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2 weeks ago | 
themj.co.uk | Dan Peters |Dawn Faulkner |Adele Taylor |Paul Marinko
Artificial intelligence (AI) use among councils is increasing, but one in 10 are still not using any forms of the technology, a survey has found. The Local Government Association survey found the proportion not using AI had fallen from 19% to 11% in a year. Only half of those not using any AI said they were exploring how it could be deployed. Lack of funding was the biggest barrier to using or increasing use of AI, cited by three in five councils.
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1 month ago | 
localgov.co.uk | Heather Jameson |Paul Marinko
Reform UK is expected to form a political group within the Local Government Association (LGA) after its landslide victory at the polls.
Under LGA rules, political parties with 5% of its councillors after weighting by population and council type can form a group.
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As we mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Geoff Wild, Legal & Governance Consultant, looks at the duties of councils under the Armed Forces Covenant.
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1 month ago | 
themj.co.uk | Heather Jameson |Paul Marinko
POLITICS LGA shake-up after Reform polls success Reform UK is expected to form a political group within the Local Government Association (LGA) after its landslide victory at the polls. By Heather Jameson, Paul Marinko | 08 May 2025 SHARE Reform UK is expected to form a political group within the Local Government Association (LGA) after its landslide victory at the polls.
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1 month ago | 
themj.co.uk | Jo Blackman |Rebecca Rampat |Paul Marinko |Heather Jameson
Councils across the UK will be at the heart of community celebrations and commemoration events for the 80th anniversary of VE Day - a significant moment in our history. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has confirmed a full week's worth of events, from community events taking place on the bank holiday, Monday 5 May to national commemorations on Thursday 8 May.
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1 month ago | 
themj.co.uk | Paul Marinko |Heather Jameson |Martin Ford |Joe Lepper
Any discussion around local government reorganisation (LGR) is likely to reveal a mild case of schizophrenia within the sector. Add in a mention of innovation and this psychological split is inevitable. The state councils find themselves in – financially destitute and swamped with demand – has forced local authorities to strain every sinew to find new ways of coping. And many feel there isn't the head space to consider the weighty challenge of reorganisation.
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2 months ago | 
themj.co.uk | David Brown |Greg Clark |Paul Marinko |Martin Ford
In town halls across the country, planning officers are racing to update their Local Plans — but this time, the process looks very different. In 2025, with major reforms now law and the pressure to deliver new homes and infrastructure rising, the traditional way of doing things is rapidly giving way to something faster, smarter, and — crucially — more democratic.
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Mar 27, 2025 | 
localgov.co.uk | Heather Jameson |Paul Marinko
Ministers are likely to reject plans for children’s or adult social care trusts that come as part of local government reorganisation (LGR), The MJ understands.
Local Government minister Jim McMahon has already ruled out giving mayors responsibility for children's and adults services as part of plans to maintain economies of scale on care, while creating unitaries small enough to be local.
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Mar 21, 2025 | 
healthcare-management.uk | Liz Wells |Paul Marinko
The 37 phlebotomists are to walk out for nine more days after Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust failed to resolve a long-running dispute over their pay and grading. The next round of action will take place next week on 24-27 March, followed by five days the following week (31 March to 4 April), this comes after three days of strike action this week.
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Mar 21, 2025 | 
healthcare-management.uk | Liz Wells |Paul Marinko
Independent analysis, carried out by London Economics, found that forgiving nurses' student loans would retain more than 14,000 nurses working in the NHS over 10 years – enough to fill over half the current vacancies in England. A loan forgiveness scheme would see nurses have their loans ‘forgiven' by government in return for working in the NHS and wider public services for a period of time after the completion of their degree.
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Mar 21, 2025 | 
healthcare-management.uk | Paul Marinko |Liz Wells
An NHS insider has predicted the number of ICBs will be slashed in pending Government reforms. Speaking to delegates at The MJ Future Forum in Hertfordshire the deputy chair of the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West ICB, Sim Scavazza, said the number could be cut from 42 to around 26. The former Miss Selfridge managing director said the Government's plans to reform the health service and cut bureaucracy would lead to disruption in ICBs and threaten local initiatives.
