The MJ - your free ebook
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News
Brum names new interim chief
Barking and Dagenham LBC chief executive Chris Naylor has been named as interim chief executive of Birmingham City Council.
Jenrick: Centres bring together public services in virus response
Strategic co-ordination centres are being formed across the country with the nation on an ‘emergency footing’ to tackle coronavirus.
Care providers experience tenfold hike in costs of protective equipment
Suppliers of protective equipment are charging as much as 10 times the normal amount for their products as supplies grow scare, care companies have told the BBC.
Outsourcers change coronavirus policy
Outsourcer Amey has U-turned to give full pay to workers off sick with coronavirus or those self-isolating during the current health emergency.
Councils start to pay out business grants
Thousands of small firms have begun to receive £25,000 cash grants from councils as part of a £22bn government package in response to COVID-19.
Transparency tools made available to pension schemes
The first standalone system to provide information on costs from different investment managers has been made available to every local government pension scheme (LGPS) and pool.
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Opinion
Recognition for the work of our unspoken heroes
The lack of PPE for frontline care staff is utterly shameful, says Heather Jameson, but not the most shameful thing highlighted during the pandemic. The attacks on key council staff risking their own health to help others are disgraceful, she adds.
Safeguarding Bristol’s rough sleepers during the pandemic
Marvin Rees says Bristol City Council has successfully placed the majority of rough sleepers in hotels and all shelter occupants are in alternative accommodation, while negotiations continue with hotel chains for a further supply of rooms.
Riverside are supporting the most vulnerable in our communities
Social housing providers Riverside are working to ensure the 9,000 people they support have access to the help they need deal to with the additional risks they face from COVID-19, says Lee Buss.
‘I am humbled by the amazing groundswell of community support in Westminster’
Leader of Westminster City Council Rachel Robathan says while ensuring the health of residents is the key priority during the COVID-19 outbreak, there will come a point in future months when the council will also need to revive the economy.
Redesigning collaboration along County Lines
Ian Blackhurst explains why local authorities, the police and partner agencies need to share information dynamically and in real time to tackle county lines.
Councils are at the heart of this fight
Councils’ understanding of the communities they serve and ability to disseminate information to residents, including ‘at risk’ groups, will be universally relied upon over the coming weeks, writes Sir Bob Neill.
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Best Practice
A nine-point guide to COVID-19 crisis communications
Communications has often been seen as a luxury, says Richard Stokoe – but this time it is ‘at the centre of quashing the spread of COVID-19, protecting the health and social care sector and saving lives’.
Analysis
‘Things will probably not be the same again’
John Henderson’s top-level military background is proving crucial to Staffordshire CC as it refocuses on responding to COVID-19, and he tells Ann McGauran the council is ‘being bent out of shape’ to ensure it delivers.
Hot Topic: Coronavirus
Private sector
Local government spends £3.8bn with strategic suppliers
The Government’s strategic suppliers received a quarter of their public sector income from local authorities last year, new figures have revealed.
Manchester to create housing company
Manchester City Council is to create its own development company in a bid to meet ambitious housing targets.
Coronavirus forces developers to down tools
Infrastructure and development projects are beginning to stall as construction firms cease work in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.