Stephen Mackenzie

Without additional government support many authorities will struggle to make ends meet over the next few years, but those that can demonstrate good governance may have a more sympathetic response from stakeholders if an inspector ever calls. In this latest Insight David Blake explores this process and how a review of treasury management practices can help reduce and control risk. #TreasuryManagement #Practices #LocalAuthority

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NEWSFLASH 1. Monday 10 July a new section on the https://lnkd.in/eDSUK86r area will give information about the forthcoming proposed changes to the IOSH Council composition. 2. Tuesday 16 July – the next IOSH Governance Drop In – details of how to register out soon. 3. Outline of proposed changes to bring IOSH in line with other organisations: a. 36 Council Members reduce to 12 (via natural wastage). 50% corporate (Chartered), 50% non-corporate. There will still be the flexibility to co-opt up to 6 other members on if required. b. President, President Elect and up to 4 Vice Presidents (continued Ambassadorial function). c. Immediate Past President will become an honorary role. d. Timeline including member engagement, Privy Council engagement and action by Dec 24. There will be a special resolution at the AGM in Nov 24. e. There will be a survey for members on this subject. IOSH

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Integrating foresight and long-term thinking into governance systems is becoming increasingly recognised – governments are transforming their approach to today’s challenges. The UK National Preparedness Commission, chaired by Lord Toby Harris, has recently published a report on the need for government action on preparedness and resilience. The report recommends enhancing capacity in futures and foresight to effectively address uncertainties. The challenge now is turning foresight into practical action. Learn the 5 ways governments can enhance anticipatory capacity on the SOIF blog: https://bit.ly/3Q9xmwj #futures #foresight #anticipatorygovernance

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Damp and mould are one of 29 hazards assessed under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). As a housing professional you have a duty under the Housing Act 2004 to take enforcement action on Category 1 Hazards. Register for certified training: https://lnkd.in/ezR5q6Ui

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Our Leader Gavin Callaghan has written for the Local Government Chronicle (registration required) about why big changes to council structures in Essex are needed for Basildon to reach and exceed its potential as the economic motor of the county. "[T]he common trope of the district leader battling reorganisation – “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” falls flat in times like these. Current council structures are “broke”—and the outdated systems they cling to no longer serve the public effectively. Is the current system – one where I can’t provide as much as I need for my residents because of slow or no progress at county level on the big questions of infrastructure, school performance or potholes – really the best we can do? In my district residents pay £165m in council tax but only £22.5m is spent locally. Basic services—roads, public spaces, and educational facilities—suffer from red tape and disjointed governance and the county sits on a vast war chest of unspent developer contributions that could and should be put to use improving lives and life chances in my borough. Given the bigger context of an Essex economy that should punch its weight in a county bigger than Northern Ireland or Latvia, that’s not strategic: it’s negligent." https://lnkd.in/ertvPB2w

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The first report from the Covid-19 Inquiry has now been published. Its stark conclusion is that "the processes, planning and policy of the civil contingency structures within the UK government and devolved administrations ... failed their citizens." I have written a commentary on the report, relating it to some of the work of the National Preparedness Commission and warning that preparedness and resilience must be upgraded so that as a nation we are better able to cope with the 89 acute risks on the National Risk Register. We need a commitment to a whole-of-society and whole-of-government approach. #️⃣preparedness #️⃣resilience #️⃣covid #️⃣government #️⃣emergencies https://lnkd.in/exEjnvJk

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It’s the last day of Business Continuity Awareness Week. Who is responsible for Business Continuity in your business? For guidance on preparing for emergencies, visit GOV.UK: http://ow.ly/mTLb50OrNqv #BCAW2024

