December 2009
47 posts
New local government efficiency task force... →
John Denham, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, has announced the creation of a new local government task force whose dual role will be to promote efficiency and protect frontline public services. Lewisham’s mayor Steve Bullock and Manchester City Council leader Richard Leese will lead the task force which is to include local government and union representatives. The...
Duty to involve - Urban Forum survey →
The Urban Forum is carrying out a survey looking at the new statutory duty to consult, inform and involve, established in the recent Local Democracy Act. The survey looks at
the awareness of the duty and what mechanisms or structures are in place for involvement
people’s awareness of changes due to the duty
the role of councillors in carrying out the duty
The survey’s purpose is...
'Equal partnerships are crucial' - new discussion... →
‘Co-production’ is a name given to the idea that involving service users in the design and delivery of local public services can both transform services and strengthen neighbourhoods. In a new discussion paper, The Challenge of Co-production: How equal partnerships between professionals and the public are crucial to improving public services, the New Economics Foundation’s...
"Empowerment is good politics" - Tracy Gardiner →
The Communities of Practice (CoP) for Local Government website offers a forum for sharing information and exchanging opinions on a wide range of issues relating to the localisation policy agenda. The current CoP ‘hot seat’ article by Tracy Gardiner, Policy Analyst with the Local Government Information Unit, looks at community empowerment and the role of councillors. “Some...
Infrastructure matters - online resources from... →
London Voluntary Service Council (LVSC) hosts a webpage of useful links to recent research relating to the value of voluntary and community (third) sector infrastructure and of the sector generally. This material may be helpful for organisations needing to argue the case for the funding and resourcing of infrastructure bodies.
LVSC infrastructure webpage
'Taking England's pulse' - new democracy report... →
The health of modern English democracy will be the subject of a new report announced by John Denham, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. Information about people’s voting patterns, social habits and sense of belonging will be brought together and made accessible to citizens, as part of the government’s plan set out in Putting the Frontline First: Smarter...
SCA proposals and local spending reports →
The Local Government Association (LGA) is calling for local communities to support the proposals shortlisted for consideration by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (CLG) under the provisions of the Sustainable Communities Act. According to The Selector online newsletter, local authorities’ proposals shortlisted by the LGA in its role as Selector “are, quite...
Social exclusion and the economic downturn - new... →
Crime, mental health problems and family and relationship breakdown are among the consequences of recession addressed by the Government’s Social Exclusion Task Force (SETF) in a new briefing paper.
Learning from the Past: Tackling worklessness and the social impacts of the recession outlines how government programmes such as Real Help Now, which includes measures to support the banks,...
Joined-up economics - Fineberg →
Joined-up economics - Fineberg
Adam Fineberg is an independent consultant working on the Total Place programme in Bradford and across the Yorkshire and Humber region. Writing in the Local Government Chronicle (LGC), he argues that the findings of the interim report from the Total Place pilots require a “remodelling the existing architecture of local public services”. Citing the...
RADAR's disability leadership programme →
Disability network RADAR has developed a leadership training programme for people who would like to take active citizenship roles as, for instance, members of community forums, tenants associations, local or national public bodies or disability organisations, or as school governors. RADAR are recruiting up to Friday 8 January.
Download an application pack
RADAR's disability leadership programme →
Disability network RADAR has developed a leadership training programme for people who would like to take active citizenship roles as, for instance, members of community forums, tenants associations, local or national public bodies or disability organisations, or as school governors. RADAR are recruiting up to Friday 8 January.
Download an application pack
Take Part directory - new online resource →
The new online Take Part directory provides information on the resources, guidance and learning opportunities which exist to deliver:
learning opportunities, within a community context, that build skills and confidence
community leadership development offering tailored support leading to civic activism and/or lay governance roles
information about the availability of opportunities for influence...
LSPs, LAAs and Total Place - information from... →
The Improvement and Development Agency (I&DeA) has brought together much of its information on the role, governance and accountability of local strategic partnerships (LSPs) and the partnership working aspects of Total Place on a single webpage. This resource provides a useful ‘one-stop shop’ for discussion on issues such as the ownership of LSPs, the current and possible future...
The new Compact - opportunities →
Compact Voice Network (CVN) has launched a poll asking, “What is the key thing you need for the refreshed Compact to work for you?”. Organisations can vote for one of the following options:
Implementation guidelines
Government to show commitment to Compact in how it works
Voluntary sector to fulfil its side of the bargain
Compact embedded in contracts, policies and processes
...
'Total Place and local services on election... →
The Local Government Chronicle (LGC) reports that John Denham, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, has put localism firmly on the pre-election agenda, at a meeting with senior public sector figures. The capacity of a Total Place approach to promote collaboration in local public service delivery was among the issues discussed.
LCG article
More about Total Place
'Well-being, not just wealth, is the measure of a... →
Organisations working with socially marginalised and excluded groups and individuals may be encouraged by a new report from the Young Foundation which argues that well-being, and not just wealth, should be considered the measure of a good or healthy society.
Sinking and swimming: Understanding Britain’s unmet needs identifies two strands in the thinking underlying the establishment of the...
