Sue Robb of 4Children talks to Julie Laughton and Alison Britton from the Department for Education about the role of childminders in delivering the 30 hours free entitlement.
Nearly half of councils are looking to join a combined authority, survey suggests
The research found that combined authorities were becoming an increasingly attractive option for councils as they deal with funding shortfalls. 78 per cent responded saying that squeezes on infrastructure investment were becoming a major barrier to growth, while 54 per cent believed central government control over funding was also limiting growth.
48 per cent of respondents wanted to see responsibility for economic development devolved to individual district level, along with the 47 per cent that wanted to be a part of a combined authority, indicating a number of districts believe they can strengthen local economies through greater devolution of powers.
Neil Clarke, chairman of the District Councils’ Network, said: “District councils are determined to bring the fruits of devolution to non-metropolitan parts of England and work with partners to pull the levers of growth and opportunity for the people, places and businesses for which we are responsible.
“To do so effectively, however, obstacles to growth must be overcome, including the shortage of infrastructure funding, Whitehall’s control over the purse strings for growth schemes and landbanking by developers.”
Latest News
16/04/2024 - 09:01
Crown Commercial Service has announced that it has saved over £3.8 billion of taxpayer money over the last year, as the organisation celebrat
15/04/2024 - 11:20
The Environment Agency (EA) has set out what it is doing to reduce methane emissions in England in a new Methane Action Plan for 2024 to 2026.
15/04/2024 - 10:49
Hundreds of new electric vehicle (EV) charging points are set to be installed across Swindon.
12/04/2024 - 11:41
An electric bus route between Carmarthen and Aberystwyth has seen a 65 per cent increase in passengers this year.
12/04/2024 - 10:29
The Local Government Association (LGA) has launched its Sector Support programme for 2024/25.
Company Focus
Founded in 1792, Don & Low began as a small woven textiles manufacturer in Scotland, gradually expanding its operations and diversifying its production capabilities over the years. Through strategic investments in technology and a relentless pursuit of quality, Don & Low has evolved into a leading vertically integrated manufacturer, specialising in the production of construction membranes, geotextiles, and industrial textiles & yarns.
Event Diary
UKREiiF has quickly become a must-attend in the industry calendar for Government departments and local authorities.
The multi-award-winning UK Construction Week (UKCW), is the UK’s biggest trade event for the built environment that connects the whole supply chain to be the catalyst for growth and positive change in the industry.
The organisers of the world’s largest dedicated hydrogen event, World Hydrogen 2024 Summit & Exhibition have announced it’s return to Rotterdam in May 2024, with an expansion of a whole extra summit day. Sustainable Energy Council (SEC) are partnering with the Government of the Netherlands, the Province of Zuid-Holland, the City of Rotterdam, and the Port of Rotterdam to host an extended, larger scale Summit in 2024, to expand the event to meet the surging demand.
Supplier Profiles
Neat Bins, Part of Neat Seats Ltd is a company that specialises in cleaning all your wheeled bins
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Latest Features
Professor Harith Alani, director of the Knowledge Management Institute at the Open University explains how AI can be used for good and bad.
Alex Lawrence, head of health & social care, techUK sets out techUK’s Five Point Plan for CareTech.
