The Society of IT Management has published an Insight briefing on getting better value from council websites. It argues that customer self-service must move sharply up the agenda if councils are to meet future demand for services against a background of static or falling budgets.
Read more on DELIVERING MORE FOR LESS THROUGH COUNCIL WEBSITES…
This survey of staff attitudes published by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development shows a rise in job satisfaction. It is suggested that employees grateful to have a job at all are less likely to grumble, and more likely to see scorched earth rather than greener grass on the other side of the fence.
This report from the Department for Children Schools and Families examines why young people from poor families are more likely to experience lower achievement in school, and more likely to participate in a range of risky behaviours as teenagers, than young people from richer families.
This report commissioned by the Department for Work and Pensions charts a way to help in developing messages to influence the way people think about when and how they should retire from paid work. The aim is to encourage people to stay in work up to and beyond State Pension age.
This report from the Department of Health sets out findings from a review of the systems in place for informing the commissioning, service design and policy decisions that drive service improvement towards meeting better customer needs and preferences. Customers include the overlapping groups of patients, service users, carers and the wider public as citizens, taxpayers and potential patients and service users.
Read more on REVIEW OF CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE INFORMATION IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE…
Changes in crime and disorder legislation now give councillors extended powers to scrutinise the functions of crime and disorder partnerships. Guidance from the Home Office describes the unique role councilors play in local decision making and in providing a clear line of democratic accountability between decision-making and the people they serve.
The British Crime Survey for 2008, carried out by the Home Office, reveals that 46 per cent of adults agreed that the police and local councils were dealing with anti-social behaviour and crime issues that matter in the local area. The survey also showed that 42 per cent agreed that the police and local councils sought people’s views about anti-social behaviour and crime issues.
Read more on PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS OF POLICE AND LOCAL COUNCILS…
The Action Plan for Digital Inclusion, published by Communities and Local Government, has received broad support from recent consultation. The key issue addressed by the plan is how to bring the benefits of the Internet to the 17 million people in the UK who do not use computers.
The 2009 annual survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development reveals that across all sectors training spend per employee has fallen by almost one third from £300 last year to £220 this year.
This programme is now available to view on egovtv.tv, the online television channel for public service modernisation. Margaret Eaton, Chair of the LGA, discusses how citizens and councils can benefit from universal access to high-speed broadband as recommended in Lord Carter’s recent Digital Britain report.
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