Joint Review of Social ServicesThe review highlights key messages for councils which reviewers believe should be adopted if the improvement in social services is to continue. It urges building on existing partnerships to increase the amount of joint working and developing robust activity data to help in a better understanding of performance as well as to better manage workloads. The review revealed a weakness across councils in moving from planning to implementation. 

Levels of rural crime such as burglary and vehicle crime are falling, but the fear of rural crime is growing. The Home Office is urging police forces to market their fight against crime, which is much lower than in urban areas, by adopting measures which are visible to the public, as well as being effective in crime prevention and detection.A key feature of the measures the Home Office is urging on police forces is locating an officer where people congregate or at a crime hot spot. 

The health service waiting list culture has been shaken by a project to improve the management of outpatient processes. The eleven hospitals taking part were supported in developing new ways of working and staff were trained in new skills. No additional resources were given to the hospitals.