Opinion The MJ
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Supporting rising stars pays dividends
January 23, 2020
Adele Taylor says she has been fortunate in her career to be advised and mentored by senior officers who encouraged her to get out and network. She has continued that tradition now that she is able to support the rising stars of the future.
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Preventing future Grenfells
January 22, 2020
Not much has been done to expedite changes to prevent another Grenfell tragedy, argues Sir Bob Neill. He says it’s time the problems were addressed collaboratively by Government and local authorities.
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Updated software remains critical to protecting data
January 22, 2020
This month Microsoft withdrew support from Windows 7. Chris Mountford looks at how local government can balance the books while keeping data secure.
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What are local government's prospects now?
January 22, 2020
Ben Page looks ahead at the prospects for local government.There is hope on social care, with a promise of cross-party talks within 100 days of the election. But on a host of issues, is benign neglect the best local government can hope for?
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Exploring all the options
January 22, 2020
The ‘radical rethink’ needed to reform the adult social care system calls for bold decisions, full exploration of all the options – and a funding solution that may need some manoeuvring around manifesto pledges on tax, says Cllr Dave Fothergill.
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The first big test for Boris from the Northern Powerhouse
January 22, 2020
The real test for the new Government is how much more power it is prepared to devolve to the Midlands and the North, reducing Whitehall interference and ministerial short-termism, argues Michael Burton.
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A landmark year for Waltham Forest
January 22, 2020
In 2019 Waltham Forest LBC became the first Mayor of London Borough of Culture - and won The MJ’s Local Authority of the Year category in the annual awards. Cllr Clare Coghill and Martin Esom talk to Michael Burton about the council's achievement.
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Online tool helps residents assess likely care costs
January 20, 2020
Anton Hodge describes how a new online tool to help people assess the likely cost of adult social care services has brought benefits to residents and to North Yorkshire CC.
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Building thriving towns
January 17, 2020
Adur DC and Worthing BC are taking a stake in their local economies to catalyse investment in their places, based on establishing firm foundations to help local communities thrive, writes Martin Randall.
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Communities hold the key to children’s social care
January 17, 2020
Pawda Tjoa says community-led approaches to early intervention should offer valuable lessons for policy-making on a national scale – and now is the time to ‘nurture the local initiatives that are already making a difference’.
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The stage is set for districts to demonstrate their key role
January 17, 2020
We hope ministers take away the message from conference next month that it is districts, backed by long-term sustainable funding, who are best placed to turn the new decade into the roaring twenties, says Cllr John Fuller.
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OECD will say our over-centralised system holds places back
January 16, 2020
Core Cities has commissioned the OECD to put together a new and radical report into putting in place the right policies to enable places to fulfil their potential, says Cllr Judith Blake.
