Those with local government jobs need to have more power to drive change in their community, if public confidence in the political process is to be restored, it has been claimed.

Speaking at a Local Government Association conference, communities secretary John Denham, states that many residents do not feel their views are being taken into account by their local authority and that they lack the power to have any influence on things which affect their day-to-day lives.

"Every citizen has the right to have a say over the services they use - whether that be through more personalised services, by directly influencing the way things are run or lobbying councils directly," he asserts.

As such, Mr Denham claims local authorities need to have more control over their areas, meaning central government must be prepared to let go of some of its existing powers and that councils need to become more accountable for theirs."

Consequently, he reveals a new consultation is to take place to consider how more power can be extended to local councils and ensuring that they are able to have a say in how all public money spent in their area is used.

The secretary’’s comments follow housing minster John Healey’’s recent proposal to abolish the Housing Revenue Subsidy System and replace it with a programme which would allow local authorities to keep all rental income coming in from their residential developments and to make their own decisions based on local need.

Under the programme there would be a greater focus on self-financing.

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Although those working in the third sector believe local area agreements (LAA) can be useful, a new study shows they think they could be more effective.

Research carried out by the National Association for Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA) reveals that while those with charity jobs were shown to generally be positive towards LAAs, they believe the sector is yet to become fully engaged with them.

Indeed, charity and voluntary groups often feel that these agreements can be too time consuming and unnecessarily bureaucratic.

Their engagement with such schemes is often constrained by a lack of resources, the survey found.

Neil Cleeveley, policy and communications director for NAVCA, claims that such agreements focus on local needs and improve relationships between the charity sector and public bodies.

However, he states that the latter "can still be reluctant to fully involve the third sector and we still need a cultural change that will allow full third sector involvement in LAAs".

Those with charity jobs could also be interested in a study by the Institute for Voluntary Action Research revealing that the Compact’’s principles complement many of the standards already in place within the third sector.

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A new campaign has been launched aimed at improving the image of those with jobs in social work, it has emerged.

The Local Government Association (LGA) - as a part of its Respect and Protection initiative - is offering free posters to those working for local authorities which look to boost the respect that social workers have.

Margaret Eaton, chair of the LGA, claims that "social workers should be proud of what they do".

She adds that councillors should be looking for social work professionals "to be able to hold their heads high when they tell people about their jobs and it is partly down to councils to show they are proud of them as employees".

Comments from the association come as research shows that 93 per cent of councillors in charge of children’’s services believe that the public’’s view of the profession has been negatively affected since the Baby P case.

Earlier this year, children’’s secretary Ed Balls unveiled a number of initiatives - including the creation of a practice-based Masters course - aimed at increasing training for the social work profession.

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Those with third sector jobs in Northern Ireland could be set to receive more assistance from the government, it has been revealed.

At a meeting organised by the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA), the organisation’’s chief executive Seamus McAleavey gave Martin McGuinness, deputy first minister of Northern Ireland, a brief presentation on how the ongoing economic downturn is having a negative affect on those in the charity and community sector.

Indeed, some 46 per cent have experienced a fall in income, despite many organisations facing an increase in demand for their services.

The deputy first minister claimed that the government is set to support proposals made by social development minster Margaret Ritchie for the establishment of a framework for the voluntary and community sector to not only support the deliverers of public services but also the most disadvantaged people in society that they work with.

Mr McGuinness went on to acknowledge the "tremendous contribution that the voluntary and community sector makes to society".

Earlier this week, the NICVA executive claimed that those in the third sector should receive 100 per cent of all funding issued by the Big Lottery Fund.

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Those working for a new unitary authority need to act quickly in tackling the range of economic and social problems facing the area, the Audit Commission suggests.

In the organisation’’s County Durham Sustainable Communities Report, those with public sector jobs at the recently-created Durham county council were urged to ensure a clear strategy of how local communities and the region’’s economy should develop.

Pointing out there are particular challenges in the provision of decent affordable housing and health, the report cites that some of the council’’s predecessors were able to carry out effective regeneration work in areas including Durham and Chester-le-Street.

"The problems are well-recognised and there is a great opportunity to learn from the collective experiences of the district councils and to develop a joined-up approach," Marion Talbot, of the Audit Commission, states.

She adds that the council has a strong management team in place, something that could interest those on the search for public sector jobs.

Last month, the commission called for those working for local authorities to do more to exploit the business potential of their buildings and other assets.

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