English devolution white paper: Public service reform
The English devolution white paper outlines ambitions to join up public services, hand mayors more influence over arms length bodies and give them a bigger role in other public services.
What does this mean for how public services will run in the future, will the proposals achieve what the government wants them to, and what is needed to make them work?
In this episode, LGC deputy editor Martin George is joined by Pam Smith, chief executive of Newcastle City Council and Jessica Studdert, chief executive of New Local.
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48:29
English devolution white paper: Devolution
The English devolution white paper, published in December, commits to “a permanent shift of power away from Whitehall” and a rewiring of national government to work in partnership with mayors and council leaders.
Plans include the creation of more mayors and devolution across the country, with more powers for existing mayors, including over how they spending existing devolved budgets.
This is episode two if three exploring all aspects of the white paper and is focused on Devolution
In this episode LGC editor Sarah Calkin is joined by:
Sean Anstee, director of operations, Devon and Torbay CCA
Sarah Longlands, Chief executive, Centre for Local Economic Strategies
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42:21
English devolution white paper: Reorganisation
The English devolution white paper, published in December, commits to “a permanent shift of power away from Whitehall” and a rewiring of national government to work in partnership with mayors and council leaders.
But it also heralded the end of two tier local government by ordering counties and districts to reorganise into unitary councils.
Over three episodes of The Local Authority, LGC will explore all major aspects of the government’s plans, beginning with reorganisation.
In this episode, LGC editor Sarah Calkin is joined by:
Kevin Bentley, Conservative group lead at the LGA and leader of Essex CC
Richard Flinton, chief executive of North Yorkshire Council
Bridget Smith, Lib Dem leader of South Cambridgeshire DC
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48:35
Exploring Manchester's Better Outcomes, Better Lives health and social care programme
In a world of squeezed budgets and increasing demand, improving outcomes while saving money has become the holy grail for local government. In this special episode LGC, in association with IMPOWER, is delving deep into one place’s quest to transform health and social care services to do just that.
Manchester’s Better Outcomes, Better Lives programme brought health and social care services together at neighbourhood level to improve support for residents in need of social care and avoid more than £39m in costs.
LGC editor Sarah Calkin is joined by Bernie Enright, Manchester City Council’s executive director for adult social services, Katy Calvin-Thomas, chief executive of the Manchester and Trafford local care organisations and Oliver Barnes, delivery director at IMPOWER to discuss how they did it.
Read more: Bernadette Enright: Delivering ‘good savings’ in adult social care
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48:11
Planning reform with Ann Carruthers, Richard Clewer and Hugh Ellis
One of the government’s first acts on coming to power in July was to launch a consultation on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework in a bid to deliver its ambition of 370,000 homes a year over the course of this parliament.
Proposed changes include a new methodology for housing targets, a move towards more strategic planning and a revised definition of the green belt.
In this episode of The Local Authority we explore whether the proposals will have the desired effect – and what else needs to change to deliver the homes the country needs.
LGC editor Sarah Calkin is joined by:
Ann Carruthers, president of the Association of directors of environment, planning and transport and director of environment and transport for Leicestershire CC
Richard Clewer, leader of Wiltshire Council and a member of the LGA’s local infrastructure and net zero board
Hugh Ellis, director of policy at the town and country planning association
The Local Authority is a podcast by Local Government Chronicle.
Each month, the podcast will ask fundamental questions about how local government needs to adapt to fulfil its full potential and best serve local populations.
It will see LGC assemble a small panel of significant figures from the sector to discuss one specific issue per episode.
All will have a focus on the future, with the emphasis being on innovation, fairness, policy change and place leadership.
Between launch in May 2021 and June 2023 the podcast was sponsored by TPXImpact.
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