By Stephen Peckham, Mark Exworthy, Ian Greener and Martin Powell.This article examines the continuing debate about, and inter-relationship between, the NHS, decentralization and local participation. The focus of the article is the experience of decentralization and participation over the past 25 years and, drawing on a new conceptualization of decentralization, it identifies the extent to which the NHS supports decentralized approaches to participation.

Read more on DECENTALIZING HEALTH SERVICES: MORE LOCAL ACCOUNTABLITY OR JUST MORE CENTRAL CONTROL?…

Bristol city council is urging parents and carers of children who are due to start new schools next September to use new electronic services – and as an incentive the authority will make donations to a charity.The deadline for applications for school places is October 21st and as it approaches the council is urging parents to apply online, using a special area of the Local Education Authority’s website. To further encourage them to abandon the paper-based system, the council has pledged to make a donation to the children’s charity Barnardo’s for each online application. The money will come from specially allocated central Government funds.

Read more on BRISTOL BOOSTS eADMISSIONS WITH CHARITY DONATIONS…

Leading councillors are to get the opportunity for better understanding of community cohesion. The scheme has been developed by the Improvement and Development Agency in the light of reports following the 2001 disturbances in Burnley, Oldham and Bradford, which revealed a lack of interaction between people from different cultural, religious and racial backgrounds.The IdeA believes community cohesion is crucial to promoting greater knowledge, respect and contact between the various cultures, and to establish a greater sense of citizenship. Its new focused Leadership Academy programme has been designed for senior council members, who have to develop strategies for community cohesion and put them into operation, and for opposition leaders, chairs of scrutiny committees and others interested in the subject.

Read more on NEW COURSE IN COMMUNITY COHESION FOR COUNCILLORS…