The zonal scene, which includes area initiatives for health action and education, is to be is to be broadened with Home Zones. The concept was originally promoted in the UK by the Children’s Play Council. Home Zones have been widely adopted in Holland (under the name ‘woonerf’) and also in Germany, Austria and Denmark. The key features of continental Home Zones are very low speeds – well below 20mph; signing, traffic calming, seating and other street furniture, and support from residents.
A report by the OECD acknowledges the achievement of the UK lifelong learning approach. A team of experts from the OECD visited the United Kingdom as part of a review of arrangements for the transition from education into working life in 14 OECD countries. They were impressed by some aspects of UK provision and concluded that the UK is creating a genuine system of lifelong learning from which other countries can learn. They also pointed to areas in initial vocational education and training which appeared weaker compared to other countries and the need to focus on re-engaging young people who have dropped out of the system.
Peters B G
Public Administration, (UK), Vol 76 No 2
Start page: 295. No of pages: 17
Sees the pursuit of ‘horizontality’ as being the perennial quest of government to link their departments, which have become differentiated and remote from each other, to prevent policy being unco-ordinated between them. Identifies the reasons that this co-ordination is becoming more difficult and considers how this can be remedied. Lists the mechanisms available which would promote policy co-ordination, assessing the potential of policy networks. Sets out the characteristics of a network, outlining how their co-ordinative capacity can be weakened or strengthened and the factors that affect this.