons as to why councils may be choosing this time to invest in central services -
Community budget initiative shifts gear
Senior Whitehall officials have called on councils piloting ‘whole place’ community budgets to accelerate their work and prepare in-depth figures on how new ways of working would save money and improve services. -
Cornerstones for a sustainable future
With more than 1,000 delegates and speakers the LGA Annual Conference is a hothouse of ideas and debate. But while economic growth, innovation and workforce relations were all hot topics, the issue most people wanted to discuss with me was the LGA’s report into the future of local government funding. -
Councils 'right at heart' of universal credit
Councils look set to have a central role in the government’s welfare reform plans and the rollout of universal credit. -
DH calls for support in pressing care funding case
Senior civil servants have urged councils and social care providers to provide evidence to support their calls for reform of the care funding system, admitting it will be difficult to make the case for funding during the next spending review. -
Don't be distracted by spending review uncertainty, councils told
Councils have been told to continue preparing for budget cuts, despite growing opinion that a three-year spending review will not take place before the next election. -
Education funding plans 'still unfair'
The government has recently announced its latest attempt at a system for transferring central education services funds from councils to academies from April 2013. -
Financial freedoms 'needed for growth'
Investment in infrastructure and economic growth will require additional financial freedoms for councils, central government is to be told. -
Fresh schools funding battle looming
Councils are set to fight a new battle with the Department for Education over its plans to fund school services, LGC understands. -
Inside Out - Freedom to be ignorant
I love the smell of bin lorries in the morning - to paraphrase an immortal line from Apocalypse Now. Bins, bogs and brushes were my first love. For years refuse services have been outsourced. It is a mature market with experienced contractors and council clients. Yet, even here, if a member of the public asks anything about the contractual arrangements of this universal service, they get told it is “commercial in confidence”. -
Joint effort to shape sector's future
I was privileged to chair a debate at the LGA Conference recently that was the best of its kind: challenging, thoughtful and interesting. -
LGC View: Peer review and the future
Back when he abolished the Audit Commission, Eric Pickles had an anecdote he’d roll out for audiences of councillors. “What will you replace the commission with,” he’d be asked, only for his protestations that there would be no replacement to be continually disbelieved. -
Mediawatch: A clear message must accompany a service change
With just a few days to go until the London 2012 Olympic Games get underway, the media crescendo has reached new heights. And of course somewhere behind most media coverage you’ll find the work of a communicator. -
Open data 'a very local revolution'
The government launched the next stage of its ambitious Open Data plans in a White Paper. Cabinet Office Francis Maude said he hopes to make ‘FOI redundant’ by publishing so much information online, and encouraging others to do so, that no one will need to ask for anything. -
Parishes pressure ministers into council tax benefit review
Ministers are considering changing council tax benefit arrangements for parishes after local councils comprised more than half of responses to the government’s funding consultation. -
Receiving and conducting peer challenges
Two chief executives give their advice on preparing to receive - and to give - a peer challenge -
So far so good but where now?
Suppose that, when it decided to abolish the Audit Commission, the government had been persuaded to keep the old inspection regime. -
Solar farms back on the agenda
Solar PV has had a turbulent ride over the past 18 months. -
Support carers to stay in employment
Carers week this year highlighted that caring can be bad for your own health, and carers are picking up the slack as services are rationed or reduced. -
The challenges ahead for local government on health
On 16 July, I stepped into new shoes as the interim director general for Social Care, Local Government and Care Partnerships at the Department of Health, following David Behan’s move to the Care Quality Commission. -
The preparations are over now comes the Olympic test
Director, Greater London Group, London School of Economics -
Three questions remain pivotal to peer review progress
So far, so good. That was the verdict on the corporate peer challenge from the councils we studied. They had certainly benefited from the peer review process and were keen to recommend it to others. But what of the future? -
Towards excellence
Towards Excellence for Children is the sector-led improvement programme for council’s children’s services. While clearly part of the family of self-regulation approaches that sit under the umbrella of the LGA’s Taking the Lead framework, Towards Excellence has a life of its own and some distinctive features.
