Commissioned by the Government Office for the East of EnglandThis study assessed the case for establishing a support service for a range of local partnerships to help them to develop as long term vehicles for community regeneration and renewal in the East of England. The report identifies current issues being faced by partnerships as: organizational capacity; strategic direction and programme/ project delivery. It highlights the problems being experienced by partners in making their structures, internal systems and procedures work effectively. The report argues that effective regeneration and renewal needs to be long term, community-led, be supported by other partners and involve community enterprise.

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Newly elected and long serving councillors in Birmingham will be able to take part in public sector management training after the election in June. Courses will be offered on a flexible basis and will provide councillors with a solid foundation in the essential management techniques. The programme will enable participants to learn how to plan, prioritise and manage their projects and resources. Individuals will also be encouraged to develop strategies to improve their effectiveness. Topics covered during the course will include community development, cultural awareness and devolution in practice.The project, which is the result of a partnership between Bournville College and the Chartered Management Institute, will give councillors the opportunity to undertake a learning programme linked to the national occupational standards for management. Those who participate in the course will be granted Student Membership within the Chartered Management Institute – a benefit that will give access to research facilities and project management tools. They will also be awarded a nationally recognised Level 3 certificate in devolved public sector management on successful completion of the course.

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Cutting over 40,000 Civil Service jobs and making radical reforms is deliverable, but there are dangers ahead. This warning comes from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development with the message to the Chancellor to learn downsizing lessons from the best practice in the private sector.The popular downsizing model of the early 1990s was designed to deliver major efficiency savings, but many doubts now exist over the effectiveness of crude downsizing. Where the process was too rapid, and not strategic enough, companies lost the people who were easiest to get rid of, then often discovered they’d lost the wrong people. Sometimes these people were good enough to be mobile and able to take on other jobs. Older staff were frequently made redundant, but they were some of the most experienced people in the organization. Research by the Institute suggests that continuous change, based on genuine consultation, delivers greater efficiency savings and genuine performance improvements.

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