Archives for December 2008

THINK TANK’S PLAN FOR MUTUAL ‘BANK’ FOR COUNCILS

Headlines, PublicNet: 19 December, 2008

Plans have been revealed which would give local authorities the chance to put their financial reserves in a “safe haven” council bank. The proposal has come from the think tank the New Local Government Network, which has also published figures showing support from Directors of Finance.

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CHILDREN’S CHARITY WELCOMES GOVERNMENT MONEY FOR COMMUNICATION SERVICES

Headlines, PublicNet: 19 December, 2008

A children’s charity has welcomed news of 12 million pounds of Government investment in services for youngsters with speech, language and communication needs. Action for Children described an action plan unveiled by the Health Secretary Alan Johnson and Children’s Secretary Ed Balls, as vital in helping vulnerable children communicate more effectively.

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PATH TO EMPOWERMENT

Features, PublicNet: 19 December, 2008

By Maureen Alderson

This article was first published in Public Management and Policy and is reproduced by permission of the Association. http://www.cipfa.org.uk/pmpa/index.cfm

Devolving power from Whitehall to town halls and then to communities is seen as the route to revitalizing democracy. Within this empowerment process, councillors play a vital role because they represent local people and are concerned about local issues. But they can only play their full part if they are empowered to respond to the changes sweeping across local landscapes. The author looks at how empowerment is developing and what more is needed.

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COUNCILS SAY MESSAGE ON CHILDREN’S SERVICES IS ‘LOUD AND CLEAR’

Headlines, PublicNet: 18 December, 2008

Children’s Services in four local authority areas have been judged to be inadequate by Ofsted inspectors and eight councils were found not to have come up to the mark for the ‘staying safe’ outcome. In 2007 no council was rated as inadequate overall while four fell short of the required standard for ‘staying safe’.

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PUBLICITY CODE FOR LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO BE REVIEWED

Headlines, PublicNet: 18 December, 2008

The Government is reviewing the way local authorities communicate with the people they serve. The current broad framework has been in place for twenty years and was drawn up before the advent of the Internet, pod-casting and blogs.

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THE GAP YEARS

Book News, PublicNet: 18 December, 2008

The trickle down theory of wealth creation has not benefited the poorest areas of England during the boom years, concludes a report from nef, the new economics foundation. Despite substantial investment to regenerate deprived areas through enterprise, gaps between poor and wealthier areas have widened and pockets of severe deprivation have developed.

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CALL FOR RETURN OF DRINKS CONTAINER DEPOSITS TO CUT LITTER COSTS

Headlines, PublicNet: 17 December, 2008

A new survey has revealed overwhelming public support for a return to the system of charging deposits on bottled products as a way of reducing the cost of cleaning up litter dropped in the street. The Ipsos MORI poll for the Campaign to Protect Rural England found eight out of ten people backed the idea.

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CITY SCHEME AIMS TO MAKE TAKE-AWAY FOOD HEALTHIER

Headlines, PublicNet: 17 December, 2008

A scheme to improve the nutritional content of take-away food is being pioneered by Liverpool City Council. The Eatright Campaign has been launched following a 1.5 million pound investment by the city’s Primary Care Trust.

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SOCIAL ENTERPRISE: MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Abstracts, PublicNet: 17 December, 2008

NHS staff have now been given the ‘right to request’ to set up a social enterprise company to allow them to provide services, free at the point of delivery. The aim of this initiative is to give NHS staff the freedom to use their talents to find innovative ways to improve quality of care for patients.

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PROPOSALS WOULD GIVE VOTERS MORE POWER OVER COUNCIL LEADERSHIP

Headlines, PublicNet: 16 December, 2008

A consultation has begun on plans to give people more control over the leadership structure of their local authorities. The proposals would make it easier for voters to get a referendum on the issue.

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