COUNCILS UNIQUELY PLACED TO DRIVE UP EDUCATION STANDARDS SAYS THINK TANK

A new report says local government is uniquely placed to drive better education and lead the strategy for schools. The report from the think tank, New Local Government Network details the extent of the task council are facing in steering education provision following the 2006 Education and Inspections Bill and how they should use their unique position to drive up standards.

Read more on COUNCILS UNIQUELY PLACED TO DRIVE UP EDUCATION STANDARDS SAYS THINK TANK…

WHITE PAPER’S APPROACH SPARKS NEW IDEAS

With the long-awaited White Paper on local government due to be published today one leading London authority is calling for the Government to go further in giving more freedom to excellent authorities and a consumer group says that if public services are to improve, policy makers and service managers need to find opportunities to bring users and staff together.

Read more on WHITE PAPER’S APPROACH SPARKS NEW IDEAS…

This pamphlet from the Local Government Information Unit takes a detailed look at the restructuring debate and how local elected representatives are perceived by the general public. It highlights that there are officially at least 5,338 quangos in place across the country with limited democratic accountability. A new, England only poll of 1900, reveals that the public are dissatisfied with the current approach to governance and are now more than ever, in favour of increasing the responsibilities of local elected representatives.

Read more on WHITEHALL TO TOWN HALL: STRENGTHENING DEMOCRATIC CHOICE…

STRATEGY WILL SEE FIRE SERVICES PLAY BIGGER PART IN TACKLING DISADVANTAGE

For the first time combating anti social behaviour and reducing the fire risk faced by vulnerable youngsters is to be a mainstream activity for Fire and Rescue Services. A new Children and Young People strategy, which puts existing work by the Service on a more formal footing, has been launched.

Read more on STRATEGY WILL SEE FIRE SERVICES PLAY BIGGER PART IN TACKLING DISADVANTAGE…

CAMPAIGN CRITICISES GROWTH POINT PLANS AS THEY ARE UNVEILED

Forty-five towns and cities around the country have been confirmed as New Growth Points with the collective potential to deliver up to 100,000 extra new homes and hundreds more new jobs than previously planned. The proposals include a substantial number of properties priced to help first time buyers but they have run into immediate criticism from the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England.

Read more on …

This report from the Society for IT Management describes the Chief Information Officer as the agent of transformation. The role should be leading the change required for realisation of the transformation agenda within public services. The report also suggests that heads of ICT are well-placed to take on this responsibility.The report identifies some of the barriers to change that exist even in the most progressive organisations. In some cases there is disagreement that services will improve by being delivered in different ways. In other cases there is outright resistance to change. To overcome these barriers and deliver real improvement, public services require a competent organisation, a supportive culture, and a leader with the right skills. That leader, says the report, is the CIO and the person undertaking the role needs a mix of business, organisational and change management skills.

Read more on MODERN PUBLIC SERVICES: A ROLE FOR CHANGE…

PUBLIC SECTOR INNOVATION GOES UNRECOGNISED

‘What gets counted gets done’ does not hold true as far as innovation in the public, voluntary and not-for-profit sectors is concerned. Innovative developments remain hidden under current measures which focus on a narrow range of indicators. According to a new report from the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts, the innovation gap between the UK and innovation leaders such as US, Germany and Japan is largely the result of a focus on too narrow a section of the economy, namely science and technology expenditure and patent production. This measurement takes no account of innovation in areas such as social housing.

Read more on PUBLIC SECTOR INNOVATION GOES UNRECOGNISED…

CIVIL SERVICE REFORM MOVES UP A GEAR

Many of the reform initiatives now being pursued across the Civil Service, such as shared services and capability building programmes, are concerned with transformation and not just change. This shift has resulted from a recognition that a purely ‘top-down’ approach to policy development and service delivery will not deliver what is required.

Read more on CIVIL SERVICE REFORM MOVES UP A GEAR…

Many voluntary and community organisations are weak in HR. A report from the National Council for Voluntary Organisation’s and the UK Workforce Hub reveals that they often do not have the resources to employ a dedicated HR role, with the result that line managers carry out functions they are not trained to perform.The report, ‘Consortia purchase of Human Resources (HR) support’ gives forward thinking voluntary and community organisations the opportunity to explore different ways of meeting their HR management needs when planning and developing their workforce. It describes how through collaboration, organisations have the potential to take a far more proactive approach to HR. This will benefit organisations by enabling them to attract and retain good staff, as well as avoiding damaging and expensive litigation.

Read more on VCOs URGED TO SHARE HR SUPPORT…

COUNCILS WARN OVER FUNDING FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

Local authorities are warning that the funding of Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) might need to be reviewed if there is an increase in demand for the service. The warning comes in an interim report from the Local Government Association and means council leaders will now press the Government to extend financial support to help local authorities meet rising need.

Read more on COUNCILS WARN OVER FUNDING FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE…