The National Consumer Council has set up a Public Services Users Forum in what it is calling “the start of a new phase in the quest to re-shape our public services to better meet the needs of users”. The move, which is being made in collaboration with a wide range of user-interest groups, follows research that shows more than three million people are already involved in shaping their local communities and public services. The NCC says its initiative aims to build on this for the benefit of all public service users.The report, “User Power”, by Stirling University academics Johnston Birchall and Richard Simmons, is based on research among 500 users of social housing and community care services in England and Scotland. It shows that people become more altruistic and community-spirited the longer they are involved with services. The findings also show that participation is not limited to the better educated and better off. It says treating users as partners in the design and delivery of services, rather than seeing them as being on the receiving end of a contract, is a key to successful participation and better services.

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Head teachers are raising concerns today over new school inspection plans and calling for changes to the procedure under which schools can appeal against an inspector’s findings. David Hart, the General Secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, has written to Ofsted Chief Inspector, David Bell listing defects in the system.In the letter Mr. Hart points out that under the current system the appeal adjudicator has little real power and that complaints take far too long to be dealt with. He says, too, that Ofsted Reports cannot be amended unless the Registered Inspector who carried out the Inspection agrees.

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By Dan Corry Choice is high on the political agenda and is set to become a predominant feature of public services. The author looks at the different ways in which providers and users can influence outcomes and he sets out the dangers choice can bring. He argues that choice has the potential to improve some services more than others, but what is important is the way choice is given.