e-Government is steadily becoming a reality across public services, but the key issue which is emerging is not technology but take-up. This article explains how Doncaster Borough Council has created an electronic housing management service with a range of on-line facilities for its tenants. Although many tenants benefit indirectly because the system is used by staff to respond more rapidly to callers, there has been a slow take-up on line. The Doncaster experience highlights the take-up issue and puts the focus on access and marketing.

Thirty per cent of public sector training managers reported that their training budget had decreased last year as compared to 27% in the private sector. The disparity between the sectors becomes more pronounced in expectations for next year. In the public sector 26% of managers expect the budget to decrease compared to only 17% in the private sector. Private sector investment in training is being fuelled by fears of skills shortages. These are key findings of the Training and Development Survey 2004 conducted by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.Jessica Rolph, CIPD Learning, Training and Development Adviser, said: “The Government has invested heavily in public services over the last year, and yet training budgets appear to have fallen. As the private sector recovers, competition in the labour market can only increase, so reductions in public sector training budgets are ill advised. It would be ironic if the Government’s investment in public services were to be undermined by a focus on pay rather than training, leading to services suffering because the public sector is failing to equip staff with the skills to do the job.”

Read more on PUBLIC SECTOR TRAINING FALLING BEHIND PRIVATE SECTOR…

Special prosecutors to handle anti social behaviour cases and tougher procedures for collecting fines from people who persistently refuse to pay up for criminal offences such as vandalism, complete the loop of measures to target low level crime. The measures are an important step as they close the circle that starts out on the streets and ends in the courts. See Publicnet 21st April on the success of coalitions of stakeholders and neighbourhood wardens in reducing anti-social behaviour.The prosecutors, stationed across the country, will be responsible to the local community for pursuing anti-social behaviour cases through the courts. Under new laws, they will also be able to apply for Anti Social Behaviour Orders. They will be local experts in the types of powers available to tackle anti-social behaviour and a central contact point for all local agencies dealing with the problem.

Read more on NEW MEASURES STRENGTHEN CRACKDOWN ON ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR…