Service Transformation

Neath Port Talbot Council threatens to pull out of £1.3bn Swansea Bay City Deal

17.04.19: A council has threatened to pull out of Swansea Bay’s £1.3bn city deal unless it starts delivering projects in the next six months. Neath Port Talbot Council asked the other authorities involved and the UK and Welsh Governments...

Flintshire council takes over litter enforcement services from controversial Kingdom

17.04.19: Flintshire County Council has taken over litter enforcement services in the county and urged residents to “take responsibility” over waste after it cut ties with the controversy-hit Kingdom Services. The waste disposal enforceme...

City council rejoins ICS after reforms agreed in privatisation and accountability row

17.04.19: Nottingham City Council is to rejoin its local NHS integrated care system (ICS) after significant reforms were made to the way the system runs in order to address concerns over accountability and privatisation. The local authority’s e...

SEND funding cut by more than £1bn as nine in 10 councils hit ‘massive funding shortfall’

16.04.19: Councils have seen a £1.2bn drop in real-terms funding for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) over the last four years as the Nation Education Union (NEU) warns that local authorities have reached “crisis...

Oxfordshire councils explore ‘breaking new ground’ in ambitious joint working partnership

16.04.19: Two Oxfordshire councils reaping the benefits of a “groundbreaking” joint working partnership which includes sharing staff and services are proposing to expand the partnership to a host of other services. Oxfordshire County Coun...

Calls for ‘fundamental review’ of Scottish councils’ funding system with new property levies

15.04.19: A new system of environmental and property levies has been proposed to boost council funding in a call for a “fundamental review” of Scottish local government finances. The joint paper, launched by trade union Unison and the Jim...

Amey tables £300m offer to escape 25-year Birmingham City Council contract

15.04.19: Outsourcing giant Amey has offered Birmingham City Council £300m to free itself from a troubled 25-year PFI contract after a bitter five-year legal battle. Amey, owned by Spanish infrastructure firm Ferrovial, is understood to have ma...

Councils paying for thousands of children in ‘illegal schools’, Ofsted says

12.04.19: Ofsted has warned that local authorities are providing funding for children’s education in unregulated settings, after finding 6,000 children to date receiving education in suspected illegal schools. The education inspectorate has cal...

Bob Sleigh to stand down as Solihull Council leader and WMCA deputy

11.04.19: The leader of Solihull Council and deputy mayor of West Midlands Combined Authority is standing down after five years in the role. Bob Sleigh served as deputy leader of Solihull Council for eight years before leading the Conservative group...

Children’s commissioner ‘extremely concerned’ over council spending on mental health services and postcode lottery

10.04.19: A postcode funding lottery and “extremely worrying” real-term reductions are facing the increasing number of children suffering from low-level mental health conditions, a major report from the Children's Commissioner for England has...

Bristol City Council makes ‘reckless’ £9m investment into clean energy firm

08.04.19: Bristol City Council is to put a further £9m into its loss-making energy firm in a decision criticised as “reckless” and a “staggering waste of public money.” The council has already invested £27m into Br...

Councils spending hundreds of millions of pounds on agency social workers

08.04.19: Local authorities spent a total of £335m last year hiring agency social workers, with some now employing up to half of their children’s social care workforce using private companies. A number of councils have spent tens of milli...

Government awards framework for modular building revolution across the public sector

05.04.19: The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) has awarded 24 firms with its framework for a number of modular building projects in the public sector. The modular building solutions framework will “provide the public sector with a low-cost soluti...

Bristol council brings in licencing scheme for private landlords to protect renters

04.04.19: Private landlords in 12 areas across Bristol will now have to pay £1,200 for licensing to rent properties as part of a council’s bid to improve protection for renters. Bristol City Council has agreed to expand the licensing sche...

Flintshire council leader quits over political divisions caused by ‘hateful and public’ sacking row

04.04.19: The leader of Flintshire County Council has quit his post after becoming embroiled in a “hateful and public” row over the divisive sacking of his deputy. Aaron Shotton has announced he is stepping down as Labour leading in order...