Shining the spotlight on local council whistleblowing
Andy Shettle outlines how councils can create working environments where staff feel able to speak out about concerns surrounding misconduct.
Queen's Speech 19: Devolution White Paper to set out 'structural reform'
14/10/2019 An English devolution White Paper is planned by the Government, it has been confirmed in the Queen’s Speech. |
Call for dedicated social care appeals
10/10/2019 Fewer than one in five councils have a dedicated appeals process for social care, according to new research. |
Living wage boost would benefit hundreds of thousands of council staff
08/10/2019 Workers stand to gain from politicians' pledges to increase the National Living Wage. |
Nine in 10 complaints about SEND provision upheld by Ombudsman
03/10/2019 The Ombudsman is receiving more complaints about education, health and care plans (EHCP) than ever before – and the vast majority are being upheld. |
Waste strategy places 'needless burden' on councils, MPs warn
05/09/2019 The waste strategy proposed by the Government has come under fire from MPs amid concerns about the burden it could impose upon local authorities. |
Spending Round 2019: Chancellor pledges £1.5bn 'down payment' for social care
04/09/2019 Councils will have access to £1.5bn of new funding for social care next year, the chancellor has announced. |
Hackney to take developer to court
02/09/2019 A London borough is preparing to take legal action against a developer over fire safety fears in a block of flats. |
Portsmouth’s energy firm sale falls through
29/08/2019 Portsmouth City Council has admitted defeat in its search for a buyer for its energy company. |
£450m flagship regeneration project scrapped
28/08/2019 Southampton City Council has terminated an agreement for a multi-million pound regeneration project. |
Scottish councils face up to £59m planning costs
28/08/2019 The Planning Act could cost councils in Scotland up to £59m over the next 10 years in new burdens. |
Formal dispute opened by union at Northamptonshire
13/08/2019 A trade union has lodged a dispute with Northamptonshire CC. |
Government activates emergency funds for flood-hit councils
12/08/2019 The Government has activated an emergency fund for councils affected by flooding. |
280,000 approved homes not completed
09/08/2019 The number of planning permissions granted far outweighs the number of completions, according to new research. |
Council warned to reduce or replace property portfolio by auditors
06/08/2019 Audit Scotland has told a council that it has 'limited time' to curb spending before its reserves run out. |
Report: 580,000 more social workers needed by 2035
05/08/2019 More than 500,000 social care jobs in England will need to be filled by 2035, a new report has predicted. |
Welsh Government to simplify joint working between councils
19/06/2019 A blueprint for joint working between councils is to be published by the Welsh Government. |
Ombudsman reprimands council over support for vulnerable people
13/06/2019 Councils have been reminded of their obligations to supporting vulnerable people by the Ombudsman after Suffolk CC halted assessments for a deafblind couple’s care plans because of a dispute. |
From jurassic to digital – the evolution of services
13/05/2019 As the new Dorset unitaries get underway, the sea-change in structure is matched by the new wave of digital technology. Against this backdrop, a group of top council chiefs met at a BT/The MJ round table to look to the future. |
Four Seasons Health Care slides into administration
30/04/2019 Funding has been found to prop up more than 300 care homes as Four Seasons Health Care enters administration. |
Councils' role in asylum system to be bolstered
23/04/2019 Plans are being drawn up that will give councils more of a say in where asylum seekers are accommodated. |
This issue of Local Government News explores how councils can tackle modern slavery and trafficking in their supply chains, finds out more about Cambridge's first cohousing scheme and the launch of a new project to build a shared service pattern library for local government.
This issue also contains a special focus on children's services and how councils are protecting children following local safeguarding children boards being abolished.