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Following the tragic Grenfell Tower fire, significant investigations were conducted to uncover the root causes and prevent such incidents in the future. These investigations have led to crucial changes aimed at enhancing the safety and well-being of residents in social housing. What You Need to Know: Hackitt Review:  - Led by Dame Judith Hackitt, this independent review focused on building regulations and fire safety.  - Highlighted the need for more stringent regulatory frameworks and better oversight to ensure buildings are safe for residents. Grenfell Tower Inquiry:  - A comprehensive investigation chaired by Sir Martin Moore-Bick, examining the circumstances leading to the fire and related issues.  - Identified systemic failures in building safety, including poor management and inadequate safety measures. Urgent Need for Reform:  - Both reviews pointed out the lack of transparency and accountability in the management of social housing.  - Emphasised the importance of clear roles and responsibilities for building owners and managers to prevent future tragedies. What Has Changed: New regulations require all residential buildings to adhere to strict safety standards, ensuring your home is safe and secure. Enhanced Accountability:  - Building owners and managers are now held to higher standards of accountability, ensuring they take prompt action to address safety concerns.  - A new Building Safety Regulator oversees compliance and enforces these standards. Improved Communication:  - Housing providers must maintain open and transparent communication with residents, ensuring you are informed about safety measures and any issues that arise.  - A stronger complaints handling process ensures your concerns are addressed promptly and effectively. Your safety and wellbeing are our top priorities. The findings from these investigations have led to significant improvements in how social housing is managed, making your home a safer place to live. For more information about these changes and how they affect you, or if you have any concerns about your housing conditions, please contact us: Email: [email protected] Website: www.orestone.uk Phone: 0330 660 0265 #digitalswitchover #AICO #LD1 #BS5839 #digitalnetwork #firesystems #tecs #wardencall #BT #Compliance #Compliant #DigitalCompliance #Telecare #BAFE #TSA #safer #Telehealth #smarter #secure #connected #housing #Care #nursecall #Engineers #assistedliving #IndependentLiving #CustomSolutions #EmpathyInAction #FireSafety #BuildingSafety #innovation #grenfell

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The Bill seeking to repeal 7AA is before select committee. The Government has used anecdotal evidence to argue 7AA has led to childrens cultural needs being placed above their need for safety. This is not true! 7AA is not about practice, it is in fact, about placing greater accountability on Oranga Tamariki. As was recently and tragically highlighted within the Inquiry into Abuse in State Care, in the past, structural racism has led to kids being dragged from their whānau, pushed into homes with strangers, without any consideration to whether that was in their best interests. 7AA seeks to address this issue on a structural level, requiring Oranga Tamariki to uphold their commitments to Te Tiriti through working with local communities (whānau, hapu, and iwi), to ensure that the holistic needs of a child are considered prior to the State intervening. This is nothing less than what any of us would want for our own kids. If I could not care for my own children, I would want to know the State was working with my wider whānau, and was accountable to my community, prior to the State taking my kids to live with strangers. The reason 7AA is required is because of the structural racism within our state systems, which have been horrifically highlighted through the inquiry into Abuse in State Care. Last week we mourned our National failure to care for the children within our "care". We lamented the tragedy, trauma, and pain the State inflicted upon innocent lives and communities. And we said never again! Yet, our apologies and our tears mean nothing if we than turn around and choose to make the same mistakes we have made in the past. The Survivors, the care experienced community, organizations who stand with and for tamariki in care, are saying clearly and strongly, do not repeat the errors of the past. Do not choose willful blindness, do not ignore the wisdom and knowledge of the community, and in doing so create the conditions for further harm within our state system to continue. The Abuse laid bare before the nation last week occured because the State thought it knew better than anyone else. It believed in its own moral superiority. And because of that arrogance, it caused untold and unspeakable harm to our people. We dare not make the same mistakes again. To be better we need to do better. And that requires us to listen to the evidence, the experts, and the Survivors, and to act on their behalf. #LoveIsTheWay #7aa #OrangaTamarikiAct #abuseinstatecare #statecare #abuseincare #EndYouthHomelessness

