Safeguarding ‘must underpin support’
As a community, the situation we are facing with coronavirus is unprecedented. This needs an unprecedented response from councils, communities and ourselves, as councillors.
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Councillors supporting our communities
As we respond to the pandemic facing our country, councillors are doing a great deal to support our communities.
Delivering what our residents need
Local leadership is never more important than in a wartime theatre, as we feel we are in now.
Collaborative working has paid off
At the time of writing, we are entering the fifth week of the coronavirus lockdown, with the Government having just extended it for at least three more weeks.
Collaborative working key to COVID-19 crisis
I am sure that first readers will join me in saying a big ‘thank you’ to our amazing local government teams, social workers, public health and NHS staff, who are working so hard to treat those suffering from coronavirus.
Hold government to account on support
Keir Starmer’s election as Leader of the Labour Party has already seen a refreshing change in Labour in local government’s relationship with the party leadership.
Care homes – the forgotten frontline
As someone who has just come out of hospital, I know how hard our NHS staff work.
Extra cash to support rough sleepers
The final local government funding settlement for 2020/21, laid before Parliament in February, confirmed that councils will receive a share of £49.2 billion in funding (a 4.4 per cent real terms increase).
‘Levelling up’ and health inequalities
‘Levelling up’ can only happen if the Government invests tens of billions of pounds more, something that it simply won’t do.
Protecting children from harm
We need to sort out a long-term plan to enable councils to protect children from harm while supporting early help to prevent problems escalating in the first place.