From: Vivek Bhardwaj To: Vivek Bhardwaj Subject: NLGN Policy Round Up January 2010.doc Date: 26 March 2010 11:57:20
January 2010 Well apparently the recession is now officially over! Yet we know for the public sector, and particularly the local government sector, the worst is still to come.
This month has seen central and local government preparing further for the ‘More for Less’ challenge, as demand for services continues to rise in an era of constrained public spending. This was the theme of NLGN’s annual conference in partnership with LGC this week.
In his key note speech, John Denham called for a greater role for the Third Sector in delivering local services, Philip Hammond urged councils to make savings without impacting on the front-line, and Caroline Spelman said that giving councils the power to vary business rates would drive regeneration.
If you would like to discuss NLGN’s work, or have any comments on anything in this round-up, do contact me at [email protected]
1.Political
The Conservatives launch manifesto papers, culminating in David Cameron’s Mending Our Broken Society speech. 22 January
Nick Clegg set out the Lib Dem’s party manifesto principles during a speech in London. 11 January
Tessa Jowell on the potential for mutualism in public services. 28 Jan.
2.Departmental
CLG
New rules to compel local authorities to fully disclose the pay and perks of top posts and name those earning more than £150,000 were set in law. 18 December: Click here
New guidance on how to use the Local Economic Assessments to fully understand the local economy announced by Local Government Minister Rosie Winterton. 22 December: Click Here
Changes to Local Spending Reports announced by John Denham to make them more accessible to the public and include other local spending such as that of quangos. 31 December: Click Here
Communities Secretary John Denham calls on councils to sign community contracts with local residents as a way to drive up the standard of local services - including providing redress when things go wrong. 4 January Click Here
Appointment of 13 new faith advisers to CLG who will act as a 'sounding board' to advise on effective engagement with faith communities, and the impact of Communities and Local Government policy on faith communities. 6 January: Click Here
Housing Minister John Healey doubles Government cash for new council homes. 11 January: Click Here
Communities Secretary John Denham sets out plans to tackle race inequality by publishing Tackling Race Inequality: A Statement on Race. January 14: Click Here
Communities Secretary John Denham extends a major drive to address the concerns of traditional working class communities - naming a further 49 neighbourhoods to be involved the programme and announcing £20m extra funding for next year. 21 January : Click Here
Cabinet Office
The refreshed Compact, outlining how Government will work with the third sector, launched by the Office of the Third Sector, Compact Voice and the Commission for the Compact. 16 December: Click Here
A major new website data.gov.uk has been launched to the public which gives anyone who wants to use it unprecedented and free access to government data in one place. 21 January: Click Here
Home Office
Ministers are looking for ten trailblazing areas to pioneer Neighbourhood Agreements on community safety and justice between police, councils and residents. 12 January: Click Here
DCSF
31 million Government investment in world-class youth facilities, announced by Children’s Minister Dawn Primarolo. 16 December: Click Here
Parents with disabled children to get better support to help with childcare following a £12.5 million cash boost from the Government, and Ed Balls calls on local authorities to do more to help disabled children access childcare. 30 December: Click Here
The Prime Minister and Ed Balls announce the national roll out of a scheme to give 270,000 low income families a free computer and free broadband access, under a drive to close the digital and educational divide between rich and poor and help keep parents in touch with their child's progress. 11 January: Click Here
The Prime Minister and Children and Families Minister Dawn Primarolo announce a further 88 new Family Intervention Projects (FIPs) across the country and a further £2.6m of funding for local authorities to start or expand FIPs in their region. 21 January: Click Here
DCMS
More than 600 new jobs through Future Jobs Fund in the cultural, creative and sport sectors announced by Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw, in a range of projects aimed at getting young people out of unemployment and onto the first rung of the career ladder. 16 December: Click Here
BIS
Rural communities and hard to reach areas who do not have access to next generation broadband will benefit from a share of £1billion of Government investment said Business Secretary, Lord Mandelson. 7 January: Click Here
Business Minister, Pat McFadden, aims to put social mobility at the heart of plans for growth and success in the global economy. The Government’s response to Unleashing Aspiration, the final report from the Panel on Fair Access to the Professions, agrees to implement the vast majority of the panel’s 88 recommendations. 18 January: Click Here
DfT
Within the next five years passengers on public transport in England's major urban areas will be able to travel without a paper ticket. England's nine largest urban areas will receive £20m to bring smart and integrated ticketing to the greatest number of people most quickly through the Smart and Integrated Ticketing Strategy. 15 December: Click Here
New proposals to allow councils to put in place 20 mph schemes over groups of streets without the need for traffic calming measures such as speed humps. 16 December: Click Here
Utility companies who do not finish their road works on time will face increased charges under new plans announced by Transport Minister Sadiq Khan MP. 22 December: Click Here
3.Parliament
Written Ministerial Statements
The Minister for Housing (John Healey) made a statement regarding the housing stock transfer programme. 16 December: Click Here
The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (John Denham) announced the publication of a report on the future development of Local Spending Reports. 16 December: Click Here
Oral Questions
Oral Questions for the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. Click here
4.Consultation
Department of Health: Strengthening national commissioning: a consultation document. 11 December: Click Here
Department for Communities and Local Government: Proposed changes to the Growth Fund for 2010-11: Summary of Responses. 15 December: Click Here
Department for Communities and Local Government: Sustainable New Homes: The Road to Zero Carbon: Consultation on the Code for Sustainable Homes and the Energy Efficiency standard for Zero Carbon Homes. 16 December: Click Here
Department for Communities and Local Government: Proposed changes to the delivery of local authorities' and FRAs' freedoms and flexibilities after the introduction of CAA - Summary of responses. 17 December: Click Here
Department for Children, Schools and Families: Updated guidance to support local authority Childcare Sufficiency Assessments and Action Planning. 18 December: Click Here
Department for Communities and Local Government: Improving engagement by statutory and non-statutory consultees: Consultation. 21 December: Click Here
Department for Communities and Local Government: Local Economic Assessments - Consultation on draft statutory guidance. 22 December: Click Here
Department for Communities and Local Government: Draft Planning Policy Statement 4: Planning for prosperous economies (PPS4) - Summary of public consultation responses. 29 December: Click Here
5.Other
A new report from the Institute for Public Policy Research argues that the current approach to tackling inequality and discrimination is out of date, alienates many people and is often counterproductive. The report calls for a new approach to monitoring and tackling inequality and discrimination. Through more sophisticated data capture, including using the next Census in 2011 to ‘self-define’ their ethnicity or religion rather than ticking pre-determined boxes and more open minded analysis
A report by the Centre for Cities, “Cities Outlook 2010” warns today that the struggling north will be left behind as Britain pulls out of recession.
Electronics group Philips is involved in the world’s biggest trial of distance monitoring of chronically ill patients in their own home. Patients in Newham, East London, are being monitored via broadband internet connections to local hospitals and clinics.
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