Paul O'Brien 24 October 2007

Plugged In

Ugly Betty can still be a star
While the press has obsessed about Gordon Brown’s leadership skills and David Cameron seized the moment at prime minister’s questions time to promote the pre-Budget statement as a ‘smash and grab’ on Tory policies, local government could be forgiven for thinking it was off the political radar.
However, despite local government being the Ugly Betty of public services, it was clearly a target in the eyes of the chancellor, Alistair Darling.
Financial pressures on local authorities are well documented. CSR07 provided a headline increase of just 1% overall, coupled with stretch targets of 3% ‘cashable’ efficiency gains. Does this mean councils have been asked to deliver ‘mission impossible’? Adult social care costs could rise by as high as 7%, with an ever-increasing older population and legitimate policy demands to improve the care and dignity offered.
There are also climate change targets, and the Waste Strategy 2007. If one adds into the mix the new report on obesity, then leisure and children’s services could see an unprecedented demand on resources.
So, despite the seeming lack of press interest in all things local government, it sits at the heart of delivering on some of the Government’s key priorities. And these are challenges which can be met by exactly the kind of innovation and continuous improvement councils are rarely given credit for.
With more elderly people in our communities, local authority services can rise to the challenge, using their powers to extend beyond traditional boundaries.
This could mean, for example, offering services to private residents to help them remain in their own homes. The same can be said of school caterers delivering cooking and nutrition skills when the lack of these in modern family life is contributing to obesity issues.
But all this needs a vision beyond ticking the box in crude market terms of financial performance. It requires councils to adopt a public value measure of the services that they provide.
The reality is that financial pressures may be intolerably hard following this settlement. So, what’s it to be... Darling’s, an ever-diminishing role for local authorities, or a progressive expansion into communities to deliver public value? n
SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Project Support Officers

Durham County Council
Grade 10 £38,220 - £41,771
Two exciting Project Support Officer – SEND opportunities have arisen within our Home to School Transport team. One role is permanent and the other a Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Cleaner

Durham County Council
£24,796 pro rata
Cleaner Grade 1 £24,796 pro rata 12.5 hours per week, whole time Permanent Required as soon as possible The children, staff, and governors of Chester Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Class Teacher

Durham County Council
£37,101 - £45,352
Class Teacher  M3-M6 £37,101 - £45,352 Full Time, Whole Time Temporary – required to cover maternity leave from Monday 5th January 2026 until the date Newton Aycliffe
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Lunchtime Supervisor

Durham County Council
£24,796 pro rata
Lunchtime Supervisor Grade 1  £24,796 pro rata 6.25 hours per week, term time only Permanent Required as soon as possible  The Governors of St Oswald Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Lunchtime Supervisor

Durham County Council
£24,796 part-time pro-rata
Lunchtime Supervisor Grade 1 £24,796 part-time pro-rata 6.25 hours per week, term time only Permanent Required from Monday 10th November (or as close Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council
Linkedin Banner