Local authorities will benefit from a new device designed to raise awareness of the risks and effects of flooding around the UK. FloodRanger, a flood simulator, has been launched by the Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser Sir David King. 

The National Health Service is to be the first major user of significant broadband capacity in the public sector. It follows the announcement that BT has been awarded a 530 million pound contract to provide and manage a broadband network to link all health service organisations in England.The New National Network, also known as N3, will provide a platform on which to run new systems being delivered by the national programme for IT. 

By Patrick Abrahams Much is being done by people in power to relate to local communities, but many communities currently feel disaffected by central government and its local representatives. The author looks at the role of the 12,000 parish and town councils in the UK as a conduit for local opinion and feedback. He examines the barriers to them establishing websites and calls for local portals that people can use without knowing who is responsible for what