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Articles by David Colbear
Diversity, Inclusion and Leadership
Last week I was fortunate to be a panellist at the Management Consultancy Association’s event on the Future of Talent, Diversity and Inclusion. Ann Francke, Chief Executive of the Chartered Management Institute, was also on the panel and gave an inspiring presentation. Ann is an expert on gender balance in the workplace and talked both about her own personal story and about how far we in business still need to go.
Four factors that could influence the local elections
The latest round of local government elections is almost upon us. Tomorrow, elections will be held for 248 English local councils, 6 directly elected English mayors, and all 11 councils in Northern Ireland. Close to 9,000 seats will be contested, and with the exception of a few cases of boundary changes or new councils, they are the same seats last contested on general election day in 2015. Here are my thoughts on the factors most likely to influence voters and election outcomes.
Why I was nervous about 'Which councils are best at adult social care?'
I have to admit to being somewhat nervous a few weeks back when the MJ published our analysis of which councils are best at social care, including a list of the top ten performers. I hoped that people would not simply look at the list, but would also engage with the message behind it. Five weeks on, I am really pleased with the response. In publishing our analysis, our ambition was to achieve three things.
A plea to councils: put behaviour change at the heart of transformation
I joined the LGA’s ‘Behaviour Change’ conference this week (‘Nudges for Social Good – Using Behavioural Insights in Local Government’). I was there to share our impact in Ealing through the Better Lives programme, and in particular how applied behavioural science has led to a massive 39% reduction in referrals from the front door to adult social care teams. This has had a huge impact on staff and residents in Ealing.
Coverage of 'council sell-offs' doesn't tell the whole story
This week’s national press coverage investigating the sale of council assets is welcome, as it shines a much-needed light on the difficult choices faced by many councils. However, it also conflated buildings with outcomes. Community assets do not deliver outcomes simply by existing; they achieve outcomes by being used effectively to deliver quality services.
IMPOWER and clients named as finalists in 3 categories of 2019 MCA Awards
I am delighted that IMPOWER and two of our clients have been named as finalists in three categories of the 2019 MCA Awards. The Management Consultancies Association (MCA) is the representative body for management consultancy firms in the UK. Their annual awards demonstrate the value of consulting, and celebrate the results achieved when clients and consultants work together.
Imagining the ‘finishing touches’ to the Social Care Green Paper
The news emerged just before Christmas that the Social Care Green paper has been delayed . . . again.
The value of making better quality decisions
An earlier version of this blogpost was originally published in the MJ The financial situation of local authorities is bad and is projected to get worse. After several years of working extremely hard to balance budgets and cut costs, it feels like this year’s budget round – for 19-20 and beyond – is throwing up more profound decisions than previously. The decisions will have more challenging consequences, which for many councils may affect the very survival of their organisation.
Which councils are best?
It’s that time of year again – the eagerly anticipated release of our list of the most productive councils in England. This year’s list is being published as part of our latest report, ‘Which Councils Are Best?’, which advocates for the introduction of a productivity approach in local government.
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