The 2006 White Paper laid the foundations for a fresh start with child maintenance. It set out a new approach that would enable parents to make their own arrangements for child maintenance. The changes remove the barriers that have prevented parents from reaching private settlements.The survey commissioned by the Department for Work and Pensions found that 26 per cent of parents with children and 52 per cent of non resident parents said they would prefer to make their own arrangements. 

The head of a new advisory team for the Fire and Rescue Service, who has started work this week, says the unit will help the service to meet the challenges of delivering safer and sustainable communities. 

Birmingham City Council has launched the country’s first openly accessible free information zone. Birminghamfiz, developed in partnership with BT, takes the city into a new digital era, officially becoming a BT Wireless City. The system will give free access to information specifically about Birmingham.