At LGiU we believe that empowering local people leads to stronger democracy and more effective governance. Of course we’re not alone in this: empowerment is central to how all the major parties think about local democracy and forms a major part of the current public policy landscape. But as the economy struggles towards recovery and…
Just reflecting on the day I spent in Boston with Deborah Ancona, from the Sloan School at MIT, who shared ideas on leadership, innovation and improving performance in organisations. Deborah has developed a new approach, known as X-teams that has been adopted in many of the worlds top companies. To illustrate, she used a great story about the US Naval…
The Boston Globe, one of America’s leading newspapers, well known for its coverage of national and international news, as well as city and state news, is on the verge of being wound up after a dispute between its owner and the workforce. So anyday now could see the final edition, although local Senators Ted Kennedy…
The two Harvard freshmen who gave us a tour delighted in stories of competition with other universities, conflict with the neighbouring town of Cambridge, and collective action of varying kinds, including the alumni who have made Harvard the second wealthiest private institution in the world. The wealthiest is the Catholic Church. These themes ran through our…
Do you use the expression ‘home run’, do you sometimes just want ‘ball park’ figures or to ‘hit it out of the ball park’. All of this means more to me now after getting the hottest ticket in America to see the Boston Red Sox play the New York Yankees. Two of the biggest teams…
It’s not that there is anything wrong with Boston in Lincolnshire, it’s a smashing place, but there is potential for geographic confusion. I am here in Boston for a week long course at Harvard and MIT, along with a group of Chief Executives of public sector organisations, courtesy of BT who have been running ‘Vital…
Feedback from our big debate on health accountability last week, hosted with the All Party Parliamentary Local Government Group. We had a mix of local authorities around the table, represented by Councillors and officers working in the health field, with health practitioners and national health organisations such as the NHS Confederation and the Kings Fund, and…
There is a proposal in Budget 2009 (page 98) to include financial capability as a part of the statutory secondary school curriculum. Apart from seeing a role for local government in spreading its considerable expertise, it makes you wish that such a course was available to bankers at RBS, Lloyds etc (in fact Lloyds is donating…
All Party Parliamentary Local Government Group (APPG) Inquiry into Justice in Communities: First Oral Evidence Session: Today, is the first parliamentary oral evidence session for the new APPG inquiry into Justice in Communities. This investigation, coordinated by the Local Government Information Unit (LGiU), in partnership with London Councils, Northgate Information Solutions Limited and the London…
The Looked-after Children report published 20 April 09 by the Children, Schools and Families Committee rightly highlights the lack of consensus about the purpose of the care system in supporting vulnerable children, in particular how it might develop as “an integral part of a continuum of effective family support services.” The report’s emphasis on the…
