Systems
How can the State of the Cities Database be more useful? Recommendations based on user consultation.
29/01/10 18:11 Filed in: Research
| Technology
A user consultation, commissioned by Communities and
Local Government and carried out by Oxford
Consultants for Social Exclusion
(OCSI), identified how the CLG State of the
Cities Database could be made more useful to users.
This reports presents the recommendations made based
on the user consultation.
The report is aimed at users of the State of the Cities Database and people with a general interest in statistics for cities.
It is accompanied by a scoping study by OCSI that looks at the technical feasibility of updating the geographic definitions and data content on the State of the Cities Database.
Click here to view the report...
The report is published as a .pdf document. If you can not view the report, you may need to install Acrobat Reader on your machine.
The report is aimed at users of the State of the Cities Database and people with a general interest in statistics for cities.
It is accompanied by a scoping study by OCSI that looks at the technical feasibility of updating the geographic definitions and data content on the State of the Cities Database.
Click here to view the report...
The report is published as a .pdf document. If you can not view the report, you may need to install Acrobat Reader on your machine.
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Efficiency savings through outsourcing
26/06/07 12:36 Filed in: Public
Administration | Shared
Services
Spelthorne has recently renewed its IT outsourcing
contract with Steria to deliver technical solutions
that will support service modernisation and
improvement, while making £125K savings at the same
time. Spelthornes partnership with Steria is
supporting customer service improvement and releasing
significant efficiencies for its Planning and
Revenues and Benefits department with online
self-service facilities that allow residents and
businesses to manage their accounts and make payments
online.
Click here to view. Read More...
Click here to view. Read More...
Keys to LSP and LAA Success - Openness, Information Sharing and Performance Management Keys to LSP and LAA Success - Openness, Information Sharing and Performance Management
20/06/07 12:31 Filed in: Public
Administration | Local
Partherships
The open sharing of information and monitoring of
performance are key to the success of Local
Partnerships, LAAs and LSPs. Now for the very first
time, LocalGov TV are going to be talking the same
language but also talking about it at the same time.
'I believe that data and that accuracy of data will
provide us with the power we never had but also
provide us with much more confidence that the
activities we are suggesting as the way forward are
the right activities' claims Dr Angela Lennox,
Chair, Leicester Partnership.
To view click here.
Read More...
To view click here.
Read More...
Sharing Services: A route to getting started
18/06/07 12:29 Filed in: Public
Administration | Shared
Services
This expert forum brings together policy leaders,
advisors and practitioners to consider the benefits
that Shared Services between councils and other
public bodies can deliver, and, most importantly, the
different approaches to partnerships, governance and
commercial arrangements that are proving successful
in establishing successful shared services.
To view, click here. Read More...
To view, click here. Read More...
Developing the annual health check for 2007-08
21/06/07 11:45 Filed in: Health
The annual health check assesses whether general
standards and targets, in areas such as safety,
clinical effectiveness and focus on patients, are
being met on behalf of patients across the NHS. This
page describes the Healthcare
Commission's proposed approach to the assessment
of performance in 2007-08 and asks for comments
about a number of developments to the system.
Cutting bureaucracy in public services: DfES
21/06/07 11:41 Filed in: Public
Administration | Education
The Cabinet Office is today launching its public
sector better regulation strategy, which aims to
identify and reduce the bureaucratic burden on the
front line. The aim is to find practical ways to
lessen the main administrative and regulatory burdens
on the front line, without creating more bureaucracy
in order to do so.
The strategy follows up some major initiatives to reduce bureaucracy already underway, and also focuses on what’s next. In the HE sector, for example, a recently agreed Concordat is significantly simplifying data collection and quality assurance. Next steps will extend the Concordat to more organisations and professional bodies; seek to address issues of health education regulation; and, ensure that the implementation of Sandy Leitch’s recommendations in the HE sector is consistent with principles of good regulation.
In the schools sector, the New Relationship with Schools (NRwS) was formulated in response to a review of unnecessary bureaucracy. It aims, within the context of delivering school improvement and the five Every Child Matters outcomes, to: lift bureaucratic burdens that schools feel add nothing to their core purposes; remove confusion and irritation in schools as a result of the number and separateness of the initiatives coming at them (‘initiative overload’); improve accountability by helping schools identify priorities according to their needs, based on the evidence of their self-evaluation; and, restore schools’ sense of responsibility for their own actions.
And in FE, there have been a number of recent major reforms - a focus on simplification; the creation of a single inspectorate for FE and of an Information Authority, which sets standards and organises how information about FE is collected, managed and disseminated; the Managing Information Across Partners Programme, which is securing efficiencies by improving how information about learners and learning is shared across the whole education sector; the creation of a communications gateway for the FE System and the establishment of a Practitioner Panel to advise on the timing and content of publications – LSC has reduced by over 60% the number of its publications between January and March this year compared with the same time last year. The Department recognises and values the commitment shown by the members of the gatekeeping groups to helping the DfES and its delivery partners make a real difference for those at the frontline.
