Local authority leaders are calling for any fines imposed on construction companies found to have been involved in rigging bids for contracts to be given to councils rather than going into central government coffers. Construction workers’ leaders, meanwhile, have claimed the price fixing uncovered by the Office of Fair Trading is an inevitable result of privatising and outsourcing of public sector building work.

Read more on CALL FOR BID-RIGGING FINES TO GO TO COUNCILS…

Birmingham City Council believes it is on course to having the best customer services of any local authority in the country. The council says dramatic improvements have taken a big step forward after members of its Cabinet Procurement Sub Committee considered the full business case for its package Customer First plan.

Read more on CITY COUNCIL CLAIMS TO LEAD THE WAY ON CUSTOMER…

By Sandra Nutley

The clamour for evidenced based policy can be heard world wide. In the UK policies emerging from departments must have an evidence base. The author describes how a better understanding about social programme implementation, client experiences of those programmes, and the sources and causes of implementation failure are having an impact.

She counters the argument that better research use is unproblematic, rational and linear and that the relationships between research, evidence, policy and practice are straightforward. She describes the agenda for action and calls for a wide-ranging debate and dialogue.

Read more on USING EVIDENCE – WHERE HAVE WE GOT TO AND HOW DO WE GO FORWARD?…