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Latest News
Police and councils talk accountability
08/05/08 Police and council representatives debated the case for strengthening the accountability of local policing at an LGiU roundtable discussion this week.
Council leaders, policy authority chairs and chief constables discussed the strengths and weaknesses of the current policing system in a bid to bridge the democratic deficit by strengthening partnerships between local authorities and the police.
The debate follows a briefing paper published by Amelia Cookson, LGiU's head of Centre for Service Transformation, which put forward a case for strengthening current arrangements through local authority commissioning. In her paper, Cookson outlines that such a proposal would use existing partnership structures and processes, as well as retain a role for police authorities.
Local authority commissioning will be beneficial to policing because it will define roles more clearly for the public, will separate commissioning and provider functions and will provide a direct link to the electorate, says the paper.
Andy Sawford, LGiU's chief executive, introduced the event by saying: "Our message is to strengthen local democracy as we believe that's the way to improve public services and meet people's needs.
"There's a disconnect between what people want, which is to have a say in policing, and their ability to have that say."
This Month's Events
Working with Magistrates
27/5/2008
Forging ahead: skills for community leadership
19/5/2008
Preparing for scrutiny of LAAs 2008-2011 (Fully booked - to be repeated on 17 June 2008)
22/5/2008
Politics and efficiency: what is the connection?
29/5/2008
Planning and starting Multi-Area Agreements
30/5/2008
Power to the People: Will the White Paper Deliver?
15/5/2008
Latest Analysis
Participatory budgeting
15/04/08 CLG recently issued a consultation Participatory Budgeting: a draft national strategy, which closes 10 June 2008. Here Maureen Alderson, head of the LGiU's Centre for Local Democracy looks at some of the main points.
Building the future: learning from the past
14/04/08 The first of a series of events planned to mark the LGiU's 25th anniversary was held in London on 9 April. Jerry White, the noted historian and local government ombudsman, delivered a lecture on the history of local democracy called "Building the future: Learning from the past".
APPG inquiry on older people
11/03/08 The All Party Parliamentary Local Government Group has launched an inquiry into the long-term care and well-being of older people. The inquiry, which is being advised by the LGiU, will consider how the place of older people in society can be improved over the next decade, within the context of rapid demographic change, rising expectations and increasing financial constraint. Organisations are invited to submit written evidence by 29 April. There is another opportunity for you to give your views to the panel at an LGiU seminar on 6 May.
Latest Publications
Carbon Trading Councils In Practice (LGIUandSTEER)
14/2/2008
Carbon Trading Councils In Practice is a short guide that explains how the LGiU’s carbon trading scheme is to operate. It outlines the benefits for local authorities of joining this scheme prior to the introduction of statutory schemes. It is available to download as a pdf.
Supporting Councillors: a manifesto for councils (LGiU)
7/1/2008
The LGiU is asking councils to demonstrate their support for councillors and the work they do by signing up to this manifesto. Many of the 12 action points in the manifesto can be implemented now by councils without waiting for central government to bring in new legislation.
Local Democracy