Social Animal spent much of last week ringing around the sector in the vain hope that someone could explain the draft Local Government Bill in words of one syllable or less (well, everyone needs a hobby). I was aghast to discover I was not alone in my ignorance.
The good folk of the Local Government Association, for example, had a novel excuse: each element of it, the explained, was being looked at by a different policy team so no one person could talk me through. Hardly a shining example of the joined-up thinking we hear so much about these days.
The football is cancelled
While most of the country was in misery following England's tragic defeat at the hands of Brazil last week, I heard rumours of unpatriotic sighs of relief emanating from one particular government department. it transpires that weary civil servants had been ordered to keep the ministerial diary free this Wednesday in anticipation of Beckham and the boys getting through to the semi-finals and the defeat meant they could finally get their boss back to work.
Is someone taking the Michael?
Michael Laing's appearance in these pages recently, where he was described as using the language of a modern management guru, had an instant effect. A kind staffer sent the Wear Valley housing chief a pic of Mahatma Gandhi.
Now I hear he's on the lookout for a lungi ... or should that be a Laing-i?
A Rhyl bad thing to say
There were angry scenes in Wales this week as the man brought in to tackle crime in Cymru put his, er, foot right in it.
David A'Herne, the Welsh assembly's crime czar, has been reported (outside these pages, of course) as saying he would not visit the north Cymru resort of Rhyl without steel boots on – for fear of stepping on syringes.
A'Herne says he has been quoted out of context, and took the opportunity to churn out the old chestnut of using a partnership approach to talking about drugs misuse. Well he would, wouldn't he?
Social Animal is aware of a drugs problem in Rhyl, but I reckon the fact that the big wheel at the amusement park on the seafront is sponsored by Skoda is a better reason for steering clear.
Dogged by failure
Attempting to draw an analogy for the way MPs are talking up Frank Field's antisocial behaviour bill, the LGA's Gwyneth Taylor recalled the Conservatives' Dangerous Dogs Act. You will remember that, of course: it was a tabloid-driven fiasco that led to futile incarcerations, lengthy and expensive court arguments and, eventually, a quiet change in the law.
Labour won't make such a dog's dinner of the antisocial behaviour bill … surely?
Go north, my boy
We all know that councils in London that face crushing demand for housing are encouraging tenants to move to lower-demand areas in the north – but has Camden gone a little too far?
Its latest leaflet tempting tenants to flee beyond Watford Gap gushes that homes are available in "exciting places to live". And where are these abodes of joy, exactly? Camden's list includes Bradford, Glasgow and Oldham. Without wishing to insult these no doubt deeply des-res destinations, I can't help but think that, given the events of last summer, they might prove a little too exciting for some.
Source
Housing Today
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