A local development

The government wants planning decisions to have a presumption they will go ahead.

Opinion Former Comments

Rethink Mental Illness: Mental health cuts are being made behind closed doors

Spending on social care for people with severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, is being cut behind closed doors, despite government promises of transparency, says a report launched today by the charity Rethink Mental Illness.

FSB: Small firms losing battle for public sector work

Small businesses are still struggling to win public sector contracts despite the Government’s efforts to make it easier, the latest figures from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) show.

NASUWT: Reckless deregulation is creating 'Wild West' in schools

Commenting on the findings of the investigation into the Priory Federation of Academies Trust published today, Chris Keates General Secretary of the NASUWT, the largest teachers' union said:

CIHT: Industry Transport Planners have their say

The Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation (CIHT) and the Transport Planning Society have just carried out a survey to discover the industry’s views on the Transport Planning Professional (TPP) qualification.

NASUWT: Local authorities have a key role in education

Representatives at the NASUWT Annual Conference in Birmingham have condemned the war being waged by the Coalition Government against local authorities.

CIHT has submitted its response to the Department for Transport’s (DfTs) Devolving Local Major Transport Schemes Consultation.

The Devolving Local Major Transport Schemes consultation reflects the government’s clear ambitions for Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) and the desire to engage businesses and the private sector in the decision making process.

Construction Products Association welcomes new National Planning Policy Framework

The Construction Products Association has welcomed the government’s new National Planning Policy Framework, which has been published today.

BHA: New rules on setting up schools in England are "regressive"

New rules on setting up English schools introduced by the Education Act 2011 have come into force today. The British Humanist Association (BHA) has called the changes a ‘regressive step in further entrenching favouritism enjoyed by “faith” school proposals in the school creation process’.

VoicetheUnion: Group calls for Government to abandon plans to transfer health and safety to school governors

A national asbestos trade union campaign group has called for the Government to abandon its plans to transfer the responsibility for health and safety in local authority schools from local authorities to school governors.

NUT: Primary School League Tables

Commenting on the Key Stage 2 results for England in 2010/11, Christine Blower, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, the largest teachers’ union, said this:

21/12/11

MPs have criticised government plans to ease up planning applications.

A report from the communities and local government committee said the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) as currently drafted gives the impression that economic growth should drive planning decisions rather than being balanced against equally important environmental and social concerns.

MPs called for the removal of the default 'yes' to sustainable development where there is no agreed local plan.

The government noted its "specific constructive suggestion" about an expanded definition of sustainable development.

Reynolds: Clear changes needed

Clarke: We want a simpler system

Betts: Undermining the environment

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No 10 unleashes Tory gay marriage opposition with free vote move

New York has already opened its doors to gay marriage

No eurozone answers as crisis drifts on

David Cameron wants 'decisive action soon'

Must try harder: £35bn remains in uncollected tax

HMRC: Are spending cuts becoming self-defeating?

Leveson vs Paxman: 'You could become an irrelevance'

Paxman: "Your challenge will be to stop yourself becoming a total irrelevance."

Cameron lashes out: Ed Balls branded a "muttering idiot"

Balls managed to rile up the prime minister today

Rees-Mogg: Coalition can't fix Britain

Jacob Rees-Mogg wants a Tory-only government to roll back the state

The Watson/Mensch love-in continues… sort of

Louise Mensch and Tom Watson: Friends across the aisle

Pseudo facts? New London Assembly gets off to a rocky start

City Hall: Mayor Boris faces his friends and enemies

Beecroft stings 'socialist' Cable

Vince Cable branded 'socialist' by Adrian Beecroft

Special event coverage

Festival of Social Sciences: Celebrating the Social Sciences

Evidence-based policy should not be a radical concept. It needs to be celebrated.

Festival of Social Sciences: 2 languages: 2 brains, 2 minds, 2 cultures?

As part of the ESRC Festival of Social Sciences, the Deafness Cognition And Language Research Centre (DCAL) hosted an event exploring the powerful benefits of bilingualism in spoken and sign languages, for hearing and deaf people alike - benefits that reach hearing and deaf people alike.

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Voice: Feeling stressed? Understand yourself? Now, move forward Conference

Application forms are now available for an exciting conference in Manchester. The fun-packed day will give you practical solutions and advice on managing stress and time to help you achieve a work/life balance.

BHA: The Marriage Debate - ‘This house would legalise same-sex marriage in England and Wales'

Two weeks before the Government’s consultation on same-sex marriage draws to a close, Andrew Copson, Chief Executive of the British Humanist Association is participating in a debate hosted by Catholic Voices on the motion, ‘This House Would Legalise Same-Sex Marriage’.

BSIA: Information Destruction Exhibition and Conference

This one-day event is targeted at professionals operating in the information destruction industry, and aims at keeping delegates updated on recent developments in their sector, providing an opportunity to network with fellow professionals, whilst offering access to an informative exhibition and a comprehensive conference programme.

A local development

21/12/11

Reynolds: Clear changes needed

Clarke: We want a simpler system

Betts: Undermining the environment

Opinion Formers

Latest News

No 10 unleashes Tory gay marriage opposition with free vote move

No eurozone answers as crisis drifts on

Must try harder: £35bn remains in uncollected tax

Leveson vs Paxman: 'You could become an irrelevance'

Cameron lashes out: Ed Balls branded a "muttering idiot"

Rees-Mogg: Coalition can't fix Britain

The Watson/Mensch love-in continues… sort of

Pseudo facts? New London Assembly gets off to a rocky start

Beecroft stings 'socialist' Cable

Special event coverage

Festival of Social Sciences: Celebrating the Social Sciences

Festival of Social Sciences: 2 languages: 2 brains, 2 minds, 2 cultures?

Opinion Former Events

Voice: Feeling stressed? Understand yourself? Now, move forward Conference

BHA: The Marriage Debate - ‘This house would legalise same-sex marriage in England and Wales'

BSIA: Information Destruction Exhibition and Conference

ABI: The Future of Long-term Savings & Retirement Income - Automatic Enrolment and Beyond Conference

Take the Gold Challenge for St Dunstan's

TACT: 2013 Virgin London Marathon

21/12/11

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