The regeneration of England’s former coalfields has been a success, according to the Audit Commission, but in a report today it says the social legacy of pit closures still lingers. The report calls on local councils to address problems including poor health and low skill levels.

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Councils are to have more freedom in the way they spend money allocated to them under the Supporting People Programme Grant. The 1.66 billion pounds, the biggest single grant in the financial settlement for local government, will no longer be ring fenced.

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By Naomi Langford-Wood and Brian Salter

Learning what makes difficult people behave in the way they do is the first step in being able to reduce your stress levels and to operate more successfully as a team. This is a step-by-step guide to encourage managers to look for the warning signs and to analyze what it is that makes others tick.

Read more on DEALING WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE…