Solace
Future Forum: No end in sight for funding pots
Two local government finance experts have predicted Whitehall will continue doling out cash through competitive pots.
Pondering the polls
Peter Stanyon scrutinises how the polls went and turns his attention to the implementation challenges involved as the Elections Act 2022 comes in.
Hybrid working is here to stay
The end of the nine-to-five routine is driven by economic forces, not the indolent public sector workers of Jacob Rees-Mogg’s imagination, says Michael Burton.
Government must rethink its approach to poor governance and behaviour in councils
Solace supports all of the Committee on Standards in Public Life report's recommendations on standards in local government, but without Government action on sanctions this will never gain the traction required, says Graeme McDonald.
EXCLUSIVE: Whitehall risk warning over election reforms
Whitehall officials have privately admitted councils could be overwhelmed by one of the largest sets of electoral reforms ever seen by local authorities, The MJ understands.
New Solace hire to improve sector diversity
Senior officers' organisation Solace is recruiting a new officer in a drive to improve diversity.
A national workforce strategy is needed to tackle skills shortage
With pay likely to remain stagnant and labour shortages to continue, local authorities need a robust workforce strategy with the full backing of central Government, says Michael Burton.
Soaring vacancies and declining pay highlight sector crisis
Latest figures this week showing the soaring number of job vacancies coupled with declining public sector pay have highlighted the recruitment and retention crisis facing the local government sector.
Roney: Council chiefs proved worth during pandemic
Council chief executives proved their worth during the pandemic, the president of Solace Joanne Roney told her colleagues.
Pay 'not number one feature' in staff retention
Culture and opportunities for career advancement are more important to council staff than pay, peers have heard.
Future Forum North: City chief calls for fiscal freedom
More financial freedom should be devolved to cities to fully realise the ambition of levelling them up, Manchester City Council chief executive Joanne Roney has said.
Helping highly vulnerable families to recover, rebuild their lives here, and thrive
Implementing and delivering the Government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme will require more than just goodwill, says Graeme McDonald.
Must change always be so lacking in urgency?
Graeme McDonald says a devolution deal 'represents the very start of change, not an outcome in itself, and what is on offer in the White Paper is 'frankly pretty small beer in terms of rebalancing power'.
Leading with a purpose
Mark Rogers is the new chief executive of the Leadership Centre. He says it is perfectly placed to work on how to deal with new challenges for public services, places and people. Heather Jameson reports.
EXCLUSIVE: NAO to consider early intervention report
The National Audit Office (NAO) is to consider a report on early intervention and prevention after lobbying from the sector, The MJ understands.
Levelling up: extreme measures
Dan Peters looks at the list of performance indicators chosen by Government for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and asks just how well is it performing so far.
Looking ahead with trepidation
Professor Martin Reeves digests the contents of the provisional local government finance settlement and highlights the key reasons why it will fail to meet the challenges that lie ahead.
Northern Irish councils in devolution call
The sector is pressing for increased powers to help the country to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
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.
Let's take our chance to get things right on the health gap
Ten years after Professor Marmot’s initial report the health gap has grown, says Gill Kneller. Along with other partners, local councils have a key role to play in connecting with communities to turn this curve, she believes.
