Government plans to transform public services against the backdrop of £81bn spending cuts over the next four years will fail unless policy makers recognise the importance of supporting a step-change in people and HR management capability, to deliver higher-quality and lower-cost front line services. This call comes from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and the Public Sector People Managers Association.

Read more on JOINT CALL FOR CHANGE IN HR AND PEOPLE MANAGEMENT…

When central government functions are outsourced to the private and third sectors new employees hired to work alongside ex-public sector employees will no longer have a right to the same terms and conditions as their ex-public sector colleagues.

Read more on NEW EMPLOYEES OF OUTSOURCING COMPANIES LOSE EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS…

Edited by Dr Joanna Richardson

Written by leading academics in the field of local governance, finance, systems thinking and politics, this topical book examines and debates the challenges posed, on a local, European and global level.

Read more on FROM RECESSION TO RENEWAL – IMPACT OF FINANCIAL CRISIS ON PUBLIC SERVICES…

Dame Carol Black’s review of the health of Britain’s working age population published in 2008 recognised the beneficial impact that work can have on an individual’s state of health and that work is generally good for both physical and mental health.

Read more on HEALTH WORK AND WELL-BEING INDICATORS REPORT…

Looking Local is to partner with the Community Channel and bring viewers on Sky direct access to information and services from over 125 public sector organisations simply by pressing the red button. The new service, which is aimed at people without internet access, is launched as Directgov withdraws its service from SKY later this month.

Over 125 local authorities, housing associations, health organisations as well as Jobcentre Plus, Transport Direct and NHS work with Looking Local to widen access to their services, delivering them straight to homes that often need them most. Over nine million people do not have Internet access in the UK and Looking Local makes significant inroads in terms of providing electronic access services to these people, as well as bringing efficiency savings to partners in terms of improving their self service records.

Read more on NEW PARTNERSHIP BRINGS PUBLIC SERVICES TO TV SCREEN…

A new service has been launched to help volunteers, community groups and social enterprises overcome bureaucracy and get things done in their neighbourhood.

Councils, community groups, local institutions and individuals who need central government’s help to get rid of barriers can submit a request through the Barrier Busting website Everyone who submits a query will be given an individual number to track the progress of their request and the contact details of a named person they can talk to from a dedicated team of “barrier busters” – senior civil servants in the Government who will help find ways to let local people take control.

Read more on BARRIER BUSTING SERVICE TO HELP LOCAL INITIATIVES…

By Ewen Anderson

In an uncertain economy, our instinct is to make the best with what we have, rather than splash out on new products. Car owners are an obvious example. They eke out another thirty thousand miles from their old vehicle, patching her up at the garage every time she develops another rattle. The fact that a new car would save on fuel, tax and running costs – not to mention stress – is eclipsed by this determination to battle on grimly as before.

Read more on THE FALSE ECONOMY OF FAILING TO INVEST IN IT…

All public services should be open to diverse provision, with monopoly provision justified on an exceptional basis. This principle is embodied in the Localism Bill which will give rights to new and established service providers.

Read more on LOCALISM BILL WIDENS RANGE OF SERVICE PROVIDERS…

Estimates of job losses in local government following the spending settlement range from 70,000 to 140,000 posts, but the losses are likely to be much greater in deprived areas where often unemployment is already high. This disparity in settlement reductions has occurred because funding previously ring-fenced for deprived authorities is being rolled into the overall grant.

Read more on BIG STAFF CUTS PREDICTED FOR DEPRIVED AREAS…

By Stephen Denning

The book introduces the concept of narrative intelligence—an ability to understand and act and react agilely in the quicksilver world of interacting narratives. It shows why this is key to the central task of leadership, what its dimensions are, and how you can measure it.

Read more on THE SECRET LANGUAGE OF LEADERSHIP…