Category: News
Health Scrutiny and Assurance Conference – programme now online and early bird tickets on sale until end of March
With the publication of the NHS Long Term Plan, an expected Social Care Green Paper and the drive towards integrated services through Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships and Integrated Care Systems, health and care continues to feature as one of the most high profile policy challenges we face as a country. Tackling inequalities and improving population […]
Public services and the “community paradigm”
One week in February held the publication of two different think tank reports, with two very different visions of the future for the sector and interesting to compare their takes on how we should be adapting our systems to meet future demands. The first report is “Spending fairly, spending well: time for a radical overhaul […]
Housing Association Tenants wanted for a new National Tenant Advisory Panel
The National Housing Federation is launching ‘Together with Tenants’, a new national initiative to create a stronger relationship between tenants and housing associations. The creation of a new national Tenant Advisory Panel is an important part of this plan. The Tenant Panel will advise, support and challenge the Federation as they develop and implement plans […]
Training and support for new and returning councillors after elections – how can we help?
After the local elections in May, supporting your new and returning councillors will be a high priority. Elections can mean change – a new council, different political leadership and/or a churn in committee places. While the council settles into its new cycle, new councillors will need support to understand how it all works. For returning […]
Brexit: what’s happening?
The short answer to this question is, of course, “nobody knows”. As I write this a further “meaningful vote” on the Withdrawal Agreement is scheduled for 14 February. A win for the Government – both in Parliament and then in securing EU amendments to the WA – still seems a remote prospect. A defeat seems […]
NAO report on local governance: the CfGS view
On 15 January the NAO published their report on local governance – the systems in place and the ability of local governance to be effective in the context of the need to deliver services that are “value for money”. The NAO’s focus is, and always has been, on finances and VfM – its work in […]
Scrutiny guidance update
Happy New Year! Well, 2018 came and went and you will have noticed that the scrutiny guidance is still conspicuous by its absence. Government undertook to the Select Committee that guidance would be published by the end of the calendar year. I’m afraid I can’t provide any certainty about the likely publication date – we […]
Accounting for Social Value in Scrutiny
Social value is a concept that has gained significant awareness in recent years. Legislation in the UK has increased its prominence, and research shows that many local authorities are considering it when they make their commissioning and procurement decisions. This is really great news – and also aligns with an increasing global recognition and convergence […]
Strategies for Success – Local Government Scrutiny Annual Conference 2018, 4th December 2018
The Centre for Governance and Scrutiny hosted a well attended and engaging national conference focusing on the current challenges facing scrutiny and sharing examples of excellent scrutiny work throughout the UK. With almost 200 attendees, the event saw a range of high profile national speakers and an opportunity for delegates from local government to discuss […]
Scrutiny as a friend to chaos
Is there a role for scrutiny when a council faces big and scary challenges? Does scrutiny step forward or slip back when the task becomes complex and risky? CfGS argue that there is no place for ‘shy scrutiny’. There has never been a topsy-turvier time in local government. Finances continue to decline, the pressures get […]