Oxford University has established a new company that aims to help local government tackle social exclusion. Oxford Consultants for Social Inclusion – OCSI – will provide expert analysis to facilitate the tasks of identifying deprived neighbourhoods, targeting resources, evaluating programme effectiveness and strengthening regeneration bids. It is the University’s first ever spin out company from the social sciences.The consultancy is based on nearly two decades of research, initiated by Michael Noble and George Smith at the Social Disadvantage Research Centre in the University’s Department of Social Policy and Social Work.

Read more on OXFORD SPIN OUT COMPANY TO HELP COUNCILS TACKLE EXCLUSION…

Local authorities are being invited to bid for a share of 135 million pounds, which has been provided by Defra for waste minimisation and recycling schemes over the next two years. The money is the being made available on a challenge fund basis and is additional to the mainstream funding the Government provides to support waste management work in local councils.The new cash has been provided ahead of a previously announced move from a challenge fund to a grant that will be related to local authority performance. In inviting applications, Defra has signalled a simplification of the previous approach to challenge funding with no specific focus on poor performing local authorities.

Read more on COUNCILS TO BID FOR WASTE REDUCTION CASH…

By Steve Boon Three years is a long time in the world of technology and in this period many public service organizations have installed systems which integrate voice, video and data. The technology which allows this to be done, Internet Protocol, was first developed over 30 years ago, but it is now making a significant difference to public services. Steve Boon explains that the technology was ready and waiting for the big opportunity which came with the advent of joined-up working, for which it is ideally suited.