A 28 per cent cut in council budgets over the next four years will have a severe impact on care services. In a move to improve efficiency to limit the harmful effect of the cut, the Spending Review has provided for £1b to be moved from the health capital to health revenue budget. It will be spent on measures that support social care, where there are also benefits to health.

Read more on SPENDING REVIEW SUPPORTS INTEGRATION OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE…

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development has warned that excellent people management will be crucial for public services to survive the cuts in the Spending Review.

The Institute believes that the unprecedented scale of change set out in the Spending Review cannot be delivered without a concerted and committed focus on supporting, bolstering and improving public sector management capability. This view is based on research showing that while the unions cannot rely on public sympathy to face down the Government’s cuts through sustained strike action, ministers cannot rely on limited enthusiasm for strikes to deliver their vision of reformed, streamlined and diversified public service delivery.

Read more on WARNING THAT PEOPLE MANAGEMENT CRUCIAL IN THE ERA OF CUTS…

The Comprehensive Spending Review will impact front-line services despite government promises that they will be protected from austerity measures. This is the key finding from a survey of senior decision makers in public sector finance functions. The research was carried out among 100 senior public sector finance officers by ComRes on behalf of VMware.

Read more on SURVEY REVEALS EXPECTATION OF FRONT LINE SERVICE CUTS…

The Efficiency and Reform Group set up in the Cabinet Office four months ago to ensure that departments across Whitehall adopted a new and ambitious approach to saving money, has announced savings of hundreds of millions of pounds.

Read more on EFFICIENCY GROUP DELIVERS SAVINGS AHEAD OF SPENDING REVIEW…

By Richard L Daft.

The book describes lessons for leaders on resolving the ongoing struggle between instinct and the creative mind.

Kings, heads of government, and corporate executives lead thousands of people and manage endless resources, but may not have mastery over themselves. Often leaders know that right action is important, but have little (if any) understanding of what prevents them from acting in accordance with their intentions.

Read more on THE EXECUTIVE AND THE ELEPHANT: A LEADER’S GUIDE FOR BUILDING INNER EXCELLENCE…

In advance of next Wednesday’s Comprehensive Spending Review, research by recruitment consultants Badenoch & Clark has found that morale amongst public sector workers has hit an all time low.

The survey, conducted last week, revealed over a fifth of those working in the public sector have no idea what to expect in next Wednesday’s Review, whilst one in five said they were expecting significant job losses. A further quarter said they were concerned that job losses would leave their department hugely under resourced. A sixth of workers thought there would be no job losses but the cuts would have further impacts on morale.

Read more on PUBLIC SECTOR MORALE HITS ALL TIME LOW…

A record number of public sector workers are turning to part time work to battle the effects of the recent pay freeze, according to catalogue firm Kleeneze.

Kleeneze have reported a 200% per cent increase in enquires from teachers, council workers and medical practitioners who are looking to explore other work opportunities in order to make some much needed extra income.

Read more on PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS TURN TO PART-TIME WORK…

This programme is now available to view on localgov.tv the online television channel for public service modernisation. Roy Lilley, the former NHS Chairman, broadcaster and writer, explores the benefits and pitfalls of setting up and working in a social enterprise.

Read more on SOCIAL ENTERPRISE BENEFITS AND PITFALLS…

Art and culture has helped to regenerate major cities and now is the time to apply this approach elsewhere. Collaborative working across boundaries will be the key to success.

New ways of working are needed to apply the lessons of regeneration to other places. This is the theme of a new report from Regional Cities East, the smaller cities partnership of Peterborough, Luton, Ipswich, Norwich, Colchester and Southend-on-Sea, working in collaboration with Arts Council England.

Read more on NEED FOR NEW THINKING ABOUT ROLE OF CULTURE IN REGENERATION…

The countryside, and a multi-billion pound rural economy, could be in peril if public sector cuts ignore the lessons of the foot and mouth crisis and axe rights of way services.

Read more on ACCESS TO COUNTRYSIDE THREATENED BY CUTS…