JGP News

Any housing organisations undergoing inspection by the Audit Commission are being encouraged to develop new ways of pursuing key lines of enquiry (KLOEs), it has been stated today.

The commission has reported that it is changing the documentation available to housing organisations, providing suggestions about the ways in which the groups can address KLOEs - and making clear what is required by inspectors before they will provide a ‘fair’ or ‘excellent’ rating. (more…)

The Cabinet Office has announced the commencement of a consultation for a £10 million risk capital investment fund for social enterprises, designed to make sourcing capital easier for such organisations.

The government suggests that access to risk capital can help to fill gaps in social enterprises’ finances, particularly at the stage following start-up when such voluntary organisations, charities and others are looking to grow. (more…)

A group of MPs has cast doubt on the ambitious Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.

The £50 billion scheme aims to rebuild or refurbish every secondary school in Britain over the next 15 years.

But the Commons education committee has said that some of the money should be used to improve teaching, rather than on construction and that only the most decrepit schools should be rebuilt. (more…)

A new select committee report from Communities and Local Government has been described as ‘"encouraging" in tone by the New Local Government Network (NGLN).

The body has asserted that councils and local government have a great deal of potential, working with network partners to develop their local economy. (more…)

Acceleration is required in the initiatives devised to help people from ethnic minority backgrounds to play a greater role in their communities, it has been suggested.

Parmjit Dhanda, minister for cohesion, stated today that projects intended to break down barriers and improve relationships between network partners in communities were making progress, but that more needed to be done.

His comments, made at a community project in south London today, follow the publication of a report identifying progress in moves to increase inclusion for such communities. (more…)