As the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) and Autumn Statement loom ever closer in our sights, local government and much of the public sector are bracing themselves for more and ever deeper cuts. Local government has taken very disproportionate cuts from the Government since 2010 and most commentators expect this to be the case over the rest of this Parliament....
The English devolution programme is gathering pace and it is crucial that local authority leaders consider five issues when they are combining to seek new devolved powers from government.
1. Be clear about what is right for their area or sub-region. Local government should be pursuing devolution on its own terms. They should have a clear vision for what is...
The recent report in Civil Society 28th October 2015 - http://www.civilsociety.co.uk/finance/news/content/20669/council_cuts_charity_funding_then_demands_it_use_up_reserves_to_maintain_same_service - that after West Berkshire Council severely cut funding to the local Mencap branch, the Leader of the Council had told Mencap to continue to deliver the same level of services was outrageous. The Leader is reported as saying that Mencap should use its reserves in...
The shape, scale and even role of public services is going to be transformed over the next few years because of the current Government's political and economic agenda. It is committed to a smaller state; public expenditure cuts, reductions and rebalancing; greater decentralisation and devolution (and some greater centralisation is areas such as education); and more contracting and privatisation.
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When public services are contracted to another provider it is important that the interests of key stakeholders including service users, the wider community and staff are taken in account. Indeed the interests of service users and the public more generally must always be paramount. This is not to argue that the interests of staff should be down played for...
Every so often and with seemingly increasing frequency, the siren voices of parts of the media and certain politicians demand that charities cease campaigning. Some of these voices actually go further and demand that the Government passes legislation to silence charities.
For decades and indeed centuries, charitable organisations, especially those based in and working for communities of place and interest,...
"We must campaign for social justice, equality and a fairer society. We should not be intimidated by Government, our regulator, public sector funders and clients or anyone else. We must remain true to our mission, and act and speak for our members and beneficiaries. We have to promote and protect the independence of the voluntary and community sector and...
The coming few months are going to be dominated by the advance of the government’s English devolution programme. This programme shows no sign of deceleration, and neither does the response of much of local government including council leaders of all political parties.
It would be too easy to be cynical and say that the government has hit a raw nerve...
Local authorities and the voluntary and community sector serve the same communities and individuals. As further government cuts are likely in the Spending Review, it is in their mutual interest to find common ground whilst respecting differences
In one of its strongest interventions yet ahead of a Spending Review, the Local Government Association has warned of a £10bn hole...