Government plans to tackle failing councils have been attacked by the Conservatives as a "knee-jerk" reaction.
David Davis, shadow secretary of state for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, said the plans meant that councils would face "mountains of new red tape".

The ODPM's proposals are aimed at ensuring poor performing councils are quickly turned around. Tackling Poor Performance in Local Government outlines a number of measures, including the production of a recovery plan, which could be produced by the council or external public or private bodies.

n Twenty-nine refugee support and integration projects across the country are to receive almost £1m in Home Office grants.

The amount is double what was awarded last year from the government's Challenge Fund, a three-year scheme established to support local projects helping refugees to integrate in their new communities.

Home Office minister Beverley Hughes said: "The initiatives we are funding will help refugees access employment, education and healthcare, and to learn English."

Source

Housing Today