Public opinion: Your blogs

Kevin Maton

We must look to social enterprise to transform public services

The start of 2010 brought with it the popular mantra of ‘business as usual’, with the very institutions responsible for the downturn leading the rallying cry.

In reality I don’t think it’s that easy, as consumers and citizens are sceptical about a quick return to the business status …

Posted on Thursday, 4th March 2010 | This entry has 0 comment(s)

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Kevin Maton
Councillor Sean Brennan

Devolved powers needed to tackle climate change

With a general election on the way, all parties are talking a great deal about public service reform. We all know that such reform is important, particularly in the current economic climate when the biggest challenge to public finances is to do more with less while continuing to provide …

Posted on Wednesday, 3rd March 2010 | This entry has 0 comment(s)

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Councillor Sean Brennan
Clare Goff

Offering sanctuary should be simple

Ahead of last week’s Region of Sanctuary conference, Radio Leeds devoted a news slot to the City of Sanctuary movement, which aims to create a culture of hospitality towards asylum seekers and refugees.

In a later phone-in show on the radio station, a man …

Posted on Wednesday, 3rd March 2010 | This entry has 0 comment(s)

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Clare Goff
Bob Colenutt

Tory green paper is anti-development

As anticipated the Tory planning green paper is fundamentally an anti-development document, based on the premise that its power base in the rural areas and small town does not want housing growth.

It has no practical proposals for positive planning. To satisfy the nimbies …

Posted on Monday, 1st March 2010 | This entry has 2 comment(s)

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Bob Colenutt
Terina Keene

Shrinking budgets threaten child runaway havens

Government budget cuts threaten the nine life-saving emergency refuge places for the 100,000 children under 16 who run away each year in the UK. 30,000 are 12 or younger.

Although the government has already recognised the urgent need for establishing crisis response services for runaways, proposed budget cuts …

Posted on Thursday, 25th February 2010 | This entry has 0 comment(s)

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Terina Keene
James Watkins

Jobs are the key to avoiding new sink estates

Jobs must go hand in hand with houses if we are to avoid new sink estates developing.

That is the message Business Voice WM, the united voice of business in the west midlands, has been seeking to get across to government. Indeed it is the major theme of …

Posted on Thursday, 25th February 2010 | This entry has 2 comment(s)

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James Watkins
Jill Theobald

Social reality after the TV credits roll…

Channel 4’s Tower Block of Commons saw four cross-party MPs swap high profile politics and expenses for low incomes and benefits.

From the ‘ivory towers’ of Westminster to the tower blocks of some of the country’s most run-down areas, it was classic fish out …

Posted on Tuesday, 23rd February 2010 | This entry has 0 comment(s)

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Jill Theobald
Julian Dobson

Let’s start building a wisdom economy

We know we're in the middle of seismic shifts in the way the world operates. We don't know where they'll end up, or where any of us will be when the dust settles, if it ever does. Will we have a job? A pension? A home? Someone to care …

Posted on Monday, 22nd February 2010 | This entry has 3 comment(s)

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Julian Dobson
Jill Theobald

Power to the public sector?

This week the Conservatives set out plans to let public sector workers take control of the organisations they work for.

Allowing staff from job centres to call centres to form employee-owned co-operatives to deliver services was pitched by leader David Cameron as 'the most significant …

Posted on Tuesday, 16th February 2010 | This entry has 4 comment(s)

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Jill Theobald
Adrian Ashton

Does your legal form make you a social enterprise?

The launch of the national social enterprise mark has brought to the fore once again the issue of how we identify and recognise social enterprise.

Many argue that in order to be a 'true' social enterprise, your organisation must exhibit specific characteristics and that these must …

Posted on Monday, 15th February 2010 | This entry has 2 comment(s)

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Adrian Ashton
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Most recent comments

You don't have to be a site member to comment on any of our blogs, but as a member you can contribute your own and start debate and discussion on what matters to YOU in the sector.

  • As the Chairman for the Anti Poverty Network Cymru, I would like to say how sad it is that the West Rhyl Community Company is closing its doors forever. WRCC have backed our organisation from day one and their help and support has been exceptional to the fight against poverty. …

  • Ian Mather on 10th March 2010:
    Phoenix from the flames: the rebirth of Rhyl

  • Yes , it is extremely sad to see a hard working group such as WRCC close due to lack of funding. I just find it hard to understand that in an area that is crying out for support that a worthwhile organisation such as this is being allowed to shut …

  • John Watkin on 9th March 2010:
    Phoenix from the flames: the rebirth of Rhyl

  • I agree… I wrote a piece on PB for The Guardian a few years ago… as you say, they are a good way of getting far greater involvement and support for local spending decisions, and that could be (and is) applied to wider areas such as Total Place. 

    What …

  • Robert Bullard on 9th March 2010:
    Parish councils: an unlikely hothouse for community development?

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