Applying for planning permission is a lengthy process which creates mountains of paper. Transforming the paper based process to an electronic form is fraught with difficulty because of the need to digitize plans and drawings. The London Borough of Wandsworth has overcome the problems, introduced an on line system accessible through the Internet and brought benefits to applicants for planning permission as well as to the Council.

More than one hundred councils are to take part in 25 pathfinder projects - to develop better, more accessible local services by harnessing the benefits of new technology.The successful pathfinders will now agree with Government how they can best become centres of expertise from which all local government can learn, and the amount they will receive from the 25 million pound pot available 2001/02. 

Public sector employers in Staffordshire are joining together to tackle recruitment and retention problems. The county is facing particular shortages of teachers and care workers. European Career Systems (www.jobs4publicsector.co.uk) in partnership with Staffordshire County Council is launching the PhAros initiative to take a county wide view of the jobs crisis.