For the future, the big thing that will make a difference in FE is the move to self regulation. This offers the opportunity to further streamline and challenge.
The strategy follows up some major initiatives to reduce bureaucracy already underway, and also focuses on what’s next. In the HE sector, for example, a recently agreed Concordat is significantly simplifying data collection and quality assurance. Next steps will extend the Concordat to more organisations and professional bodies; seek to address issues of health education regulation; and, ensure that the implementation of Sandy Leitch’s recommendations in the HE sector is consistent with principles of good regulation.
In the schools sector, the New Relationship with Schools (NRwS) was formulated in response to a review of unnecessary bureaucracy. It aims, within the context of delivering school improvement and the five Every Child Matters outcomes, to: lift bureaucratic burdens that schools feel add nothing to their core purposes; remove confusion and irritation in schools as a result of the number and separateness of the initiatives coming at them (‘initiative overload’); improve accountability by helping schools identify priorities according to their needs, based on the evidence of their self-evaluation; and, restore schools’ sense of responsibility for their own actions.
And in FE, there have been a number of recent major reforms - a focus on simplification; the creation of a single inspectorate for FE and of an Information Authority, which sets standards and organises how information about FE is collected, managed and disseminated; the Managing Information Across Partners Programme, which is securing efficiencies by improving how information about learners and learning is shared across the whole education sector; the creation of a communications gateway for the FE System and the establishment of a Practitioner Panel to advise on the timing and content of publications – LSC has reduced by over 60% the number of its publications between January and March this year compared with the same time last year. The Department recognises and values the commitment shown by the members of the gatekeeping groups to helping the DfES and its delivery partners make a real difference for those at the frontline.
For the future, the big thing that will make a difference in FE is the move to self regulation. This offers the opportunity to further streamline and challenge.
ICT capital grant for mobile technology
This updated circular sets out the
requirements for the ICT capital grant for
2007-08. In particular, the specific conditions
of grant, grant allocations and payment
arrangement. The main change to this guidance is
in the Acceptance of Grant form at Annex E.
Beyond procurement: Connecting procurement practice to patients
19/06/07 11:25 Filed in: Health | Procurement
This good practice guidance,
produced by the Department of Health, is aimed
at commissioners and procurement experts and is
designed to achieve better procurement outcomes
for the NHS by aligning equality and efficiency
goals. It is based on the experience and
knowledge of specialist procurement and equality
staff in 10 NHS Mosaic pilot sites, this guide
shares information and encourages innovation.
Power of information
07/06/07 18:42 Filed in: Public
Administration
This independent report was
commissioned to ensure government acts as a
leader in understanding changes in communication
and information technology. It talks about a new
era, where government starts to learn how to
support citizens' own ways of making, finding
and re-using information online.
Click here to access the relevant Cabinet Office webpage.
Click here to access the relevant Cabinet Office webpage.
Procurement Solutions for the public sector
06/06/07 17:08 Filed in: Conferences
| Procurement
Procurement Solutions has long been recognised for
its unrivalled educational programme and is renowned
for its inspirational keynotes and practical seminars
that deliver the best in education and inspiration
alike.
If you're looking to overcome the efficiency, sustainability and e-procurement challenges faced in the public sector then you need to be at Procurement Solutions 2007. You will hear from the biggest-names in government and have access to the best free educational programme and the best suppliers offering you the best value for money.
Spend a day at Procurement Solutions and learn to:
• Implement sustainable procurement practices
• Make further measurable efficiency savings
• Deliver fully-enabled eProcurement best practice
• Introduce new technologies to facilitate improved service delivery and efficiency
• Source new products and services
Full details and an on-line registration form are on the Procurement Solutions website.
Contact details: OGC Service Desk Tel: 0845 000 4999 E-mail: ServiceDesk@ogc.gsi.gov.uk
If you're looking to overcome the efficiency, sustainability and e-procurement challenges faced in the public sector then you need to be at Procurement Solutions 2007. You will hear from the biggest-names in government and have access to the best free educational programme and the best suppliers offering you the best value for money.
Spend a day at Procurement Solutions and learn to:
• Implement sustainable procurement practices
• Make further measurable efficiency savings
• Deliver fully-enabled eProcurement best practice
• Introduce new technologies to facilitate improved service delivery and efficiency
• Source new products and services
Full details and an on-line registration form are on the Procurement Solutions website.
Contact details: OGC Service Desk Tel: 0845 000 4999 E-mail: ServiceDesk@ogc.gsi.gov.uk