This publication present the findings from research into the views of staff, claimants for Housing and Council Tax Benefits and potential claimants, into the use of voice risk analysis to home in on potential false claims.

Read more on VOICE RISK ANALYSIS FOR IDENTIFYING FALSE CLAIMS…

Public sector leisure offers a very different service to that of 20 years ago. Here, Sarah Watts, MD of Alliance Leisure, explores the changing face of leisure and the newcomers to the country’s public sector leisure portfolio.

Read more on THE CHANGING FACE OF LEISURE…

The Leader of Liverpool City Council has written to the Prime Minister to withdraw the support of the Council for the Big Society. Liverpool is one of four councils chosen as a vanguard area to spearhead development of the Big Society initiative.

Read more on LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCIL PULLS OUT OF THE BIG SOCIETY…

The Localism Bill now being debated in Parliament will give councils greater freedom to manage their housing stock, but tenants will pay higher rents and in the longer term rent increases will also be higher.

Read more on LOCALISM BRINGS RENT INCREASES FOR COUNCIL TENANTS…

The London Borough of Camden, working with an employment broker, has launched an Employment Brokerage scheme. Over 500 member businesses within the Business Improvement District liaise with the broker to secure placements for local residents. The Business Improvement District is a public-private partnership which pays an additional tax in order to fund improvements within the district’s boundaries.

Read more on EMPLOYMENT BROKERAGE PROGRAMME HELPS THE UNEMPLOYED IN LONDON…

By Ed Cox and Jenni Viitanen.

This Good Practice Guide summarises the findings and recommendations of new research which explores the critical success factors for community and social enterprises working in deprived communities in the North West of England. The guide seeks to set out material gathered through the research in an accessible way for practitioners, particularly those working in local authorities.

Read more on SOCIAL ENTERPRISE – A GOOD PRACTICE GUIDE FOR PRACTITIONERS…

A network of Counter Fraud Champions is being set up in all major government departments to help strengthen the fight against the £21 billion fraud in the public sector.

The new Counter Fraud Champions will lead the fight against fraud and error in their own departments and in the agencies and other public bodies for which the department has responsibility.

Read more on CRACKDOWN ON FRAUD IN PUBLIC SECTOR…

There will be significant spending reductions in many areas of ICT across the public sector, but they will be balanced out by investments to save costs in other areas. Overall investment in ICT is predicted to remain steady during the next five years.

Read more on PUBLIC SERVICE ICT SUPPLIERS ESCAPE BUDGET CUTS…