Society daily 02.06.2010

Today's top Society news and comment Nice calls for minimum pricing for alcohol Government team sent to 'dysfunctional' council with powers to override mayor Ken Livingstone launches another London mayor bid Welfare spending: what would you cut? Opinion: Don't defend disablist language in name of free speech Andrea Gillies on the horror of Alzheimer's The new drugs taking mephedrone's place All today's SocietyGuardian stories Other news The government has published details of more than 50 executives at social housing bodies who received higher salaries than the prime minister last year , reports the Financial Times. In a bid to increase diversity, Bristol city council is advertising management traineeships to non-white candidates only , according to the Daily Telegraph. An example to us all It's a story that will bring joy to David Cameron's heart – "big society" in action. Today, the Daily Mail brings us the tale of eight-year-old Ryan Wells . The Arsenal supporting youngster was so fed up with the state of his local park in Lewisham, south London, that he set about recording all the dumped rubbish, dangerous dogs and overgrown gardens with this mother's digital camera. Then he sent his digital dossier to the local mayor with the following letter: "There are so many kids around the streets in my area on the pavement and in the road, some as young as five out without their mum. I would like to give them somewhere to go, rather than them ending up in trouble with police as they are bored. It just depends how much you can spare to change a rundown park into a place people want to spend time. Please would you considoer my request. I would be forever grateful." Suitably shamed, the council is coughing up £10,000 to clean up the park. But Ryan isn't satisfied, perhaps revealing his real agenda all along, he's now bidding for £50,000 from the People's Millions lottery fund to get a BMX bike track built. The pay-bashing goes on Meanwhile, also in the Mail, taking his cue from the publication of salaries of public sector high-earners Leo McKinstry launches a broadside : "For too long, the state's elite has been able to keep its culture of self-enrichment hidden from the taxpayers, the very people who have to fork out for all this wealth." He goes on to list various "extravagant" salaries, "inflation busting pay rises" and trashes the idea that public managers in charge of big budgets are worthy of salaries comparable with the private sector. "The idea that high pay is needed to attract talent is equally absurd. Many of the jobs are just routine, requiring simply administrative competence rather than brilliant business acumen and creative skills. Indeed, contrary to their self-serving propaganda, many of these state managers have no experience of business whatsoever but instead just worked their way up the hierarchies, often by the cynical expedient of pleasing their political masters." We wonder where this bashing of public service managers will end? Are they just being softened-up for a big pay-cut? And will this accountability be extended to the private sector, to the pay of "unelected, unaccountable" columnists? In today's SocietyGuardian supplement Is a man serving 12 years for abusing disabled women a victim of a miscarriage of justice? How libraries are turning to live music to bring in the young crowd Erwin James on why the rehabilitation of prisoners is worth championing Clare Allan: How cyberspace helps people with mental health issues communicate A groundbreaking scheme that is housing Asian people in Bradford's "no go" areas Interview: Carlene Firmin, the campaigner giving a voice to young women affected by gang violence The leadership scheme for a new breed of public servant SocietyGuardian events National Commissioning conference 10. Beyond efficiencies, doing things differently. 15-16 June, Lowry Hotel, Manchester. Speakers include: Solace chief executive David Clark , former Department of Health lead on social care personalisation John Bolton, new King's Fund chief executive Chris Ham , and Social Care Institute for Excellence chief executive Julie Jones . The Public Procurement show . The UK's leading event for public sector procurement. 15-16 June, ExceL, London. SocietyGuardian Social Enterprise Summit We are starting to plan this year's Society Guardian Social Enterprise Summit. Last year's summit was a great success - you can read about it here . Once again we are looking to showcase inspiration, innovation and practical ideas on how social enterprises can deliver public services. Whether you are from the public sector or from a social business, we want you to tell us who you'd like to see and what you would like to see discussed. Email [email protected] . You can Follow Guardian Social Enterprise on Twitter . Society Guardian blogs Joe Public Sarah Boseley's global health blog Society Daily blog Society Daily blog editor: Patrick Butler Email the editor: [email protected] Follow Patrick Butler on Twitter Sign up to Society Daily email briefing SocietyGuardian links SocietyGuardian.co.uk Follow SocietyGuardian on Twitter Enter the Guardian Public Services Awards Public - the Guardian's website for senior public sector executives The Guardian's public and voluntary sector careers page Hundreds of public and voluntary sector jobs SocietyGuardian editor: Alison Benjamin Email the SocietyGuardian editor: [email protected]