Local authorities have hit back at claims that they are at fault for disruption to services caused by the severe weather. The Local Government Association said councils had been made a scapegoat and claims that they were to blame should be treated with ‘a huge pinch of gritting salt’.

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A pressure group has called for black and minority ethnic volunteers to be given more recogntion for the work they do. Voice4Change England has launched a ‘Valuing the BME Third Sector’ campaign to highlight its role in bonding communities and promoting equality.

Read more on CAMPAIGN CALLS FOR RECOGNITION FOR WORK OF BME VOLUNTEERS…

The evaluation of the Local Government Modernisation Agenda by Communities and Local Government includes an assessment of the impact on community leadership and stakeholder engagement of the 20-plus policies that followed the 1998 and 2001 white papers.

Read more on THE STATE OF GOVERNANCE OF PLACES…