One third of crime reduction strategies published in April by local partnerships of police, councils, other public bodies and community organisations, had no specific outcome targets for burglary and/or vehicle crime. The indications are that in some cases partnerships engaged in abstract policy making rather than seeking to make a real difference to the quality of life. 

Twelve research projects, with a 2.5 million pound budget, have been launched to find better ways for health care professionals to share decision making with patients and the public. The Health in Partnership Programme is part of the Patient Partnership Strategy which seeks to build public confidence in the health service through involvement. 

By Tom Bentley and Kate Oakley
This is the final report of a unique project which consulted 150 young people aged 14 to 24 throughout the United Kingdom. Between them they had experience of homelessness, school exclusion, the care system, family breakdown, abuse, unemployment, drugs and crime. The Real Deal presents a direct and authoritative picture of life for the young people growing up with social exclusion today and draws out the implications for policy. 

For the first time since OFSTED inspections started in 1993 the number of failing schools in special measures has started to fall. Currently 400 schools are in special measures because OFSTED have found that they are failing to provide an acceptable standard of education. This is about 2% of the total of primary and secondary schools.
The fall has resulted from fewer schools failing to meet standards and from failing schools raising standards faster. 

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has given the go-ahead for seven New Deal for Communities partnerships to start developing long-term strategies to regenerate deprived neighbourhoods, not larger than 4000 households. The issues that the strategies must address include limited job opportunities, crime, vandalism, educational under attainment and poor health. 

By Mark Exworthy and Susan Halford
A key aspect of change in the 1980s and 1990s has been the emergence of a ‘new managerialism’. It has been seen to pose a significant threat to the traditional dominance of professionalism and professionals. The book explores the relationship between managerialism and professionals by using in-depth studies from education, social work and medicine. 

Delays in bringing young offenders, 10 - 17 year olds, before the courts is causing problems. A principal difficulty is the high level of re-offending in the interim period.
The average time taken to deal with a persistent young offender, from arrest to sentence, was cut from 142 in 1997 to 106 days and the target is cut it further to 71 days. There are wide variations within the figures and Home Secretary Jack Straw has said that some agencies need to raise their game. 

Successful completion of a two year electronic form project has opened the digital door for communicating with public bodies. Traditionally, Inland Revenue, Customs and Excise and Contributions Agency have required six forms to be completed for business start-ups. The project reduced this to one electronic form.
The electronic form was a joint project between departments, EDS, Microsoft and NatWest bank. The form was digitally signed using smartcard technology provided by NatWest. 

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. 

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.