The MJ - your free ebook
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News
EXCLUSIVE: Special needs demand increases for every council
Demand for education, health and care plans (EHCP) has increased for every council in the last three years, new analysis has revealed.
District cancels 700 court summonses
Harborough DC has apologised to residents after issuing hundreds of court summonses for unpaid council tax in error.
Review highlights 'widening cracks' in council complaints systems
The local government ombudsman has warned about the erosion to the way complaints are being handled by councils.
Dorset to grapple with £8m budget gap
Overspends in care services have left Dorset Council facing a budget gap totalling £8.3m by the end of the financial year.
PwC to help Nottingham transformation vision
Nottingham City Council will pay consultancy PwC £400,000 to help draw up its ‘vision for what it wishes to achieve through transformation’.
Chiefs receive lower pay offer
Council employers have offered an improved 'final' pay offer to staff but have offered council chief executives and chief officers a lower increase.
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Opinion
Unravelling the knot of education, health and care plans
Leo Jones lays out the deeper challenges that need to be recognised and addressed if the SEND review is going to tackle the complex problems behind rising numbers of education, health and care plans.
'Growing our own' jobs will require investment in local councils
If Government wants to maximise the bang for its buck in levelling up the country, then it must start investing in local councils and allow them to skill up local people from all backgrounds, argues Paul O'Brien.
Reorganisation: modernise or be damned
The distraction of reorganisation may be a step too far. Or it may be the big bang needed to transform local government, says Heather Jameson.
Why the Local Land Charges Register is a crucial step forward
The Local Land Charges Register is creating the conditions for data to become a valuable standardised and accessible asset rather than a burden on councils, says Scott Goodwin.
‘Tell me what you want, what you really, really want’
Frazer Thoubard looks at how recruiting the right candidates is set to become more challenging than ever – so anticipating what the market wants is going to be vital to future success.
The simple fact is that reading matters
Diana Gerald, CEO of children’s reading charity BookTrust, explains plans to pilot a new, national library experience called BookTrust Storytime in the Autumn, developed in partnership with libraries and local authorities.
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Best Practice
Giving young people a Kickstart in Bucks
Buckinghamshire Council is offering Kickstart placements across all its service directorates to support young people, as part of a much longer-term project, says Cllr Anita Cranmer.
Analysis
Eyeing up the horizon on reorganisation
Heather Jameson looks at the latest round of reorganisation and asks: will it embolden councils to go for further restructures?
Private sector
Government needs to prep SMEs for net-zero
The Government needs to step up its COP26 campaigns to get small and medium sized businesses ready for net-zero, the chair of a Parliamentary committee has warned.
View from the Hill
Councils can help break the cycle of gender pay inequality, says director at Tile Hill Executive Recruitment Greg Hayes.
Northgate Public Services undergoes name change
The company provides technology for health, housing, police and local government internationally and was acquired by the NEC group in 2018.
