Archives for June 2003

REPORT CLAIMS POLICIES IGNORE WOMEN’S VIEWS ON WORK

Headlines, PublicNet: 30 June, 2003

Most women reduce their commitment to careers when they marry according to a report from the Centre for Policy Studies based on research carried out at the London School of Economics. The report says that while many women see their priority as spending time with their children, Government policies are designed to drive them into full-time work.The report, ‘Choosing to be Different – women, work and the family’, by Jill Kirby, challenges what she calls the prevailing fallacy that men and women are interchangeable in their aspirations for work and family life. Using research by Dr Catherine Hakim, she says women have no difficulty in regarding themselves as equal to men, but they have different life-goals.

Read more on REPORT CLAIMS POLICIES IGNORE WOMEN’S VIEWS ON WORK…



MINISTER SET TO LEARN FROM IMPROVING AUTHORITIES

Headlines, PublicNet: 30 June, 2003

Councils are dealing with more planning applications and at a faster rate according to new figures from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. They show that local authorities dealt with planning applications two per cent faster in 2002-03 than in the previous year.Three councils which have improved their performance are to meet the Planning Minister so he can examine how they have achieved this – but he is warning that councils still need to improve the efficiency with which they handle major applications.

Read more on MINISTER SET TO LEARN FROM IMPROVING AUTHORITIES…

TRENDS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT SOFTWARE

Abstracts, PublicNet: 30 June, 2003

This survey by the Society of IT Management shows continuing decline in use of software developed in-house by local authorities and it concludes that most replacement systems are likely to be bought in. The number of in house payroll systems declined from 11% in 2001 to 8% this year and those developing their own social services client software has declined from 39% to 31% in two years. Continuing supplier merges mean that fewer companies are supplying an expanding market. For General Ledger systems 12 suppliers provide for 78% of the market. The impact of e-government is beginning to be reflected in the systems installed. 54 authorities have customer relationship management systems compared to 30 last year.Index of Application Software, Published by SOCITM www.socitm.gov.uk   http://www.socitm.gov.uk  200.00 pounds.

Read more on TRENDS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT SOFTWARE…

THE MODERNIZATION AGENDA: PUBLIC SERVICES IN A DARK AGE

Features, PublicNet: 27 June, 2003

By John Seddon Reproduced by permission of the Public Management and Policy Association. Command and control management separates decision-making from work and results in sub-optimization and lower morale. Targets are the main levers in this dark age of management. The author argues that it is this approach to management that is limiting progress in public services. He advocates a flow of production approach, typified by Japanese car makers, which integrates decision making with work and where those who do the work develop and use measures and controls.

COUNCIL TAX COLLECTION RATES RISE AGAIN

Headlines, PublicNet: 27 June, 2003

A joint initiative between the Local Government Association and the government has helped English councils to collect an extra 40 million pounds in council taxes this year. The scheme was launched in 2001 to help poorly performing councils improve their collection rates.

Read more on COUNCIL TAX COLLECTION RATES RISE AGAIN…

FUNDING WILL HELP PATHFINDERS TACKLE HOUSING PROBLEMS

Headlines, PublicNet: 27 June, 2003

Pathfinder projects designed to tackle the blight of low housing demand and abandonment in the North and Midlands are to share 28 million pounds of funding which has been approved by the Minister for Regeneration and Regional Development, Jeff Rooker.The Market Renewal Pathfinders, which aim to reverse the trend of people moving away from their communities by providing long-term solutions to housing problems, will each receive four million pounds to take their plans forward. The money will mean the schemes can begin immediately improvement work such as the demolition of obsolete properties has been completed.Pathfinders in Birmingham, Sandwell, East Lancashire, North Staffordshire, Oldham, Rochdale and South Yorkshire will each receive the money while they continue developing their long-term programmes. Approval has also been given to projects put forward by the Merseyside and Newcastle and Gateshead pathfinders from their emerging strategic schemes. They will now be able to begin work before submitting their full proposals, which is expected to happen later this year.

Read more on FUNDING WILL HELP PATHFINDERS TACKLE HOUSING PROBLEMS…

COUNCILS STILL HAVE CONCERNS ON CPA

Headlines, PublicNet: 26 June, 2003

Local councils believe the Audit Commission has listened to their views on its proposals for re- assessing England’s 150 largest authorities under the Comprehensive Performance Assessment system but they are still concerned that a key plank of the process will be flawed.The Local Government Association is raising the concern in its response to the Commission’s latest proposals. The LGA’s worry relates to the intention to raise the thresholds for points needed before councils can increase their ratings. Sir Jeremy Beecham, the LGA chair, said councils would have to reserve judgment on the details until they saw the Commission’s written proposals but it was important that the process was transparent.

Read more on COUNCILS STILL HAVE CONCERNS ON CPA…

NEW ORDER OF LEADERSHIP EMBRACED BY SCHOOLS

Headlines, PublicNet: 26 June, 2003

Schools in England are embracing a ‘new order’ of leadership that is having a dramatic and positive impact on teaching and learning, according to the first annual report of the National College for School Leadership. It says that the standard of leadership in schools continues to make great strides and that the nature of school leadership is becoming more shared and widely distributed.It warns, though, that the pace of change could be slowed by problems with leadership succession and sustainability. The report will be launched by its author, the NCSL director of Research, Professor Geoff Southworth at the Secondary Heads Association Summer Conference next Tuesday.

Read more on NEW ORDER OF LEADERSHIP EMBRACED BY SCHOOLS…

EMPLOYMENT PRACTICE OUT OF LINE WITH ASPIRATION

Abstracts, PublicNet: 26 June, 2003

The survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development reveals that 90% of respondents say that work-life balance is a high priority for their workforces. In contrast HR practitioners identify working flexible hours or reduced hours as one of the factors most likely to impede career progression. And three times as many HR practitioners felt that working long hours is positive for a person’s career (32%) as those who thought it was negative (11%). This gap between aspiration and reality may explain why a similarly large majority of HR practitioners report that ‘the career expectations of young people now entering the workforce offer a huge challenge for organisations going forward’. The findings show that organisations need to adapt their career management practices to the twenty-first century and reflect the changing and diverse needs of theirworkforces. Carers, part-time workers and those who take career breaks are penalised under the current structure.Published by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development  http://www.cipd.co.uk

Read more on EMPLOYMENT PRACTICE OUT OF LINE WITH ASPIRATION…

STRUCTURED ON-THE-JOB TRAINING

Book News, PublicNet: 25 June, 2003

by Ronald L JacobsJacobs defines Structured On the Job training and provides a rationale based on the need to develop high levels of employee competence, or expertise, in the workplace. He then describes a six-step process used to design and implement S-OJT programs. The emphasis here is how S-OJT can be used for managerial training, technical training, and awareness training. The chapters in the final section describe how S-OJT has been used to achieve organizational and societal goals. Included in this section are discussions regarding S-OJT as an organizational change strategy, quality management, cross-cultural aspects, and workforce development.

Read more on STRUCTURED ON-THE-JOB TRAINING…

© PublicNet is a KnowShare production | Technology by Jag Singh + Hilton & Hilton Ltd | Admin Log in