New Compact launched →
The refreshed Compact has now been published and is available for download below.
The new document brings the previous five Compact Codes into one document. It also updates the agreement in the light of the many developments in relationships between government and the third (voluntary and community) sector that have occurred in since the publication of the original Compact.
From the...
Connecting Communities programme expanded →
The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, John Denham, today announced an expansion of the Connecting Communities programme to a further 84 neighbourhoods. This brings the total to 111 neighbourhoods across 75 local authority areas. The programme is intended to ensure that all communities will be stronger and more cohesive as the economic climate improves, and able to benefit...
Denham seeks to clarify Prevent programme →
In a speech to the National Prevent Conference on 8 December, John Denham, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, sought to clarify the aims of Prevent (formerly the Preventing Violent Extremism programme). “The aim of Prevent is simple,” he said. “It is to ensure that our fellow citizens do not commit acts of terrorism against Britain or British people. And...
'LAAs need a Total Place approach' - Winterton →
Local Government Minster Rosie Winterton spoke of the “mutually-reinforcing combination of LAAs and Total Place,” in a speech to the Local Government Chronicle and New Local Government Network annual conference on Local Area Agreements (LAAs), on 24 November 2009.
“Total Place,” she said, “is not about trying to deliver a certain number on efficiency savings. But a...
Denham welcomes CAA reports →
John Denham, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (CLG) welcomed the comprehensive area assessment (CAA) reports published on the new oneplace website last Wednesday 9 December. He said, “The new assessment system is putting more information about the state of local services into the hands of the public than ever before.
“It is just the start of our efforts to give...
Compact commitments - Angela Smith →
Minister for the Third Sector Angela Smith has given assurances to Compact Voice chair Simon Blake that the controvertial decision to cancel Campaigning Research Programme grants was an “isolated breach” of the Compact:
At the next Compact Annual Meeting on 1 Feb 2010, Ms Smith will present clear actions for both the third sector and the government to implement and champion the...
'Councils cannot be complacent about CAA' - LGA →
Local Government Association (LGA) chair Cllr Margaret Eaton has responded to the comprehensive area assessment (CAA) report from the Audit Commission “Although local government is the most efficient part of the public sector, councils can never be complacent,” she said, “and indeed the high expectations of our residents should rule that out.” Commenting on the CAA...
Compact - Smith apologises →
Angela Smith, Minister for the Third Sector, has responded to those who challenged her decision to cancel the Campaigning Research Programme and transfer the money to the Hardship Fund, according to a report in Third Sector. She said, “It was a difficult decision to make, particularly because it was not Compact-compliant, which I regret and apologise for.” Conservative third sector...
'Write Compact principles into contracts' -... →
In their response to the Compact refresh consultation, which closed on 12 October 2009, the Charity Law Association (CLA) working party urges that Compact principles should be written into all contracts between local authorities and voluntary and community (third) sector organisations. CLA argues that the Compact should be understood as a code of conduct, and that local awareness and compliance...
CAA: "comprehensive and flexible" or "bland and... →
When NAVCA published The third sector role in Comprehensive Area Assessment in August 2009, we quoted Chief Executive of Sutton CVS Andy Wilson’s comment that “At this stage it feels like a more comprehensive and flexible process than previously.” Recently, however, the leaders of both Hammersmith & Fulham and Wandsworth borough councils have expressed dissatisfaction with...
Unitaries recommended for Devon, Norfolk and... →
The Boundary Committee for England recommends single unitary local authorities for the county areas of Devon, Norfolk and Suffolk in its final advice to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (CLG) John Denham. The publication of the Committee’s reviews follows closely on last week’s Appeal Court judgement that upheld their original recommendations after these...
"Government in partnership" - Brown →
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has set out a new programme for government in Putting the Frontline First: smarter government. Launching the document in a speech on 7 December 2009, he said, “Having demonstrated the value of government action, our task now is to develop government to work in partnership with individuals and communities to deliver the services people want in the way they want...
'We can't just blame the recession' - JRF poverty... →
The numbers of people unemployed or living in low income households were on the rise even before the economic downturn, according to the Monitoring poverty and social exclusion report 2009 from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF). Some figures for educational achievement show continuing improvement, however, as do figures reflecting premature death and fear of burglary or violent crime. The...
Compact "more important than ever" →
Councils should give voluntary and community organisations “a minimum of three months’ notice when ending a funding relationship”, according to new guidance for local authorities on budget revisions, published by the Commission for the Compact.
“The Commission believes that national principles often outlined in Local Compacts are now more important than ever; providing a...
Partnership and representation - new reports →
Two new reports have been published by the Improvement and Development Agency (I&DeA) and the Institute for Voluntary Action Research (IVAR):
1. Getting things done together - key findings from the Partnership Improvement Programme (PIP) examines PIP delivery in ten local authority areas. It argues that successful partnership working requires locally appropriate arrangements, a challenging...
Central and local government - debating The... →
“More and better-informed debate is needed about what we mean by ‘localism’ and how it can be delivered in practice,” according to Dr Phyllis Starkey, chair of the Committee for Communities & Local Government and MP for Milton Keynes South West.
