The ownership of council homes across England would transfer to the community for the first time if proposals published in a new report are accepted by the Government.

Community and council ownership on a large-scale is one of three options for the future of council housing considered in a report released by the National Federation of Arms Length Management Organisations – ALMOs . The new models aim to provide greater opportunities for tenant involvement in the running of council housing and to enable ALMOs to leverage off-balance sheet, private finance for the first time.

Read more on PLAN TO GIVE COMMUNITIES OWNERSHIP OF C0UNCIL HOMES…

The Big Society is set to bring benefits to many communities across the country, but others will lose out. The losers are in the areas with limited community wealth such as volunteering.

Read more on COMMUNITIES WILL BENEFIT FROM BIG SOCIETY IF POSTCODE IS RIGHT…

This report from the 2020 Public Sector Hub at the RSA was commissioned by the Learning and Skills Improvement Service. It challenges the sector to shape and create a radical future.

Read more on THE FURTHER EDUCATION SECTOR IN 2020…

The claim by Communities and Local Government that councils could cut their spending by £450 per household is conjecture supported by no evidence. The Guardian challenged the basis of the claim and found that possible savings in a limited area of procurement had been extrapolated without any supporting data.

Read more on BOGUS EFFICIENCY SAVINGS CLAIM EXPOSED BY THE GUARDIAN…

Almost 40 per cent of social workers say their caseload is unmanageable according to a survey by the recruitment agency Liquid Personnel.

The survey found that 39 per cent of social workers find their current caseload unmanageable and 69 per cent say it has increased in the past 12 months. The figures come from a survey of almost 600 social work practitioners.

Read more on PRESSURES ON SOCIAL WORKERS BUILDING UP…

The last thirty five years has seen the transformation of housing associations from a relatively small, diverse sub-sector of civil society into a large highly capitalised social business, in what has been described as “the outstanding example of a mass take-over of state services by the voluntary sector in our time”.

Read more on HOUSING ASSOCIATIONS AT THE CROSS ROADS…

By Rosalind Armson.

This book is about dealing with messes, sometimes known as ‘wicked problems’. Messy situations are fairly easy to spot because they are difficult to define and it’s hard to know where to start. Examples of messes might include the healthcare system in your country, dealing with a family break-up, or exploring change and making it happen in your organisation.

Read more on GROWING WINGS ON THE WAY: SYSTEMS THINKING FOR MESSY SITUATIONS…

Councils could deliver £10b efficiency saving annually by adopting new procurement processes and making better use of spending analysis. But to make the savings, the procurement expertise of council staff must improve, senior executive must buy-in to the changes and fears of losing control by collaborating with other councils must be overcome.

Read more on SMARTER PROCUREMENT CAN BRING EFFICIENCY SAVINGS SAYS REPORT…

Research by Shelter shows a huge surge in the number of people suffering from stress and depression due to high housing costs. The research shows that 18 million people, representing 38 per cent of the population of Britain, believe housing costs cause stress and depression in their family.

Read more on STRESS AND DEPRESSION INCREASING WITH RISING HOUSING COSTS…

The focus of the re-drafted reform white paper is set to move from privatisation to the Big Society by giving budgets to individuals and to town councils. The CBI view the policy shift as a lost opportunity for improving efficiency.

Read more on PUBLICE SERVICE REFORM PLAN MOVES FROM PRIVATISATION TO BIG SOCIETY…