• Private company Circle is to take over the running of Cambridgeshire's Hinchingbrooke hospital, reports the BBC. The trust becomes the first to be entirely run by a private business after it beat another bidder, Serco, to the contract.

• The government's decision to ringfence certain areas of spending, such as the NHS, has been questioned in a Treasury select committee report published today, reports Public Finance.

• A doctor accused of failing to spot that Baby P had a broken back days before his death has won a crucial high court battle in her bid to avoid a disciplinary hearing, reports the Independent.

• Councillors have been told to stop using Twitter during council meetings after one member tweeted 12 times during one session, according to the Telegraph.

On my radar ...

• Happiness. This blogpost by the Institute for Government's Jill Rutter looks at the prime minister's plans to start measuring wellbeing:

" Three local authorities ... worked with the Young Foundation and LSE to see what happened when they tried deliberate interventions to promote wellbeing. Their report, The State of Happiness, sets out key areas where policy can more explicitly promote wellbeing. It's quite a different list to Cameron's, including a greater emphasis on:
- supporting resilience and psychological fitness among children and young people
- parenting and good neighbour programmes
- tackling isolation among old people
- focusing on people's experience of services
- planning and transport policies to promote exercise and reduce commuting times.
But yesterday's tasking of the ONS should mean that we are at the start of building a better understanding of how government action can and does affect wellbeing."

• Brian Coleman, head of London's fire authority and thought to be the country's best-paid councillor, who's been rebuked by Boris Johnson after describing union officials as "thick" and "nasty".

• This blogpost by Andy Rickell on the Disability Now site, laying out the choices facing David Cameron as the big society project advances:

"If a laissez-faire approach is adopted, it will be unfair and not address disadvantage. Local leadership opportunities will be grabbed by individuals in communities of place or interest who already have the resources to do so – the wealthy, the well-connected, the articulate, those already able to get powerful positions – sometimes summed up as 'the sharp-elbowed middle classes'. As we disabled people are amongst the poorest, with poor social networks, already struggling to get the support or the positions that enable our voices to be heard, we will fall further behind."

• Vanessa Heywood, who has been named 2010 winner of the Stelios Award for Disabled Entrepreneurs. Vanessa, who was diagnosed with MS 15 years ago, is the founder of Tiny Mites Music, which runs music, movement and drama classes for pre-schoolers. She wins £50,000 and specialist support via the Stelios scholar reach-out programme.

• This interesting post on the Democratic Society blog from Anthony Zacharzewski, which asks Does timebanking work when resources are shrinking? (thanks @rich_w)

• This campaign co-ordinated by Scope, which is trying to get ministers to rethink the decision to axe the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance for people living in residential care homes. Scope says 50,000 people could end up isolated as a result.

• Footballing legend Bob Wilson, who has launched a new fundraising auction for his Willow Foundation charity, set up in memory of his daughter, which provides special days out for seriously ill 16 to 40-year-olds. The stars on canvas auction, which launches online today, features work by sporting stars, musicians, entertainers and artists - including Jonathan Ross, Wayne Rooney, Tracey Emin, Jude Law and Jane Asher. The canvases are also going on show at the Catto Gallery, Hampstead, London, from 2 to 5 December.

Guardian and Observer Christmas Charity Appeal 2010

Launching today, our annual appeal will this year support 10 charities working with vulnerable teenagers and young adults. Find out about our chosen charities and make a donation.

Events

"Big Society" and its role in local government 7 December, London. This is an essential seminar for managers and leaders looking for a practical definition of big society and how it will work within local government. As well as a keynote speech from the government's adviser on big society, Lord Wei, delegates will also hear first hand accounts of how other local government managers are implementing big society in their councils and the best practice they have developed.

Transforming Social Care through IT Finding your way in a changing service environment. 8 December, London.

This conference brings together best practice examples, policy leaders and industry experts to discuss the challenges facing social care providers and IT support teams. Our line-up of expert speakers includes Terry Dafter, service director adult social care, Stockport metropolitan borough council; Jennifer Bernard, consulting director, SCIE; Nick Johnson, chief executive, Social Care Association; and Sian Walker, service director, Adult Care Operations, Wiltshire council.

Public Services Summit New models, new relationships, a new era. 10 & 11 February 2011, St Albans.

Join leading thinkers, practitioners and policy makers for discussion and debate about the future of our public services

15% early bird available.