Two high performing, low tax, councils have slammed the Audit Commission’s new assessment regime, which they say has proved costly and ineffective.
Though the pre-budget report looms, the Total Place pilots are far more focused on what happens next year, with much of the groundwork already taking place
It will take 33 years to clear the council house waiting list in some parts of London, figures revealed yesterday.A study found 1.8million are currently waiting for accommodation, but last year only 27,000 properties were let to new tenants. Housing charity Shelter said Barnet in London had the longest list.
London Councils and London mayor Boris Johnson have made a last ditch plea for greater financial autonomy ahead of the pre-Budget report. The boroughs and the mayor want to explore the use of US-style funding models.
Essex County Council has rubber stamped an eight-year contract for IBM to take on a range of its services. The announcement follows speculation that Essex had scaled back their ambitions for the closely watched tie-up, which was advertised as a contract worth up to 5.4bn.
A network has been created to connect the growing number of co-operative school trusts in England. There are now 26 co-operative schools running in 15 trusts – with a further 120 schools in the pipeline.
Surrey County Council has signed a groundbreaking contract that will transform the county’s street lighting system, with the biggest roll out of revolutionary new energy saving technology in the country
Local residents who allow wind farms to be built in their neighbourhood will be rewarded with lower energy bills, the Tories have promised. By offering incentives to communities to encourage them not to object to planning bids by wind farm developers, the party believes it could end the often bitter disputes which currently thwart many green projects.
Village that was set to lose its traditional red phone box and library service comes up with plan to save both. Why not buy the phone box and use it to set up a mini-library?
MPs on a Commons committee today criticise politicians and civil servants for their poor command of the English language. The misleading and vague official language epitomised by Sir Humphrey Appleby in Yes Minister has a detrimental impact on democracy and public services, MPs on the public administration select committee concluded.