PotteriesEYE

The social housing squeeze

Mike Barnes — Fri, 18 May 2012 10:52:51 +0000

As a new right to buy offer takes effect, Conservative councils in the capital are reducing social housing to a safety net provision for the poorest

Absent Parents Owe £3.7 Billion

Mike Barnes — Fri, 18 May 2012 08:54:53 +0000

The Commons Public Accounts Committee publishes its 83rd Report of Session 2010-12, Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission: Cost Reductions, as HC 1874.

Report: Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission: Cost Reductions Public Accounts Committee

The Rt Hon Margaret Hodge MP, Chair of the Committee of Public Accounts, today said:

“The Commission has made real progress in recent years but …

Make political lying a criminal offence

Mike Barnes — Fri, 18 May 2012 08:00:14 +0000

Severe sanctions could restore politicians' and journalists' integrity, Daily Telegraph columnist tells hearing

Cllr Blogs: Spinning-Out could be a winning shout

potteye — Fri, 18 May 2012 07:49:11 +0000

Councillor Blogs: Tom Reynolds

The last couple of years in Stoke-on-Trent the desperate vulnerability of many cherished community facilities has been devastatingly demonstrated. The problem has been the institutional reliance of so many of these buildings/organisations on the local authority, and in turn the council’s financial dependence on area based grants …

Child support charges could increase poverty, warn MPs

Mike Barnes — Fri, 18 May 2012 07:32:09 +0000

Fees to access maintenance collect by replacement to Child Support Agency also penalises women, says committee

Local newspapers’ crisis: is hyperlocal journalism the answer?

Mike Barnes — Fri, 18 May 2012 07:00:11 +0000

Roy Greenslade presents, after a short break, a further extract from What do we mean by local?. It's taken from chapter by David Baines

Council Housing DIY Repairs Exposes Laarschot’s Tenancy as Complete Failure

Mike Barnes — Thu, 17 May 2012 10:08:28 +0000

OPINION by Mike Barnes

Today a Stoke-on-Trent City council committee will review the decision by Pervez’s Cabinet to force nearly 20% of householders in Stoke-on-Trent, who rent council properties, to make many of the repairs previously done by the council, via DVD instruction.

I had to laugh when I heard a …

Council Attempts Ipads Publicity Stunt to Divert Criticism Over Spending

Mike Barnes — Thu, 17 May 2012 08:54:29 +0000

Labour controlled Stoke-on-Trent City Council have organised what appears to be a hastily prepared publicity stunt at Treehouse Children’s Centre, Dawlish Drive, Bentilee, this morning, following recent revelation and criticism of council spending on 110 Ipads at the same time as cutting care services for the elderly and reducing bus pass availability for the …

Sandwich labels misleading consumers

John Brooks — Thu, 17 May 2012 08:38:55 +0000

Tesco, Aldi, Caffe Nero and Greggs criticised by Which? for failing to print 'traffic-light labelling' on the front of packs

UK carbon targets ‘at risk over local authority funding cuts’

potteye — Thu, 17 May 2012 08:37:12 +0000

Committee on Climate Change has called for local authorities to have national funding to cut carbon emissions