Local authorities are being urged to take a leading role in dealing with the threat of flooding. Sir Michael Pitt, who is currently carrying out a review of the lessons that can be learned from last summer’s floods, wants councils to see his forthcoming report as “an opportunity to step into the leadership vacuum at the local level.”

Read more on PITT SAYS COUNCILS CAN FILL LEADERSHIP VACUUM ON FLOODING…

Relying on technology and the free market will not deliver higher rates of recycling, according to a study which shows that in a democratic society it is almost always necessary to control the market to ensure good environmental outcomes. The study, presented by Tim Cooper to the Economic History Society, argues that historical experience shows government and wider society have a role to play.

Read more on STUDY SHOWS MARKET AND TECHNOLOGY WILL NOT INCREASE RECYCLING RATES…

This report from Communities and Local Government describes the result from a pilot project to find out how evidence and research data can be better used in neighbourhood renewal. The project provided technical assistance to local strategic partnerships and neighbourhood renewal partnerships to improve planning, evaluation and decision-making.

Read more on LOCAL DELIVERY OF EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT NEIGHBOURHOOD RENEWAL…

By Saffron James and Ed Cox,

The role ward councillors should play in community leadership and strategic decision making has become a pressing issue for local authorities in the context of current policy and legislative changes. This article investigates how the role is likely to change as neighbourhood working, legislative and policy changes impact on the role of local government. It identifies obstacles to developing new roles and the need for a culture change. It argues for the introduction of a ward councillor compact.
The future role of elected members has become a pressing issue in the context of current legislative and policy changes affecting local government.

Read more on WARD COUNCILLORS AND COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP: A FUTURE PERSPECTIVE…

The rapid way in which cities in Victorian Britain grew have many lessons for how the economy should be managed now, according to a report today. The authors claim the need for some cities to grow means more care needs to be taken over the constraints placed on their development.

Read more on STUDY SAYS HISTORIC GROWTH OF CITIES HOLDS LESSONS FOR TODAY…

Local government leaders want all developers to be forced to make land available for allotments in all big urban schemes as a way to tackle mounting waiting lists and the shortage of plots in some parts of the country. The Local Government Association has estimated that 200,000 allotments have disappeared in the last thirty years.

Read more on CALL FOR ACTION TO END ALLOTMENT WAITING LISTS…

Local Government leaders are urging the Government to put councils at the heart of constitutional reform. Reacting to the draft Constitutional Renewal Bill, the Local Government Association called on ministers to use it to devolve decision making.

Read more on CALL TO PUT COUNCILS AT HEART OF CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM…

Public sector leaders are to be offered the chance to take a strategic view of property so they can get maximum value from what is seen as an expensive, but often ignored, asset. The National School of Government and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors are to run a series of seminars to back up the ‘Public Sector Property Asset Management Guidance’, which was published recently.

Read more on SEMINARS LOOK AT WAYS TO GET BEST VALUE FROM PROPERTY…

The importance of human capital for growth and social inclusion is set out in this paper from theTreasury. It was written jointly with the Finance Ministries of Sweden and Germany.

The paper focuses on the issue of human capital for promoting employability and social cohesion. The knowledge-based economy favours workers with higher skills which need to be updated through the lifecycle. Human capital formation is therefore crucial to promote opportunity and employability of workers, and to increase the innovative capacity of companies and economies.

Read more on SOCIAL BRIDGES…

Some vulnerable teenagers are leaving care when they are too young and are ending up homeless, unemployed and at risk of developing drug and alcohol problems according to a report today. ‘Sweet 16’, published by Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People, highlights what it identifies as the gap between policy and practice over young people leaving care.

Read more on REPORT DETAILS GAP BETWEEN POLICY AND PRACTICE ON CARE LEAVERS…