Dr Starkey called for MPs from all parties to take part in a debate to be held this Thursday 10 December 2009 on the...
CLG faith adviser - Francis Davis →
Francis Davis was recently appointed by John Denham, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, as his adviser on faith and public policy. The announcement was made in Mr Denham’s speech on 12 November 2009, launching the first national Inter Faith Week. Mr Davis is a Fellow of Blackfriars Hall in the University of Oxford and Director of the Las Casas Institute on Ethics,...
New OTS Director General - Rolande Anderson →
Rolande Anderson has been appointed to succeed Campbell Robb as director general at the Office of the Third Sector (OTS) from 21 December 2009. Like Mr Robb, she will also serve as director general of the Cabinet Office’s Social Exclusion Task Force. Ms Anderson is currently Director General at the Office for National Statistics. She previously worked in the Department for Trade and...
Equality Bill - progress through the Lords →
The Equality Bill has passed all its initial stages in the House of Commons. Its first reading (a formality signalling the start of its progress) in the House of Lords took place on 3 December 2009. Its second reading (a general debate on all aspects of the Bill) in the Lords is scheduled for 15 December. Following the Committee and Report stages in the Lords, Amendments will be debated in both...
LGC localism pledges - readers' vote →
The Local Government Chronicle invites readers to vote for their five preferred pledges on increasing localism, to be submitted to Oliver Letwin, David Miliband and Danny Alexander for possible inclusion in the new Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat manifestos respectively. The suggested pledges are:
Reduce targets and inspection burdens
Move away from tick-box targets
Give local...
Suffolk unitaries? - the debate continues →
The Local Government Chronicle (LGC) reports on a Court of Appeal ruling that the Boundaries Commission acted lawfully in consulting on options that would see Suffolk’s two-tier local government system restructured as either one or two unitary authorities. The consultation on proposals to create unitary authorities in Devon, Norfolk and Suffolk was effectively stalled by a High Court ruling...
Involvement - the potentials and pitfalls of new... →
Social media and other applications of digital technology can increase inclusion for some and reinforce exclusion for others, according to Cllr James Cousins from Wandsworth, speaking at a recent Local Government Information Unit event. Those who are comfortable with Facebook, Twitter, blogs and RSS feeds may well find it easier to get involved where local councils and public partnerships are...
ILP Adviceline →
Baffled by your LAA?
Confused by CAAs?
Want to know what YOU can do to get your voice heard?
- ILP can help
Get in touch with our Adviceline, whether you’re struggling to understand the jargon, or have a specific question about representation in your area. We’re here to answer questions whether you’re from an LIO, voluntary action group or community empowerment network,...
Listening to Communities - new consultation... →
John Denham, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, has announced a consultation on new guidance for local authorities. The document is called Listening to communities: Consultation on draft statutory guidance on the duty to respond to petitions. Under the proposed guidance, councils will be expected to respond to local petitions about public services and to inform communities...
Local Democracy Act - NCVO briefing →
The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) has published a briefing on the new Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act.
download the briefing (PDF, 87KB)
more about the Act
Who stands for election? - survey →
The 2009 Local Election Candidates Survey, conducted by the University of Plymouth’s Elections Centre and published by the Improvement and Development Agency (I&DeA), provides insights into who stands for election and why, including
the moment a person decides to contest a council seat
the support network that sustains them through the campaign
the time for reflection after votes have...
BBC to increase local politics reporting →
The Local Government Chronicle (LGC) reports that the BBC has announced the recruitment of up to 40 specialist journalists to report on local politics. David Holdsworth, BBC controller for English regions, explained, “Their brief will be to give local government and local politics a wider service.”
Read the LGC article
Prevent Updates →
The Improvement and Development Agency (I&DeA) has published a range of new material around Prevent (or Preventing Violent Extremism). Prevent is one of the four components making up the governments counter-terrorism strategy and is linked to broader community cohesion policy. This includes information on delivering Prevent locally, support for local councillors and case studies.
...
Duty to Involve - how's it going? →
Writing on the Urban Forum’s Engagement and Empowerment community of practice (CoP) website, Rachel Newton, the Forum’s Head of Policy and Research, reports on a survey conducted in August 2009 on the implementation of the Duty to Involve. Over 70% of respondents said that existing structures either fail to fulfil the Duty or meet it only in part. Lack of time and poor communication...
'Work with us!' sector urges Chancellor →
Third Sector reports that a letter has been sent by “more than 250 voluntary sector leaders” to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, offering a meeting to discuss the government’s commitment to the sector. Third Sector quotes the letter as saying, “We urge that in response to the pressures on public spending you work in partnership with our sector to carry out far-reaching...
"Just fairness" - John Denham →
In a speech at the TUC yesterday, to mark the tenth anniversary of the Stephen Lawrence enquiry report, John Denham, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, spoke of “the interaction between class and race”. He acknowledged that “In some places, we have seen racism become more socially acceptable” and that “Racism is also achieving a political voice...