Responding to today’s publication of the Policing Green Paper, the New Local Government Network has welcomed measures to make police forces more accountable to local people, but urged the Home Secretary to ensure that local councillors maintain a key role in deciding local policing priorities.

The think tank said that plans to give directly elected mayors greater power over local police forces demonstrated that they can provide clear leadership and accountability. It warned however that plans for direct elections to police boards could lead to a blurring of accountability lines between councillors and directly elected ’Crime and Policing Representatives’ (CPRs). In June the NLGN and ippr warned that the current relatively small number of elected mayors might lead to Whitehall reluctance on policing devolution to councils.

Political spending and donations to parties are to be more tightly regulated under new rules unveiled by Justice Secretary Jack Straw today.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families is improving in all areas and is in a strong position to deliver on the new challenges set out in the Children’s Plan according to the DCSF Capability Review, published today by the Cabinet Office.

Social Justice Minister, Dr Brian Gibbons, has promised that the Welsh Assembly Government will not let-up in tackling child poverty in Wales.

 Government Departments On Track to Meet Challenges of the Future
Three major departments of state are making good progress in building their capabillity to meet the demands of public service delivery in the 21st century, the Government announced today.

Third Sector organisations that focus on preventing young people from committing crime or becoming involved in anti social behaviour, gun or gang crime, are set to benefit from a cash boost announced today by Minister for Children and Young People, Beverley Hughes.

Children’s charities welcome £286m for adult end-of-life care but ask why government won’t spell out new funding for children’s palliative care

Bank will finance drainage, wastewater treatment and improve living conditions for 220,000 people in northern Brazil

The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and of missiles constitutes one of the main threats to international peace and security. Its worrying growth calls for more determined action from Europeans to combat it. The aim of the seminar "The European Union and the fight against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems - Are there new ways of strengthening European action?" on 15 and 16 July, bringing together the EU Member States and the European institutions, will be to examine the new challenges from proliferation, to evaluate the potential of current European instruments to respond to them and to identify ways of improving these. The directions for action by the European Union will then be debated and fleshed out in the form of operational round table sessions focusing on new methods of prevention, on ways of hindering, countering and suppressing proliferation, and on the fight against its funding.

 Plans to double jackpot and proceeds limits for charity lotteries were announced by Minister for Sport Gerry Sutcliffe today.