Thousands of tonnes of items that could be recycled are being thrown away in landfill sites every week because British householders rely too much on local authority schemes instead of seizing the initiative themselves, according to new research today. The study from the insurance group, Zurich , says on average people are recycling only half of their rubbish.
Children living away from home or being helped by social care services are to be given the chance to air their views regularly on key issues affecting their lives. It is part of a new report published today by the Children’s Rights Director for England, Dr Roger Morgan.
Read more on ANNUAL REPORT GIVES CHILDREN IN CARE A CHANCE TO AIR VIEWS…
By Edward Moss
The end of the official retirement age has resulted in many people choosing to carry on working. But there are organisations that continue to insist that people retire at a particular age. There needs to be a greater awareness that the world is changing, people are living longer and there is a greater willingness to continue working. The author describes the benefits that a flexible approach to retirement brings to both employer and employee and gives practical examples of how it works.
Councils and the communities they serve may get the power to make local laws under proposals that are now out to consultation. The changes could see authorities no longer having to seek Whitehall approval for new byelaws – and they could get the power to issue fixed penalty charges.
The Communities Secretary, Hazel Blears, said the objective was to give communities the power to tackle issues such as community safety, vandalism and public nuisance that really mattered to local neighbourhoods. The proposals would allow councils to set, sign and sanction local byelaws without always having to get Whitehall agreement but they must have the support of their residents.
Read more on COUNCILS MAY GET NEW POWERS TO TACKLE VANDALISM AND NUISANCE…
Representatives of local authorities, housing associations and community councils who deal with issues of rural housing will give evidence directly to a committee of the Scottish Parliament next week. It will happen when the Rural Affairs and Environment Committee, meets in Melrose on Tuesday, the first time it has visited the town.
Read more on STAKEHOLDERS TO GIVE MSPs VIEWS ON RURAL HOUSING ISSUES…
This report from Communities and Local Government assesses the impact of Local Public Service Agreement targets on local service performance. It concludes that the LPSA regime was not as powerful a driver of local organisational change as the Comprehensive Performance Assessment which succeeded it.
Read more on NATIONAL EVALUATION OF PUBLIC SERVICE AGREEMENTS…
Changes to the law are needed to ensure future elections are better run according to a report today from the Electoral Commission. It says the current system is under strain and it sets out the steps it wants to see to reform what it calls ’19th century structures’.
Read more on COMMISSION WANTS REFORMS TO ELECTION ADMINISTRATION…
Councils could give high street store vouchers to council taxpayer’s to make up for missed appointments. That is one of the options for occasions when services don’t meet people’s expectations that are being considered as part of a drive to put more emphasis on customers in local service delivery.
Read more on REVIEW AIMS TO PUT ‘CUSTOMERS’ AT HEART OF COUNCIL…
Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Women are underrepresented among social enterprise owners. The Government Equalities Office, with the support of Office of the Third Sector have produced a report which highlights the support they need to help groups, such as Pakistani and Bangladeshi women, who are under represented in the workplace and in society, to become more economically independent and participate more fully in communities.
Read more on REMOVING BARRIERS IN SOCIAL ENTERPRISE FOR ETHNIC MINORITY WOMEN…
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