In the past decade there has been a deterioration in the affordability of homeownership while the affordability of private renting has remained broadly stable. In response the Unit developed three new indicators: the deposit measure – deposit required as a proportion of take home household income, mortgage cost- the costs as a proportion of take home household income, and rents – the rent as a proportion of take home household income.

In preparing these indicators the Unit has sought to use measures that reflect the homes that first-time buyers actually buy and the incomes that they have, within the limitations of the available data sources.

In many cases more than one income is used to pay the mortgage or the rent. To reflect this, the Unit has constructed a ‘typical household’ income which consists of one lower quartile earnings and one median earnings, this reflects both the typical income and the relative earnings in a young two earner household.

The National Housing and Planning Advice Unit was established in response to the pressing issue of housing affordability highlighted by Kate Barker’s Review of Housing Supply. It is a non-departmental public body, sponsored by Communities and Local Government, designated to provide independent advice on affordability matters to the Government, Regional Assemblies and other stakeholders with an interest in the housing market.

The document is available from CLG. http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/507390/pdf/1465717.pdf

He gives his insight into the upcoming advances in the transformational government agenda, which includes demystifying what ‘G-cloud’ is and the phenomenal impact it is set to have on improving public services.

GBTV is a dedicated web-cast television channel for governors of public bodies, council members and senior executives across all public sector organisations and is available free to an unlimited audience at anytime, at any location via the internet.

The programme can be viewed at www.localgov.tv

Flexible working embraces employees working from home and using conferencing and secure remote access.

This interview with David Dunbar, Director of BT Workstyle reveals the enormous savings possible based on BT’s first-hand experience and within local government. This includes a 20% boost in productivity and savings of £550 million a year in property. The programme looks at the existing barriers to adopting flexible working and how they can be overcome to unlock cashable savings and service improvements

GBTV is a dedicated web-cast television channel for governors of public bodies, council members and senior executives across all public sector organisations and is available free to an unlimited audience at anytime, at any location via the internet.

The programme can be viewed at www.localgov.tv

The role of Networks is to help improve the care that is provided. The core strength of a Network lies in the expertise and experience of its members and in their independence.

There are networks in every local authority area to give people more influence over how their local health and social care services are planned and delivered. It is important that managers working in health and social care are in close touch with their network. Effective engagement throws up information that can result in innovative new ideas, improved quality and higher productivity. Working with the local Network should be a key part of commissioning, running and reviewing health and social care service.

ENGAGING AND RESPONDING TO COMMUNITIES – LOCAL INVOLVEMENT NETWORKS is available from DoH. http://www.dh.gov.uk/dr_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/@ps/documents/digitalasset/dh_111428.pdf

The MGP Pilot aims to respond to the challenge of continuing to raise educational achievement by focusing on progression as well as attainment in five key strands.

The evaluation found that respondents were supportive of the principles of the Pilot, with 63% of teachers surveyed reporting that the Pilot should be rolled out nationally.

Analysis of progression data shows that at KS2, the proportion of pupils in the Pilot making at least two levels of progress was: 87.5% in reading; 72.6% in writing; 80.7% in English and 78.8% in mathematics.

All local authority pilot leaders, 83% of headteachers, 69% of Heads of Department and 71% of teachers indicated that the MGP Pilot overall had contributed to increased rates of progression.

EVALUATION OF THE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS PILOT is available from DCSF
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/DCSF-RR184.pdf

They offer a framework for service accountability, based on existing service standards and levels. Through the negotiation of service standards and intense scrutiny of neighbourhood level service performance, the contracts have put the ‘spotlight’ on existing standards.

People most actively involved in community contracts were existing community representatives, members of organisations and volunteers, and the effect was that the contracts enhanced their roles.

The evaluation found that levels of awareness amongst residents who had not been as closely involved in contracts were patchy at best. Many who were aware of the document were not familiar with its purpose or basic content.

It was also found that contracts had enabled better management of expectations between services, councillors and active residents who were directly involved. There were examples where resident satisfaction had increased during the period of the contract where people had noticed service and neighbourhood improvements. However, there was still dissatisfaction with services and agencies.

Some local elected members had been very close to and supportive of contracts. Where councillors had been positively involved in contracts they played different roles, ranging from practical contributions on the ground to strategic roles as ‘unblockers’ of problems with services and the authority, and as champions of the contract within the authorities. Contracts had enhanced relationships between councillors and those citizens who were more closely involved in contracts. However, contracts had not yet significantly changed the way that councilors interact with individual constituents and citizens.

EVALUATION OF THE COMMUNITY CONTRACTS PILOT PROGRAMME is available from CLG.
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/communities/pdf/1423947.pdf

The survey research organisation Ipsos MORI has developed a substantial amount of data related to the overall performance of local public services and their communication effectiveness. It looked at 29 London local authorities, including 7 that were rated as ‘excellent’ by the Audit Commission for 2003/4. It found that all 7 ‘excellent’ councils were also among the top 11 councils rated by the public as being the best at keeping them informed.

Ipsos MORI also found that within the NHS the better-performing trusts committed more resources to communication, were more likely to have marketing strategies in place, and had communication teams that were more influential.

Good communication is also important for engaging with staff. The Cabinet Office carried out a review of the evidence base for employee engagement during 2007, as part of its work on improving engagement with civil servants across all government departments. It showed that engaged staff are 43% more productive, perform up to 20% more effectively and take an average of 3.5 fewer sick days a year than disengaged staff. So, good communication that engages staff, customers/patients and stakeholders is vital to organisational success.

The document quotes examples of what good communication looks like.

THE COMMUNICATING ORGANISATION is available from Department of Heath
http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_110343.pdf

Views include looking at the role of Quangos and Regional Development Agencies to see what policy areas could go to consortia of local authorities.

Using a zero based budget approach with each area starting to build a total place budget for that area.

The NHS taking a root and branch approach to reviewing pathways to care, together with new thinking that would allow more amalgamation away from the front line and more rationalisation and savings in the corporate overhead.

There is also a view that the cuts provide a unique opportunity to drive through organisational change that would have proved almost impossible in better times.

HOW WILL PUBLIC SPENDING CUGS BE MANAGED? is available at http://www.market-talk.co.uk/2010/01/21/how-will-the-inevitable-spending-cuts-in-the-public-sector-be-managed/

The authors urge that organizations across the country should emulate the innovations that are emerging from the Total Place pilots and that government should address the systemic impediments to innovation across the public sector. At the same time there should be systemic change in government processes, such as financing, performance measurement and commissioning.

PLACE BASED INNOVATION is available from NSG.

The main role of LINks is to improve care services and their strength lies in their expertise and experience, and in their independence. Each LINk decides its priorities and how it builds on the existing work of the voluntary and community groups.

Health and care professionals know that to provide high quality responsive care, it is essential to understand what really matters to service users and to act upon this information. The role of LINks is to provide this feedback.

With services having to meet higher public expectations, whilst at the same time making the most of existing resources, an ongoing conversation with the community is more important than ever.

LINks have been set up to help bring about genuine changes to health and social care services. This means working in partnership with health and care staff to maintain and improve on what already exists.

ENGAGING AND RESPONDING TO COMMUNITIES is available from DoH.
http://www.dh.gov.uk/dr_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/@ps/documents/digitalasset/dh_111428.pdf