Tuesday 11 November 2008, 10:45hrs

Expanding the Remit of LINks - Action Learning Projects

The Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) is funding a small number (3-4) of action learning projects to expand the remit of local involvement networks (LINks) beyond health and social care. This work is based on the commitment set out in the DCLG White Paper, Communities in Control: Real People, Real Power Chapter 5, para 5.13 p92

This notice invites you to express an interest in being an action learning project site and provides further information about the background to the projects and the process for this work.

Related Links

• Expanding the Remit of LINks – Action Learning Projects

Monday 03 November 2008, 17:47hrs

Audit Commission publishes report on children’s trusts

The Audit Commission has published its report into the progress of children’s trusts entitled ‘Are we there yet? Improving governance and resource management in children’s trusts’.

The report has found that children’s trusts have added little value and have in some cases got in the way of more successful if informal arrangements that were already in place.

The report concludes that local authorities and partners must have clear governance and accountability arrangements with their Local Strategic Partnership, embrace joint commissioning, find ways to influence mainstream resources and improve the way partners are involved.

The Audit Commission have also produced a useful self-assessment tool for children’s board trusts.

Related Links

• Audit Commission – Are we there yet?

Monday 03 November 2008, 16:29hrs

NLGN publishes Deal or no Deal? Delivering LAA Success

This detailed report has been published at a crucial juncture for LAAs. Hazel Blears had indicated at the SLOACE conference earlier this month that she might be willing to re-assess some targets given the likely impact of the credit crunch on indicators such as those which relate to unemployment, but this week the Minister for Local Government re-affirmed his conviction that LAAs are the right vehicle for delivering service improvements and crucially, for steering a course through stormy waters. Mr Healey told an MJ/NSA conference:

“Some argue the credit crunch will render LAAs redundant. I disagree. In my view, it will reinforce the LAA principle that priorities and action should be decided at local level.”

“I know authorities up and down the country are already thinking about how to use their LAA and local strategic partnership to help foster resilience to the downturn”.

In his forward to this report John Healey highlights the “need to ensure local agencies and arms of Government unite behind the common LAA vision” and the need for “clarity” in determining who should be held to account for LAA success”. The report is cautiously optimistic about the role scrutiny is set to play in reviewing the LAA and references CfPS publications in citing good practice models in two tier scrutiny of the LAA.

Related Links

• CfPS response to the Improving local Accountability consultation

Thursday 30 October 2008, 15:46hrs

CfPS response to the Improving local accountability consultation

The Centre for Public Scrutiny has written its response to the Improving local accountability consultation to the Communities in Control White Paper.

The response has drawn on ideas and concerns expressed by scrutiny practitioners at our four regional community empowerment events. We have also worked closely with our associates to ensure that our response is as representative of the concerns of our stakeholders as possible.

Related Links

• CfPS response to the Improving local Accountability consultation

Wednesday 29 October 2008, 16:15hrs

The Commissioner for Public Appointments publishes 2007-2008 Annual Report

The Commissioner for Public Appointments has published its 2007-08 Annual Report online for the first time. The report has clearly been designed to make information more accessible and is indicative of the report’s overall theme – change.

The report gives details of a number of changes and areas of progress including the creation of an accreditation scheme for Independent Assessors.

Related Links

• The Commissioner for Public Appointments Annual Report 2007-08

Wednesday 29 October 2008, 12:47hrs

Funding for innovative health, care and wellbeing scrutiny reviews

We are inviting bids from English local uthorities with the power to review health services under NHS Act 2006 – otherwise known as health scrutiny authorities – for up to £10,000 for innovative scrutiny reviews relating to wider well-being issues that impact the health of communities or groups or sections of communities.

The aim is to select one project in each English government office region. Every individual health scrutiny authority is encouraged to submit a bid for a project in its area. Joint bids involving more than one authority or health partner are welcome, but we are not seeking bids that cover all authorities in a region.

The White Paper ‘Strong and Prosperous Communities’ should be the main context for the purpose of the review.

The closing date for bids is December 22nd. The CfPS is mindful of the June 2009 elections. The successful projects will run from early January until June.

Related Links

^{Please note that this guidance has been amended as of 03/11/2008}

• Supporting Health, Care and Well-being Invitation to bid for funding for innovative scrutiny reviews

Thursday 23 October 2008, 17:11hrs

Why did councils go to Iceland...?

Many authorities have lost money through investments in Icelandic banks and overview and scrutiny councillors may be wanting to scrutinise either what went wrong or the processes that their authority has to make sure it can’t happen to them in future. The mechanisms for how councils manage their investments are known as Treasury Management and are something of a black art, governed by legislation stretching back to the early 1980s and by the Prudential Code for Capital Investment in Local Authorities produced by CIPFA.

With a view to helping local authority overview and scrutiny functions carry out such a review and get to grips with the legislation and guidance governing councils’ investment policies, CfPS is teaming up with finance experts from Local Government Futures and independent consultant Howard Knight to produce a short, practical guide which will be published within the next month.

If any councils have examples of good practice or tips from bitter experience of how they have carried out similar reviews in the past, we would very much like to hear about it urgently so we can include it in the guide. Please send any examples to jessica.crowe@cfps.org.uk. Thoughts on a good title for the publication also welcomed – the best one chosen will receive a free copy of the publication.

Thursday 16 October 2008, 19:25hrs

Audit Commission produces guide for scrutinising waste disposal

The Audit Commission have produced a guide for councils’ overview and scrutiny function to accompany the ‘Well Disposed: Responding to the Waste Challenge’ report which was commissioned in response to the EU Landfill Directive as well as government incentives. The Audit Commission used stark language in ’Well Disposed’ warning that “councils must act quickly and cleverly … if they are to avoid crippling fines”.

This document constitutes are really useful tool that can be used as a starting point for members who are considering undertaking a scrutiny review of waste disposal. The Audit Commission should be commended for producing this document as it’s guidance is sure to help authorities to navigate the complex and often technical subject of waste management.. Of particular use is the section entitled ‘Waste Scrutiny Checklist’ which amongst other helpful ideas provides:

• A brief description of the legislative context
• Questions and ideas to help with base-lining and comparing the position of your council vis-à-vis waste disposal
• An overview of resources you might need to undertake the review
• A short guide to narrowing the thematic net to avoid tackling an impossibly wide scope
• Ideas about who should be called as a witness
• A guide to scrutinising partnerships

The report focuses on good practice examples to inform it’s advice and whilst it is by no means a comprehensive guide to scrutinising waste disposal it has merit as a starting point in considering or reconsidering the subject.

For a more in-depth overview of previous reviews into waste disposal you can download the Centre for Public Scrutiny Review Library Monitor: Waste Management

Related Links

• Well Disposed: A guide for councils’ overview and scrutiny function

• Well Disposed: Responding to the waste challenge

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