August Edition

Civil Service Reform Plan published
Published : 30 July 2012

The Civil Service Reform Plan has been jointly published by the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude, and the Head of the Civil Service, ... read more

House of Lords Reform Bill
Published : 30 July 2012

The Deputy Prime Minister has published the House of Lords Reform Bill which would lead to 80 per cent of House of Lords members being elected ... read more

Vulnerable households set to save on water bills
Published : 30 July 2012

Customers struggling to pay their water bills are to receive financial help thanks to new ‘social tariffs’. An estimated 2.4 million ... read more

Stalled building sites to get helping hand
Published : 30 July 2012

Small, family-run housebuilders could receive a multi-million pound boost to do their bit to Get Britain Building. More than £100 million ... read more

Hidden costs of powering homes
Published : 30 July 2012

Computers, televisions and other electrical products plugged in but not in use or left on standby cost the UK up to £1.3 billion in electricity ... read more

Progress at Rio+20 towards greener future
Published : 30 July 2012

The Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman have welcomed the progress made towards a more sustainable future ... read more

First stretch of England Coast Path opens in Weymouth [not Wales]
Published : 30 July 2012

New rights for people to enjoy 32 kilometres of coastline around Weymouth Bay in Dorset came into force on 29 June as the first stretch of the ... read more

New rules to ensure greater town hall transparency [not Wales]
Published : 30 July 2012

Tough new measures that crack down on genuine corruption and increase transparency in public life by requiring councillors to declare their financial ... read more

Councils sign up to cut energy costs and protect homes, schools, parks and roads
Published : 30 July 2012

Public money spent on energy could be reduced as part of a scheme to cut emissions and better protect homes, schools, parks and roads from the ... read more

Party politics ‘will be the decisive factor’ in police and crime commissioner elections
Published : 30 July 2012

Police and crime commissioner (PCC) candidates believe that party politics will be the most decisive factor in how people vote in this November’s ... read more

Popular council services under threat
Published : 30 July 2012

Unless reform is introduced immediately the money available by 2020 to fund council services like road maintenance, libraries and leisure centres ... read more

Changing face of library service takes shape
Published : 30 July 2012

Libraries are merging with GP surgeries, housing police front desks, providing shop space for local entrepreneurs and laying on music gigs and ... read more

Community Right to Challenge comes into force [not Wales]
Published : 30 July 2012

From 1 July more communities will be able to bid to take over local services they think they can run differently and better as the Community ... read more

UK’s leading allotment society refreshes its image for 2012
Published : 30 July 2012

The National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners Ltd (NSALG) has unveiled its new look, as it adopts the working title of The National ... read more

Way forward for digital radio agreed
Published : 30 July 2012

Plans to extend local digital radio coverage have moved a step closer with the Government, the BBC and commercial operators signing a joint agreement, ... read more

Next steps to improve the planning system and support sustainable development [not Wales]
Published : 30 July 2012

Further moves to simplify the planning system and make it more accessible to people in communities have been set out by Planning Minister Greg ... read more

Local Audit Bill to create robust new regime and help save taxpayer £650 million [not Wales]
Published : 30 July 2012

A new local audit regime that delivers value for money, greater responsibility for local bodies and the same tough audit standards has ... read more