Council leaders have warned that low morale among social workers is putting the safety of vulnerable children at risk. The warning came as a survey by the Local Government Association showed that nine out of ten councillors in charge of children’s services think the public perception of the profession has worsened since Baby Peter case.

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A target designed to speed up councils’ handling of planning applications has created ‘perverse incentives’ according to a committee of MPs. In a report today, the Public Accounts Committee says authorities can lose interest in an application once the 13 week target has been missed and of the decisions reached within the time limit the greater number are planning refusals.

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By Doug Forbes,

This paper by the Director of the Institute of Commissioning Professionals argues that public sector procurement arrangements are cumbersome, slow and ineffective for the buyer and the seller. The Institute calls for the development of agile procurement which is permissible under EU regulations.

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