Pickles scathing over council ‘non-jobs’
By politics.co.uk staff Communities secretary Eric Pickles is set to attack superfluous local authority jobs as part of his hunt for getting better value for taxpayers’ money. Mr Pickles will single out a ‘cheerleading development officer’ post and ‘audience development officer’ role as he addresses the Local Government Association conference in Bournemouth later. “How many […]
Pickles goes to war on weekly bin collection
By politics.co.uk staff The new local government secretary has picked weekly bin collections as his first campaign, with a promise to scrap fortnightly collections. Eric Pickles said Labour ministers had been the ones to decide against weekly collection, and they then blamed the decision on local councils. The move was designed to cut costs, rather […]
Cameron confronts ‘big society’ bafflement
By Alex Stevenson David Cameron and Nick Clegg have unveiled a raft of policies reflecting the Conservatives’ ‘big society’ agenda. The prime minister and his deputy highlighted the advent of “people power” in an event in No 10. Community organisers, encouraging volunteering and social action and a pilot National Citizen Service are all measures falling […]
Council chief pay-offs prompt anger
By politics.co.uk staff There was anger across the political spectrum today after an audit found council chiefs were being given six-figure pay offs only to quickly take up jobs at different councils. An Audit Commission report ordered by local government secretary John Denham cited enormous pay offs to council chiefs as the council preferred to […]
Council cuts survey triggers blame game
By politics.co.uk staff Around ten per cent of council jobs in England could be under threat in the next five years. A BBC survey of 49 local authorities found around 25,000 jobs could be cut from the combined workforce of 256,000. Spending cuts of between five per cent and 20% were anticipated by over two-thirds […]
Labour presents its own cooperative ideas
By politics.co.uk staff Labour has hit back at the Conservative land-grab on its political territory on Monday by presenting its own ideas on cooperative structures. On Monday, the Tories promised to allow public sector workers to set up cooperatives in a move it said would become the latter day equivalent of Margaret Thatcher’s 80s council […]
Failing bosses face public wrath
By politics.co.uk staff Senior staff at private firms who are failing to deliver transport, energy or other services will be forced to attend grillings by members of the public under new legislation. The government has given its support to Labour backbencher David Chaytor’s private member’s bill on public scrutiny panels, meaning its measures are likely […]
‘Bog standard’ councils face criticism
By politics.co.uk staff Councils offering “bog-standard” services because of cost cutting will not be accepted, the communities secretary has warned. John Denham said a taskforce would identify innovative efficiency ideas by council chief executives and promote them widely but that taxpayers would not accept “crude” efforts to save money. Speaking at a conference hosted by […]
Tory councillor suspended over planning dispute
By politics.co.uk staff A Tory councillor has been suspended for six months for bringing his office into disrepute. Bill Sharp, a councillor in Castle Point borough council, allegedly failed to tell council officials of his friendship with multi-millionaire Gordon Sanders, and Susan King, director of construction company Pemican. A former member of the planning committee, […]
Recession ‘muting council tax hikes’
By politics.co.uk staff Council tax rises could average as low as 1.6 per cent this year, research suggests. A survey by the Local Government Chronicle puts the likely annual increase at its lowest level for over a decade. London councils could even introduce cuts in council tax of 0.2 per cent, according to the survey. […]
