Schools in Wales have been told they could make an extra 20 million pounds a year available for education if they take steps to save money on buying everyday equipment such as stationery and photocopiers. Andrew Davies, the Welsh Assembly Minister for Finance and Public Service Delivery is urging them to get better value.
Read more on SCHOOLS AND COUNCILS URGED TO MAKE USE OF PROCUREMENT INITIATIVE…
The Government’s facing a call from local authorities to clarify its position on allowing councils to charge for rubbish collections as a way of encouraging householders to recycle more. The plea from the Local Government Association came as the Government seemed to be defending its plans to allow ‘pay as you throw’ schemes in spite of reports that it had shelved the idea.
Read more on COUNCILS CALL FOR CLARITY ON ‘PAY AS YOU THROW’ POLICY…
This report from Communities and Local Government describes how the structural changes made by councils in 2000 to enhance executive decision-making has led to more visible and effective leadership, faster decision-making and better public services.Most authorities, 81 per cent, opted for the leader cabinet system, 3% for mayoral systems and the remaining 59 smaller authorities, 15 percent, chose to maintain streamlined committee systems in alternative arrangements authorities.
There has been a call for the proposed new body taking over the regulation of health and adult social care services to ensure that it involves people who use care services and puts them at the centre of its work. The Commission for Social Care Inspection said it would be looking to the new Care Quality Commission to continue making progress in that area.
Read more on CALL FOR PROPOSED NEW REGULATOR TO PUT USERS AT CENTRE OF WORK…
Shortcomings in the way that population figures are estimated are causing problems for local councils, according to the Chairman of the Local Government Association, Sir Simon Milton. Speaking after the Office for National Statistics predicted the UK population would reach 65 million by 2016, Sir Simon said official figures on the number of migrants were ‘woefully inadequate.’
Read more on COUNCILS WANT MORE INFORMATION ON POPULATION FIGURES…
Reforms affecting the school workforce, particularly the reduction in teachers’ overall hours, have resulted in a revolutionary shift in workforce culture, with clear benefits for many schools. This is the conclusion of the report from Ofsted.Headteachers and senior managers continue to sustain a heavy workload, but increasingly they are supported by well qualified and experienced managers from outside education which is allowing them to allocate more time for strategic leadership and management. The substantial expansion of the wider workforce at all levels is allowing the survey schools to extend the curriculum, provide more care, guidance and support for pupils, and use data more effectively to monitor pupils’ progress.
Staff at Bristol City Council have become the first ever European winners of a major American award. The council’s Corporate Procurement team have carried off the US National Purchasing Institute Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award, which recognises excellence in public procurement by measuring innovation, professionalism, productivity, e-procurement and leadership.
New research has shown overwhelming public backing for tough action against anyone who assaults social care staff. More than half the people questioned would support benefit cuts and Anti-Social Behaviour Orders for those responsible. At the same time figures show there were more than 4,000 assaults on care staff in just 12 local authority areas in a single year.
Read more on PUBLIC SUPPORT TOUGH ACTION OVER ATTACKS ON CARE STAFF…
This report has been described as a great tool for policymakers, volunteer managers and anyone who wants hard evidence of the impact that volunteers can have in priority areas of social policy. It provides evidence for the success of volunteering, but voices the weariness of volunteers at the Government’s approach to volunteering. The report is published by The Commission on the Future of Volunteering.The report brings together for the first time the best evidence that demonstrates the positive impact of volunteering in key policy areas of development, safer and stronger communities, social inclusion, quality of life and lifelong learning.
Local authorities are being reminded of their obligations under the Data Protection Act to protect people from identity theft by restricting the amount of personal information which they publish on their websites. It follows a complaint against a Scottish council that was upheld by the Information Commissioner’s Office.
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