All change at the ODPM!

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Thought it worth summarising the recent changes in central government that have a bearing on local government.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) has been changed into the new Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG)

The Rt Hon Ruth Kelly MP has been appointed Secretary of State for the new department

DCLG will also take on new responsibilities for active communities and civic renewal, previously undertaken by the Home Office

Phil Woolas MP and Yvette Cooper MP stay in their posts as local government Minister and housing and planning Minister

Angela E Smith MP has been appointed as junior DCLG Minister with a portfolio ncluding local government intervention, Beacons, Capacity Building Fund, and e-Government

Meg Munn MP has joined the DCLG Ministerial team to lead the department’s work on equalities

Baroness Andrews has stayed with DCLG to oversee its business in the House of Lords, along with some specific responsibilities including liveability and neighbourhood renewal.

The Cabinet Office will take on the task of tackling social exclusion, led by the Rt Hon Hilary Armstrong MP

Ed Miliband MP has joined the Cabinet Office to take responsibility for work with the voluntary and community sector

In the Department of Health (DH), Ivan Lewis MP has taken over the care services portfolio and Caroline Flint MP has been promoted to Minister for public health

The Rt Hon Alan Johnson MP has been put in charge of the Department for Education and Skills (Dfes)

The Rt Hon David Miliband MP has moved from his local government role to lead the Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra)

Will be interesting to see how long it takes for the changes to bed down and some useful policy initiatives to emerge. I’m not holding my breath!

The Dissident

About Post Author

Stephen Dale

I’m a life-long learner with an insatiable curiosity about life. I love travel, good food, and good company. I’m happy to share what I know with others….even the interesting stuff! My outlook on life is pretty well captured in this quote from a book about the legend of King Arthur: “The best thing for being sad,” replied Merlin, beginning to puff and blow, “is to learn something. That’s the only thing that never fails. You may grow old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love, you may see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honour trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then — to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting. Learning is the only thing for you. Look what a lot of things there are to learn.” ― T.H. White, The Once and Future King So much to learn, so little time!

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