Most councils are developing a multi agency approach to children’s services ahead of the Government’s Community Budgets pilot schemes.
A survey of council children’s services staff found that 84 per cent of respondents said they were already working in or planning to work in multi-agency teams to help improve outcomes around children and families.
Read more on COUNCILS AHEAD OF THE CURVE IN DEVELOPING CHILDREN’S SERVICES…
The public sector is predicting fewer redundancies according to the quarterly Labour Market Outlook survey from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
The fall in redundancy intentions rather than the creation of news jobs has produced an improved jobs prospect. The net employment balance for the public sector is -32.This is its least negative since the winter 2009/10 report. It compares to -49 in the last quarter. The number of public sector employers planning redundancies has fallen per cent to 45 from 49 per cent during the same period.
Levels of staff engagement are low across all organisations in the UK, but they are particularly low in the public sector.
Research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development has found that three quarters of employers report a lack of leadership and management skills and too many managers have an inflated opinion of their ability to manage people. In response, the CIPD is urging employers to recognise that just a small increase in capability amongst the UK’s eight million people managers would make a significant contribution to productivity.
Read more on PUBLIC SECTOR MANAGERS FAILING TO ENGAGE STAFF…
The Regional Growth Fund for job creation could have been spent on projects that would have produced far more jobs. The National Audit Office found that a greater focus on value for money and spreading the funding more widely could have produced a better result.
Councils have cut temporary labour usage by 15 per cent in the last year, but the cost of employing temps is rising.
The Comensura Government Index shows councils in the the North East and West Midlands lead the reduction in temporary labour usage.
The North East saw the biggest drop in temporary recruitment at 127 per cent with the West Midlands following close behind at 115.9 per cent.
A new national taskforce is being set up to tackle the issue of immigrants living in sheds and outhouses. The taskforce will include police, the UK Border Agency, local councils and HM Revenue and Customs.
Councils have been invited to run pilot projects to explore the issues of delivering Universal Credit which will replace the current benefit and tax credit systems.
From October 2013, tax credits and benefits including Jobseeker’s Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Housing Benefit and Income Support will start to be merged into a single Universal Credit payment. This means people will receive a single payment each month which will help ensure they will be better off in work than on benefits.
The first mutual for delivering central government services has been launched. MyCSP Ltd is a ‘John Lewis style’ business which will manage the payment of Civil Service pensions. Mutuals are well established in the health service where they deliver £1b of services.
Read more on MOVE TO EXTEND PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY BY MUTUALS GETS BOOST…
Up to 15 pilot community trusts will start up in August 2012 and adult education services and FE colleges have been asked to make bids for funding.
Organisations such as adult education services and FE colleges that are funded from the Skills Funding Agency’s £210 million annual Community Learning budget have been invited to prepare applications in collaboration with local community organisations, businesses and services.
The town hall rich list published by the Taxpayers Alliance shows a 13per cent increase in staff earning more than £100,000.
Research by the Alliance shows that there were 3097 council employees who received total remuneration in excess of £100,000 in 2010-11. There were 2295 top earners in 2011 and 1250 in 2010.
Read more on TOWN HALL RICH LIST SHOWS TOP PAY BUCKING THE TREND…
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