By David Locke Outsourcing is becoming an increasingly important across the public sector in the drive for better services. The author explains how third party help can improve partnerships and gives a snapshot of how it worked in practice with Lancashire County Council.

Nineteen Local Education Authorities have been chosen to pilot projects and develop strategies designed to introduce foreign language learning for seven to eleven year old pupils. Education Minister Catherine Ashton said schools in the selected areas would set the trail for a revolution in language learning which would see all children given the opportunity to learn a foreign language.The nineteen LEAs will develop ways to share good practice both within and outside their areas, share resources such as experienced staff and specialist equipment, foster professional development, and build local, regional, national and international partnerships.

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Independent research has shown that the cost of properly managing and maintaining council housing stocks during 2001-2 may have been 1.5 billion pounds more than was actually spent by local authorities.The results have been published by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, which says the research supports the decision to give more money to councils to manage their housing in coming years. The study by the Building Research Establishment, concluded that the cost of properly managing and maintaining council houses during 2001-02 could have been as much as 5.5 billion pounds compared with an actual outlay by authorities of nearly 4 billion.

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