... it could be that there is still a place for LGDS. It isn’t perhaps in the same form as those who promote it might envisage, but it is still a form which will enable it to take up a key role leading and ...
To LGDS or not to LGDS – Part 2
... such an enlightened world, and presuming that everyone thinks in the same way as forward thinking early adopters is naïve to say the least.
Individual ambition
Every council in the country, almost ...
To LGDS or not to LGDS – Part 1
... comes in the form of the simple argument that “it’ll never work”. Do you know what? Those are almost exactly the same words which were uttered immediately before GDS itself was set up.
Whitehall is a ...
Equality of Opportunity and the Exam System
I have been pondering inequality lately and the challenges we have as a society in giving our young people the same chance in life.
Every study says that these inequalities are built in at an incredibly ...
Escaping the Green Belt
... can’t build homes there then your policy really is bad).
At the same time the Government could carry out a fundamental review of the green belt and once they have resized it down to a few miles or so ...
The next steps for equalities?
... longer an option. Different agencies have to be on the same page when it comes to delivering fairer outcomes for the most vulnerable. Secondly, and connected with this, we need a shared vision of what ...
Capacity, Confidence, Cash, Consent and Competence – Manchester, Greg Clark and the challenges of devolution
... I just wonder if I’ll be writing another post on the same issue in five years! ...
No Contest
... to their name in return for the same number of MPs, while even the average number of votes required to secure the post for SNP candidates was something like 27,000.
Do you know how many votes it took ...
Reflections on UKGC15
... wider community, while a final third were new to it all and taking part for the first time.
I think this is about right. Too many of the first group and it feels like you are talking about the same things ...
A whole load of cuts
... the same paper details the cuts Harrow council has made since 2010-11. Elsewhere, the Guardian reports that the Treasury has asked senior officials at Whitehall to draw up details of how an extra £25-£30bn ...
Tattoos are a choice you will need to live with
... laws in the same way as other people who feel discriminated against either in the workplace or the hunt for jobs. The argument used within the article was one of capability rather than appearance: "If ...
Speed Dating and Magic Beans: Social Care in 2014.
... right of veto. I reckon they’ll use it.
· Taking 26% out of any system, saddling it with swinging cuts until at least 2020 and raising public expectation at the same time isn’t cricket.
· Promising ...
Cricket and Councils; more alike than you'd think
... of those taking part combined with a slice of lady luck.
Local government is the same; it may feel at times that decision making moves glacially slow, but that belies the work going on to mve things ...
Showing our working out
... the same by tomorrow. Some may say “we were just lucky”, but in my experience there’s no such thing as luck; luck is simply preparation meeting opportunity.
Being open as you go helps as you don’t then ...
talkSPORT and the centralised country
... words to the contrary from all governments doesn’t seem destined to happen any time soon (although we are more optimistic than ever).
Perhaps the same country that can tolerate, and indeed expects, the ...
LGA Conference 2014
... to half a dozen discussions at the same time each looking at different things. Admittedly, most of the ones I saw had something of a tech focus, from a couple of open data discussions to FutureGov and ...
Can contract management be sexy?
... later the same day when Birmingham City Council announced that they would be renegotiating their IT contract with Capita and saving £150m:
‘Birmingham City Council says it can save £150m over seven ...
17 things we took away from the Local Government Strategic Leaders Forum
... LGSS Northamptonshire spend less than 3% of their total budget on back office functions. If they can do it what is stopping the rest of us?
16) Having the same hashtag for multiple conferences is a ...
Reflections on LocalGovCamp 2014
... take a look at some of the brilliant blog posts that have already been coming up as a result of so many fantastic people coming together in the same place at the same time.
I’m really heartened by the ...
8 things I learnt whilst on paternity leave
... and blended and all of the food was healthy (certainly no salt) and most of it was fairly tasty. Yet, at the same time as I was purée ing cubes of carrot I was making myself a sandwich and eating on the ...