By Adam Crawford and Stuart Lister. A mixed economy of residential patrolling has developed following the introduction in the last few years of legislative and policy measures. The authors look at the roles played by the various patrol providers including police and community support officers working to a contract, neighbourhood wardens, voluntary citizens, neighbourhood watch patrols and private security guards. They suggest changes to be made if the local delivery of policing is to become a more joined-up endeavour.

By Tony Martin The introduction over the next five years of the NHS National Programme for IT is prompting trusts to think hard about different ways to manage IT. The challenge is to manage the different systems which have grown up over the years as a single entity. A situation which is common across the public sector. The author describes an approach that was adopted to meet the challenge.

By Barry Simpson Reproduced by permission of the Public Management and Policy Association People in the UK now travel three times as far in a week compared to 1952, but this greater mobility has led to diminished accessibility. Local services have declined and food deserts have emerged. Those without cars can become socially excluded. The author argues it is time to question what travel is necessary and to look at measures such as reduction of public expenditure to foster social inclusion.

By Deborah Quilgars Community care is normally delivered by individuals to individuals. The author describes a pilot project to involve people in need of care in a community setting and to provide the care on a community basis. The project revealed opportunities for networking with other community groups and with agencies not previously involved. It also gave access to funding. Moving away from an individual to a community view of care brings new perspectives as well as immediate benefits.

By Jabeer Butt and Alex O’Neil The numbers of older people from black and minority ethnic communities have risen sharply over the past decade, but the response of public services to their needs has generally been poor. The authors sought their views and found that the challenge is to move beyond the traditional research agenda and to develop practical ideas for responding to their needs. What is needed is a change of mindset as much as developing specific services.

Public service offers a bewildering array of jobs which present an unequalled range of challenges and call for a profusion of skills. Managing market services in a local council is well away from the centre stage of public service, but in many ways is typical of the less familiar roles. So who does a job like this? What contribution can be made to society? These and other questions are answered in the profile.

By David Crimmens, Fiona Factor, Tony Jeffs, John Pitts, Carole Pugh, Jean Spence and Penelope Turner. Providing a range of guidance and support for 13 to 19 year olds to help smooth the transition to adult life is the aim the Government’s Connexions strategy. Getting the socially excluded into education, training or work is central to the success of the strategy. The authors explore how street based youth work relates to Connextions. They identify the tensions in the links and suggest where action is needed.

By Andy Furlong and Fred Cartmel Unemployment blackspots exist in the era of full employment, but they are not restricted to specific areas. The authors looked at the blackspot of unskilled young men aged 25 – 29. The origins of their situation are traced back to disenchantment with school and inadequate family support. They call for an holistic approach to the issue, not just more government training schemes which fail to deliver results.

Many processes are repeated across groups of similar organizations throughout the public sector, but the one size fits all IT solution has repeatedly failed. Providing seed corn funding from the centre, first for the local and then for the national product, is proving much more successful. This example of collaboration between the Department of Work and Pensions and Bradford Council to speed housing benefit payments makes the point.

By Maria Sourbati Lack of technology is unlikely to impede progress towards putting public services on line by 2005, but the goal will be undermined by the people dimension. The author looked at Internet access from the view of older people, one group who are likely to find themselves on the wrong side of the digital divide. She outlines the challenges of bridging the divide.