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Key Issues 145: 21 July
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Email: info@londoncouncils.gov.uk
London Councils Summit
Mayor of London Boris Johnson and Communities and Local Government Secretary Hazel Blears helped to attract a record turnout to make the 2008 London Summit the most successful yet.
A post-event website featuring a report of the day, pictures, speeches and presentations, the full list of delegates and other information is available.
Contact: Emma Stewart, promotions manager
Communities in control
Speaking at London Councils' Summit, Secretary of State Hazel Blears acknowledged London boroughs' successes in community engagement and particularly welcomed London Councils' 'be a councillor' campaign. A new publication, Six of the best, highlighting some of the best examples of innovative community engagement programmes in the capital, has also been published by London Councils.
Read London Councils' response to white paper: Communities in control
Visit the be a councillor website Opens in a new window
Read or download Six of the best
Loo plan welcome
Plans for shops, restaurants and bars to make their toilets freely available to Freedom Pass holders, announced by London Mayor Boris Johnson, have been welcomed by London Councils.
Read London Councils press release
Adult skills strategy
The London Skills and Employment Board (LSEB) has published its final adult skills strategy 'London's Future: The Skills and Employment Strategy for London 2008-2013'. The strategy aims to work with employers in providing more jobs and provide support for Londoners to improve their skills. The LSEB has published an implementation plan alongside the strategy.
Read or download the strategy Opens in a new window
Contact: Dianna Neal, head of prosperous communities
Tackling worklessness
A report highlighting a range of initiatives to get jobless people back into work across London, along with recommendations for what more can be done, has been published by London Councils. Based on research undertaken by Greater London Enterprise, the report, called Going to Work, looks at the work in 11 boroughs .
Read or download Going to Work
Read London Councils press release
Child poverty pledge
The government is calling on organisations across London to sign up to a 'London pledge' to take action to tackle child poverty. The London pledge asks services that work with children and families to sign up to a set of specific actions to help lift more children out of poverty. Half a million children in London currently live in poverty.
Read more about the London pledge on DCSF website Opens in a new window
Visit the London Child Poverty Commission website Opens in a new window
Green Paper
The government has published a green paper on policing, 'From the neighbourhood to the national: policing our communities together'. At a meeting in advance of the green paper, members of London Councils' crime and public protection committee told Minister of State for Policing Tony McNulty that police forces must be allowed the flexibility to focus on local issues rather than national targets.
Read or download the policing green paper Opens in a new window
Read London Councils press release
Contact: Anastasia Mulenga, project and policy officer
Planning for a better London
The Mayor of London has published a consultation document, 'Planning for a Better London', on his proposed revisions to the London Plan. London Councils is seeking borough views on the proposals by 3 October 2008.
Read Planning for a Better London on GLA website Opens in a new window
Read London Councils Transport and Environment Committee paper 17 July
Contact Marisa Burnal, policy and project manager
Simon Milton
Mayor of London Boris Johnson has nominated Sir Simon Milton as Deputy Mayor for Policy and Planning. Sir Simon has announced his intention to stand down as a Westminster councillor and as Chairman of the Local Government Association, once a successor has been found.
Read GLA press release Opens in a new window
Capital Ambition
Steve Johnson has been appointed corporate director of London's new regional improvement and efficiency partnership (RIEP) Capital Ambition, with effect from September 2008. Mr Johnson is currently director of customer services and performance at the London borough of Redbridge, where he was responsible for the development of the boroughs' award-winning interactive website Redbridge i. Capital Ambition is part of London Councils.
Read more about Capital Ambition Opens in a new window
Crossrail funding
In a written statement to Parliament last week, Transport Minister Tom Harris said that statements of financial information concerning the funding and expenditure of Crossrail would be published at least every 12 months until the completion of the project.
Read the written statement Opens in a new window
