This report from the Chartered Management Institute shows that ‘who you know’ and ‘what you know’ is no longer enough to get a job in local government. It reveals that job prospects in the sector are increasingly being influenced by an individual’s commitment to their long-term professional development. It also uncovers major barriers preventing significant numbers from improving their skills. 

A new approach has been devised by English Partnerships, the national regeneration agency, to speed up the development of large scale planning applications. In a parallel move the Housing Corporation will adopt new approaches to support investment in developments. The proposals are set out in a report ‘Cascades: improving certainty in the delivery of affordable housing’. 

A project is being launched to build the capacity of social enterprises to compete for 2012 contracts and to deliver a dramatic change in the procurement policies of stakeholders.
The Office of the Third Sector is funding the project to help social enterprises access procurement opportunities for 2012.