Friday 21 January 2005

By Maria Ahmed, Derren Hayes and Amy Taylor

Ministers want cities to reconsider plans for elected mayors

Ministers want to encourage big cities to reconsider plans for
elected mayors by giving the role more power and wider
responsibilities.

Cities such as Birmingham and Manchester were cool to the mayoral
idea because they believed it threatened their traditional way of
doing council business.

The elected mayor’s policy, backed by Tony Blair, has been
taken up by only 11 smaller authorities.

Source:- The Financial Times Friday 21 January 2005 page
4

Tenants get right to buy but sales are limited

Housing association tenants are to be given the right to buy their
homes under plans to be set out next week, but a cabinet compromise
has led to limits being put on the scheme for protect housing for
the poor.

Housing associations are to be given a veto over participation in
the scheme if they believe it would harm the social housing
stock.

Source:- The Financial Times Friday 21 January 2005 page
4

Pupils could be tagged for their own good

A primary school is considering tagging its pupils to monitor their
whereabouts.

Under the pilot scheme, the electronic tags would raise the alarm
if a pupil left the premises of Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Lonias school
in Swansea.

Source:- The Daily Mail Friday 21 January 2005 page
5

Girl of 12 is Britain’s youngest drink-driver

A girl of 12 became Britain’s youngest drink-driver after
being caught nearly twice the legal limit at the wheel of her
father’s car.

The youngster took the vehicle after getting drunk, Swindon
Magistrates Court heard. She will appear at Newbury Youth Court for
sentencing on January 31.

Source:- The Daily Mail Friday 21 January 2005 page
20

Boy, 16, hangs himself in jail cell

A 16-year-old boy died in hospital yesterday after he was found
hanging in his cell, the Prison Service said last night.

Gareth Price died at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary following the
incident at Lancaster Farms Young Offender Institution on
Wednesday.
The chief executive of the Youth Justice Board, Ellie Roy, said the
board and the prison ombudsman would carry out an investigation
into the boy’s death.

Source:- The Independent Friday 21 January 2005 page
15

Police told to widen child sex abuse inquiry

An investigation into alleged child sexual abuse involving the
chair of Humberside police authority is to be widened at the
suggestion of a police watchdog.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission has advised Humberside
police to broaden the criminal inquiry as a result of the
IPCC’s investigations into how the force dealt with the
allegations made against Colin Inglis, who is also the Labour
leader of Hull Council, nine years ago.

The two allegations involved his role as a social worker at
Gleneagles children’s home, Hull, in the 1980s. Inglis
strenuously denied the allegations.

Source:- The Guardian  Friday 21 January 2005 page 9

Benefits system pays married couples to split up, says
report

Lone parents are rewarded at the expense of families, according to
the think-tank Centre for Policy Studies.

Source:- The Times Friday 21 January 2005 page 4

Scottish newspapers

The drinking problem that is getting worse and younger every
day

Analysis of whether new government policies to tackle alcohol abuse
will curb the growing problem of underage drinking has now cost the
Scottish health service £1.13 billion a year.

Source:- The Herald  Friday 21 January

Guidelines for sex education

Children in schools will learn about sex under the same guidelines
for faith and non-faith schools, health minister Andy Kerr is
expected to announce next week.

Source:- The Herald Friday 21 January

One in12 Scots claim sickness benefit

New government figures show one in 12 Scots of working age are
classified as either too sick or too disabled to work, raising
concerns from some that Scotland has a sickness culture.

Source:- The Scotsman  Friday 21 January

Teachers’ hands tied in climate of fear

School children are being deprived of comfort and attention from
their teachers because child protection laws have made them
“too hot to handle”, Scotland’s children’s
tsar has warned.

Source:- The Scotsman Friday 21 January

Drunken kids dice with death

A top doctor has pleaded with underage drinkers to curb their
ways.

Dr Eric Baijal said that in Grampian, at least two children
under-15 get treatment for alcohol poisoning every week.

Source:- Daily Record Friday 21 January

Welsh newspapers

Community group can tap into £8.8m

A £8.85 million fund to help community groups in
Carmarthenshire was launched yesterday.

The Partnership for Community Action project (Pact) will help many
community groups over the next four years.

EU Objective One money will provide just under £4
million.

Source:- Western Mail Friday 21 January 2005

Council staff suspended over emails

Three members of staff at Rhondda Cynon Taf Council have been
suspended from work while they are investigated for
“inappropriate use of email”.

The staff work in the social inclusion team and education and
children’s services group, but the council says that they are
not directly involved in child protection issues.

An internal investigation is due to be carried out.

Source:- Western Mail Friday 21 January 2005