LGA in the media
Weekly media round-up – 8/6/13 – 14/6/13
This week has seen 298 LGA mentions in national, regional, trade and online publications including 19 mentions in national newspapers and online articles.
The concept of community budgets is now proven, so let's get moving
Friday 14 June
The concept of community budgets has now been proven but central and local government need to work together far more effectively for the programme to progress, reported Guardian Online. Evidence provided by LGA Chairman, Sir Merrick Cockell, to the Communities and Local Government Committee on community budgets is referenced in the piece. He said:
"Now is the time to move from the acceptance that is validated to delivery; there is no reason to hold back."
The Government need to do more to unleash the potential of two-tier areas
Thursday 13 June
James Maker, Policy Officer at District Councils' Network, focused his Guardian Online article on how important two-tier areas are to the growth potential of the UK. The piece referenced the LGA's "Any Council and the Spending Round" paper which argued that growth must be at the centre of local government's strategy to deal with the unprecedented funding gap the sector is facing.
Fostering
Wednesday 12 June
BBC Newsnight reported on proposed amendments in the Children and Families Bill that would have seen young people staying with foster carers up to the age of 21. The LGA said:
"The Government cannot place new financial expectations on councils at a time when they are imposing drastic cuts."
Fizzy logic over drinks ban
Wednesday 12 June
The Mirror reported suggestions by Health Minister Jeremy Hunt that local authorities should ban fizzy drinks in schools. That is despite his government having already done so and with academies and free schools not covered by the ban. Cllr David Simmonds, Chairman of the LGA's Children and Young People Board, said:
"Councils are already working with schools to ensure they are not dishing up junk food. We need central government to introduce an acceptable food standard that will allow councils to hold all schools whatever their type, to account for the nutritional quality of the food they serve."
Peter Fleming on housing tenancy fraud
Tuesday 11 June
BBC London reported that tenants in Camden who are fraudulently sub-letting council properties were being told they won't face prosecution if they return the property to the council before the end of the year. Cllr Peter Fleming, Chair of the LGA's Improvement and Innovation Board, said:
"For local councils to find people we rely quite a lot on other agencies working with us but also members of the public bringing forward cases or suspicions of tenancy fraud. In London it is the number of people who live here, the number of people who want to live here and the high cost of rent in London. London councils are really leading the way on tackling housing tenancy fraud with 69 per cent of those illegally subletting or committing fraud having been caught by London councils."
Cllr Fleming also appeared on BBC London 94.9 to discuss the issue.
Mortality leagues aim to save 30,000 lives
Tuesday 11 June
Cllr Zoe Patrick, Chair of the LGA's Community Wellbeing Board, responded to the launch of Public Health England's Longer Lives website detailing mortality rates across the country in the Telegraph, Times, Independent, Mail Online, Guardian, Mirror, BBC Online and Sky News Online. The website allows users to compare rates of premature death, including those from four major diseases, across all local authorities in the UK and identify how lives could be saved. The LGA warned that the figures from the league table should be taken with caution. Cllr Patrick said:
"The reality is that in many cases it could take years before we see reductions in the number of those suffering with conditions like cancer or heart disease as a result of new public health initiatives. Using this data out of context to create any sort of national league table dangerously oversimplifies matters and ignores the very complex socioeconomic and cultural factors that affect the premature mortality rate."
Cllr Jonathan McShane, of the Community Wellbeing Board also appeared on BBC News to discuss the website.
Treat councillors like TA soldiers, firms told
Tuesday 11 June
The Telegraph reported LGA claims that employers should treat workers who serve as councillors as they do Territorial Army soldiers. It followed evidence to a parliamentary inquiry by the LGA outlining how, on average, councillors spend 23 hours in a week on their local government work, with some spending 40 hours a week.
Telegraph p14
Child sexual exploitation
Monday 10 June
Vulnerable children in the UK are still being failed by local authorities, the police and the criminal justice system, which are failing to protect them from sexual exploitation, according to a report by the Home Affairs Select Committee. LGA's Children and Young People Board Chairman Cllr David Simmonds was interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live about what councils are doing to improve.
Decision to block betting shops goes before judge
Monday 10 June
A test case by Newham Council in east London to defend its decision to dismiss an application for a new betting shop on the grounds that it would make more money from gambling machines than from traditional betting on horses and sports results began this week. A Guardian piece on the case referenced warnings by the LGA last month that by removing restrictions on planning, ministers were giving the green light to "betting shops and payday lenders" to flood the high street.
Five questions about… rubbish
Saturday 8 June
The Independent reported the findings of the LGA's waste review which said the waste and recycling sector could create 50,000 jobs and generate an extra £3 billion extra revenue for the economy if the country increases the amount of household recycling to 70 per cent. It said if the Government played ball, rather than continuing to ‘cream off' landfill tax cash, then recycling could become easier and cheaper. It would also ease the impact on council budget cuts on local people.
14 June 2013
Weekly media roundup – 1/6/13 – 7/6/13
14 June 2013
Weekly media roundup – 25/5/13 – 31/5/13
7 June 2013
Weekly media roundup – 18/5/13 – 24/5/13
31 May 2013
Weekly media roundup – 11/5/13 – 17/5/13
24 May 2013
Weekly media roundup – 04/5/13 – 10/5/13
17 May 2013
