The MJ - your free ebook
Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, we want to do all we can to support you, so we will provide The MJ as an enhanced ebook here every Thursday, completely free, for the duration of the crisis.
News
Burnham calls for national-local reset
Greater Manchester’s Labour mayor Andy Burnham has called for a ‘reset’ between national and local government after going to war with Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Spelthorne councillors to be more involved in commercial decisions after criticism
Spelthorne BC councillors will be more involved in future investment-related decisions after the council’s borrowing was criticised for ignoring government guidance.
Councils step in after government rejects Rashford campaign
Councils around the country have quickly stepped in after the Government voted against providing free school meals to families who need them over half-term.
Legal action threatened over exit cap
Three local government groups have joined together to threaten a judicial review over the Government’s £95,000 cap on public sector exit payments.
Northern Irish legal case could set precedent across UK
Northern Irish councils have suggested local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales could benefit after a ‘landmark’ legal case.
Public interest report issued over 'financial fiasco' at Croydon
Croydon LBC has been accused of ‘corporate blindness’ by external auditors in a public interest report on the council’s finances.
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Opinion
Building a New Local
NLGN has changed its name to New Local. Professor Donna Hall says the network will have the same objectives, but they will be expanded to welcome a wider range of sectors. But there will be ‘no watering down of the focus on local government’.
Levelling up or pushing down?
Stoke-on-Trent has been the victim of the repeated failure of regional economic policy, say Steven Griggs, Stephen Hall and Martin Jones. They ask if localism can deliver alone for the city or anywhere else.
Bracing for the ASB challenge
Rebecca Bryant says the rise in anti-social behaviour since the start of COVID-19 restrictions must be addressed – but the tools to tackle it head-on ‘are available at our fingertips’.
Where are the homes this winter?
COVID has shown we need even more affordable housing and further government initiatives to tackle rising levels of homelessness made worse by the pandemic’s economic impact, writes Robert Pollock.
Thinking correctly under pressure
'Connecting, communicating and collaborating with our teams has never been more important than now,' says Kathy O'Leary.
This is not devolution – this is not even centralism
‘Once the poster-child for devolution, Manchester is now being treated as the bad boy of politics – on the naughty step for daring to ask for a good deal for its residents’, says Heather Jameson.
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Best Practice
Working together to protect care homes in Leicester
Leicester’s success in stopping COVID-related deaths in care homes is due to data, system working and trust , says the city council's strategic director for social care and education Martin Samuels.
Analysis
Tiers of trouble
More than half of England’s population is now living under high or very high-alert postcode COVID-19 restrictions. Ann McGauran asks if the new measures are sufficient, and looks at their impact on centre-local relations.
Private sector
Five ways the cloud can safeguard our NHS
Steve Haines, Managing Director, PSC Health & Care, Civica, discusses the impact of rising cyber attacks and shows five ways the cloud offers the NHS more peace of mind
Protecting and connecting our over-70s
Local authorities have played a vital role in keeping citizens safe during the pandemic, says Civica's Tony Hughes. By factoring the over-70s more into digital thinking, local bodies can further keep them safe and connected, he adds.
Kent councils take back control of housing stock
Four councils in east Kent have taken back control of housing management services.
