Developing and sustaining effective organisations
* This briefing provides an update on Government plans to revolutionise the way in which offenders are managed in the community. * It summarises the new Target Operating Model which details the way the new system will work and surveys a Summary of evidence on reducing reoffending. * A competitive process to identify and secure…
The smart city concept is mostly concerned with the variety of ways in which the management of urban environments is assisted by information technology. A large part of the concept hinges on the potential for information technology not only to collect and process data but to transform it into intelligence and to integrate it across…
• A number of recent reports have drawn attention to the quality of home care for older and disabled people and to threats to their human rights and dignity. • All the reports are based on surveys of local authorities, service users and/or care workers and/or Freedom of Information requests to local authorities. The reports…
* This briefing reviews the Government’s rural broadband programme and recent reports by the National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee. * Despite an investment of £1.2 billion, delivery of the Rural Broadband Programme is almost two years late, has failed to release the private sector contribution anticipated and proven both costly and problematic for…
The Public Sector Equality Duty has been under review by a government-appointed steering group as part of the Red Tape Challenge. The outcome is a report short on evidence, but which shows broad support for the duty. It includes some important findings on procurement.
On Your Radar provides regular updates on information from central government and other key organisations; looks back over the last period, ahead at what could be hitting the headlines and comments on issues relevant to local government that will be influencing the political landscape over the coming months. This edition contains: Upcoming briefings Consultations Select…
A White Paper on Social Media in Local Government considers what holds back senior council managers and staff from using social media more extensively, and looks at how West Midlands councils have used them to connect with the public, and “open up traditional public sector silos”.
On 3 September 2013, the European Commission announced a new European Capital of Innovation, or iCapital, contest. A prize of €500,000 will be awarded to a city considered to have made an outstanding achievement in building what is described as an ‘innovation ecosystem’ connecting people, places, local governments, businesses, and academia. The contest is open…
* The Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Bill introduces a register of lobbyists, limits election campaign spending by third parties and regulates trade union membership * This briefing summarises the Bill’s key provisions, its critics’ main concerns and its progress through Parliament. * The Bill has implications for local (and national)…
The last three years have seen various strands of work, by Government, local authorities and civil society to draw together policies and measures to help preserve and rejuvenate high streets and town centres, notably activity stemming from Mary Portas' Government-commissioned review in 2011. In September 2013, former Wickes and Iceland Chief Executive Bill Grimsey released…
