Daily News Headlines 17 August 2012
Gove defied playing field advice
The Education Secretary Michael Gove overruled advice from the School Playing Fields Advisory Panel to force through the sale of school playing fields. Gove last night apologised for publishing incorrect figures after it emerged that the number of sales given the go-ahead was higher than the Government had previously admitted. Councillor David Simmonds, Chairman of the Children and Young People Board at the LGA, which has a representative on the panel, is quoted: "We are concerned that ministers seem to be increasingly disregarding the advice of the independent School Playing Fields Advisory Panel. We are also concerned that this is likely to become more of a problem in years to come as we are seeing more and more schools take on academy status and becoming exempt from the guidance that applies to other schools."
Councillor Simmonds was interviewed on the Radio 4 Today programme, BBC Radio 5Live, the BBC News Channel, ITV Daybreak and Sky News this morning.
Telegraph p1, Times p6, Mail p4, Guardian p13, FT p2
Families will still pay 90 per cent of care costs under reforms, says Redwood
Tory MP has claimed that middle class families will still have to pay up to 90 per cent of the cost of having a relation in a nursing home under plans to overhaul care which are backed by David Cameron. In a paper for the Centre for Policy Studies he says a £35,000 cap would not provide the level of protection people think it would. However, Andrew Dilnot has welcomed moves by Government to accept his recommendations.
Telegraph p8, Mail p8, Mirror p2, Independent p21, Guardian p4, FT p2
Building threat to green belt in push for growth
Ministers are considering plans to allow development on green belt in a push to boost economic growth. It is claimed that further changes to planning laws could be put into an economic regeneration bill to be announced this autumn.
Mail p2
Call to axe affordable housing rule
A long-awaited review of the private rented housing market will next week urge ministers to drop the requirement for developers to include ‘affordable homes' in their schemes in exchange for a guarantee that properties will be let rather than sold, it is reported. Sir Andrew Montague, Chairman of private equity group 3i, was commissioned to find ways to encourage investors to put money into the private rented sector.
FT p3
They're a farce to be reckoned with
The Sun profiles several candidates running in the police and crime commissioner elections this November. Profiled candidates include Ian Driver and Fergus Wilson in Kent, Godfrey Daniel in Sussex, Martin Young in Thames Valley, Paul Clarke in Surrey and Kevin Carroll in Bedfordshire.
Sun p2
Charity closures revealed
David Cameron's Big Society plans have been ridiculed by charity bosses after it emerged 7,394 charities went under last year.
Mirror p2
Errors led to baby killing
The death of a baby killed by her depressed mother could have been prevented, a serious case review has found. Leicester Safeguarding Children Board said several agencies knew of Carly Jacques' history of violence, drugs and mental health issues but did not share information.
Mirror p4
Council rules snow-dig traffic wardens crossed the line
Two traffic wardens were caught on CCTV uncovering double yellow lines hidden by snow so that they could issue parking tickets to car owners. Nottingham City Council has said the tickets should not have been issued.
Times p17
Dog mess team cost £134,000 but raised only £2,000 in fines
Islington Council has been criticised for spending £134,000 employing 22 ‘dog mess' wardens who issued 26 fines in three months. The council had expected the 12-week pilot scheme to be self-financing. Labour councillor Paul Smith said the scheme had led to more people cleaning up after their dogs.
Telegraph p13
Poplars cost council £150,000 in damages
Bexley Borough Council has been ordered to pay more than £150,000 in damages to a householder after park poplars caused subsidence damage to a home 100ft away. It is claimed local authorities could be deterred from planting poplars following the High Court ruling.
Telegraph p13
17 August 2012
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