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CQC assurance begins
For a number of councils, the taking down this month of office Christmas decorations may well be swiftly followed by the putting up of flipcharts, timelines and checklists on office walls.
Ensuring building safety
In 1968, a gas explosion in an 18th-floor flat at Ronan Point in east London led to the building’s partial collapse and the death of four people.
Financial strain
December’s provisional local government finance settlement did not provide enough funding to meet the severe cost and demand pressures facing councils in England, the LGA has warned.
Effective financial management
Over the past two months, I have had the privilege of chairing a number of roundtable discussions with senior officers to discuss LGA-commissioned research into councils with experience of finance and governance challenges.
Uphill progress on climate change
For the first time, local government had a proper seat at the top table with the other negotiators at the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference, and was saluted by many who now see the sector as at the heart of climate action.
International learning
I’m standing outside a primary school at 7am on an icy November Sunday morning in deepest Slovenia, alongside a Belgian councillor.
Children and adults
School inspections, adult social care assurance, profiteering in the childcare market, and workforce challenges were among the many topics discussed at the National Children and Adult Services Conference (NCASC).
Cabs to cosmetic procedures
This year is already shaping up to be another significant one in licensing, with important announcements expected in a range of key areas.