RESEARCH often tells us what we already know, or suspect – although that does not stop it from being useful.  But sometimes it produces unexpected results.  Take this example. Traffic was the most commonly issue of residents’ concern, according to an analysis of parish plans and market town health checks published in a new book, ‘Glimpses of Rural England’ by Malcolm Moseley (See Chapter 1). Not affordable housing.  Not the lack of public...

LITERACY plays a vital role in improving people’s lives.  Not just in enhancing their employability, but also, according to research by the National Literacy Trust, promoting their mental health, well-being and family relationships. Councils around the country are finding out that boosting literacy skills can bring wider benefits for the community, says Robert Bullard. Local Government Chronicle  –  August 2009 Year of Reading In 2008 the...

THE ISSUE of asylum seekers is surrounded by strong feelings, political controversy and emotive arguments.  For councils, who have a legal responsibility to support young asylum seekers, this can mean treading a fine line in a highly sensitive environment. Robert Bullard finds out how two councils are rising to the challenge. Local Government Chronicle –  July 2009 Young asylum seekers are those who are under the age of 18, although local...

HAVE we all been sleeping?  Or, more specifically, do we need an overhaul of the notion of ‘market towns’, and national policy towards them? New research reveals that 11m people live in the 1600 towns that have a population of between 1,500-40,000 people (2001).  SOURCE: http://towns.org.uk/2009/05/28/new-research-on-types-of-towns/   This is equivalent to the population of Greater London and the West Midlands combined.  What is more, they are...

It is not often that a new public service looks destined to help rather than hinder people living in rural areas.  But the introduction of telecare spells good news for rural residents – offering benefits to patients as well as their carers, and healthcare professionals as well as their budgets. Telecare What do we mean by telecare, telehealth and telemedicine? Telecare describes services that use computer and other technology to deliver health...

The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games give councils ample chances to catch the public’s imagination – not just in sport, but in the arts, culture and education too.