Coronavirus
Dementia tops COVID for care home death cause
Coronavirus was the second highest cause of deaths among care home residents behind dementia last year, according to latest figures.
Officers implore Government to rethink remote meeting rules
Legal and democratic services officers have implored ministers to change the rules on remote meetings as the Omicron variant of COVID-19 spreads.
Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig need to cut Peppa Pig some slack
Did the secretary of state Michael Gove signal last week that some functions or powers are going to be stripped away from districts and gifted to elected mayors, asks Ian Miller.
Focusing on the future for counties and unitaries
Chairman of the County Councils' Network Cllr Tim Oliver says he 'could not fail to be quietly impressed about the energy and determination of our member councils to tackle the incoming challenges head-on' at his organisation's annual conference.
A commitment to civil debate
Cllr Arooj Shah has been the target of recent threats and harassment. Leaders from all parties in Oldham have now come together to add their signature to a ‘politics, not personalities’ pledge, she explains.
Putting the people first in Breckland
Breckland DC’s new chief executive Maxine O’Mahony talks to Ann McGauran about how her HR background colours her priorities, and the council’s ‘grow your own’ approach to staff development.
Reasons to be cheerful
The MJ and Penna’s annual survey of council chief executives reveals resilience and the ability to adapt have become reasons for the sector to celebrate, yet respect and recognition outside the sector is still lacking. Heather Jameson reports.
The social state
COVID-19 restrictions may have been lifted but a new report by Demos and Capita, launched at The MJ Future Forum, revealed people are less likely to make and build new relationships now than they were in the first lockdown.
White van man on... face masks
Here we go again. A whiff of a new virus and the public health nannies are back waving their face masks like shrouds and treating us like a bunch of kids. I wouldn’t mind so much if there was any logic to it but there ain’t.
Government hauls in auditors after 'flying blind' accusation
Ministers have today convened an emergency meeting with local government audit firms amid fears Whitehall is ‘flying blind’ over council finances.
County deals: nothing new under the sun
As we move towards county-wide deals, we need to ensure that they are built on true collaboration with equal representation across the tiers, argues Trevor Holden.
Whitty fears public may ignore restrictions
England’s chief medical officer Chris Whitty has voiced concerns the public may not comply with future COVID-19 restrictions if they become necessary.
Trust in councils higher than national Government, research finds
The public placed more trust in local authorities than national Government in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the findings of a new survey.
Javid aims for 'integration by default'
Health and social care secretary Sajid Javid has said he wants to push through integration reforms to ‘stop people from bouncing around the system’.
A golden opportunity for the sector
Nicola Chiverton says local government is currently enjoying a renewed, positive profile. So now is the time to harness this appreciation and ‘sell’ the personal – and potentially world-changing – benefits of starting a career in the sector.
Can local government continue at this pace?
Managing Director and Client Partner for Capita Local Public Services Paul Abraham says that now is a great opportunity to rethink how we deliver services to citizens.
Councils' USP is their focus on employees as people
Sue Atkinson, Anne Sullivan and Sonia Tanda at Penna say it's time to talk about your council's diversity and inclusion strategy, physical and mental health initiatives and your organisational culture.
Being human is the least you can do
Rachael Walker reveals the six key elements crucial for successful local government transformation over the last 18 months. What changed was that people had a purpose, she believes.
Crowdfunding’s hive of activities
Cllr Jenny Forde explains why, as COVID-19 struck, Cotswold DC chose to work with funding platform Spacehive, and offers five top tips for successful crowdfunding.
Slough goes back to basics for financial health
There are no quick fixes to Slough’s financial problems, but the council is committed to achieving the improvements residents have every right to expect, says Steve Mair.