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Today we have published HM Chief Inspector’s annual State of Fire and Rescue 2023 report. You can read it here:  https://lnkd.in/ecJqkcsG In his report, Andy Cooke sets out his call for more powers to ensure that the fire and rescue sector act on our recommendations. This includes that the Government should make it a legal requirement for fire and rescue authorities to publish a response to inspection reports.   He also states that:   ➡️the Government should prioritise reform and publicly commit to an achievable timescale for making its proposed changes; ➡️services must do more to improve their values and culture to remove unacceptable behaviours such as bullying, harassment and discrimination; and ➡️fire and rescue service leaders aren’t being strategic enough in how they make improvements.   Andy Cooke explains some of our findings and recommendations ⬇️

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Damp and mould are one of 29 hazards assessed under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System. Housing professionals have a duty under the Housing Act 2004 to take enforcement action on Category 1 Hazards. Register for September's open course: https://lnkd.in/ezR5q6Ui

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The Government announced yesterday (2nd September) new proposals to improve the safety of disabled and vulnerable residents living in high-rise buildings. These proposals will introduce Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) across England. PEEPs will provide residents with disabilities or impairments with tailored risk assessments to determine the necessary equipment and adjustments to aid in their fire safety and evacuation. Each resident will receive a personalised “Residential PEEPs statement” detailing what actions to take in the event of a fire. To support the implementation of these plans, the Government has committed to funding social housing providers, starting next year, to ensure that all high-rise residents have the necessary protection and support. This initiative is part of the ongoing response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s recommendations, focusing on enhancing safety measures for those most at risk in residential buildings. Read the full statement here: https://lnkd.in/ey_nC74d #PEEPs #FireSafety #HighRiseSafety #BuildingSafety #ResidentialBlocks #UKHousing #WeAreInnovus

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The speed with which you provide updates on the status of people involved in an incident can impact how your response is judged, especially in the court of public opinion. In the second post in our crisis comms series, Andy Groundwater looks at why, when it comes to responding to a crisis, people must come first. https://hubs.li/Q02vRp0k0 #crisiscommunication #reputationmanagement #prstrategy

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**𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐲 𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞 2 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝** The newly released report marks a significant step in understanding the events leading to the tragic fire in June 2017. It highlights the involvement of key organisations, including government bodies, in the development of the statutory guidance, as well as the role played by other influential bodies in the circumstances surrounding the tower's refurbishment. Part 14 of the report offers recommendations from the inquiry to drive changes in the building industry's attitudes and practices. These changes aim to ensure the safety of all buildings, particularly high-rise structures, for the people who live and work in them, these include: • 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: Establish an independent regulator for construction, centralise fire safety under one department, and create a professional body for fire engineers. • 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥: Mandatory licensing for high-risk building contractors and senior manager compliance statements. • 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞: Improve training & communication for fire services and mandatory accreditation for fire risk assessors. • 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞: Ensure local authorities have effective emergency plans, financial support, and clear communication strategies. To read the full report, please visit the UK Government website > https://lnkd.in/gicdUx6K #GrenfellInquiry #FireSafety #BuildingRegulations

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⚠️ Secure by Design (SbD) Operational Phase for Group 1 Government Departments is Coming ⚠️ The Secure by Design (SbD) operational phase for Group 1 organisations is right around the corner—are your plans ready and finalised? With a track record of successful SbD projects, both new and transitioning from accreditation, we’re here to make your move to SbD as seamless as possible. Our experience can be your key to a smooth transition or a successful start with SbD. If you’re part of a Group 1 or Group 2 organisation and would like more information on the implementation process, please feel free to reach out. We’re here to provide guidance and support every step of the way. #SecurebyDesign #RiskManagement #GovAssure https://lnkd.in/gPxVPN9v

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Detailed studies and investigations will be conducted over a number of years to help ensure a GDF can be constructed, operated, and closed safely and securely. An overview of that GDF journey has been put together by NWS in this short video: https://lnkd.in/eSW226SC

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