WIREDGOV NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
As internet user habits evolve and the explosion of bandwidth-hungry applications continues, Councils across the UK are under increasing pressure to deliver cost-efficient, scalable and uninterrupted digital services to their citizens, staff and remote offices. These latest case studies detail how:
Click here to receive both case studies. |
| A chance to prove your idea works |
| The STFC Hartree Centre has announced the launch of a £50,000 competition for UK SMEs to win ‘Proof of Principle’ vouchers to help them unlock the business opportunities offered by the Internet of Things (IOT). The competition is building on the Hartree’s transformation of STFC’s Daresbury Laboratory into an IoT ‘living lab’ – one that is instrumented, interconnected & intelligent. Application forms can be downloaded from the website and must be submitted by Friday 20th November 2015. |
| Researched Links: |
|
Less James Bond; more Alan Turing & Gordon Welchman The Guardian: Why the UK public sector is slow to adopt the internet of things 5G Innovation Centre officially opens at the University of Surrey techUK welcomes the launch of IoTUK £10m Internet of Things competition for UK cities launched CDE Themed Competition: Security for the Internet of Things Thoughts on monetising the IoT, plus news from Brussels Ofcom gives green light for ‘TV white space’ wireless technology |
| An alternative option for the Chancellor to ‘think about’? |
|
The government should replace tax credits, Jobseeker’s Allowance, the Universal Credit, and most other major welfare payments with a single Negative Income Tax (NIT), according to a new report (Free Market Welfare: The case for a Negative Income Tax) from the Adam Smith Institute. This NIT would act as a minimum income guarantee for all British citizens and be tapered away as people’s earnings rise through work. Britain’s existing welfare programmes are ‘costly to administer, complicated to navigate, & designed for a postwar-style labour market that no longer exists’, and the paper argues abolishing the existing system would save the DWP up to £6bn in administrative costs. The payment scheme is structured so that the claimant is always better off working more hours or taking higher wages than in their current position. These payments would be automatic for workers within the PAYE system. |
| Researched Links: |
|
ASI: Reform tax credits with a Negative Income Tax, says new report IEA - Welfare state 'not fit for purpose' and public unable to influence government, poll reveals Government must do more to combat benefits fraud & error Universal Credit now available in over 60% of jobcentres in the UK ScotGov: Families punished by cuts IPPR: £1bn shortfall in Government childcare extension pledge TUC: Number of families with problem debt up by more than a quarter since 2012 Minimum wage increase must be backed by pay bargaining & job security rights, says TUC 94% increase in online tax credits renewals Universal Credit reform could lift over 500,000 children out of poverty JRF: Families struggle to close budget gap despite a pause in the rise of the cost of living IEA: The focus of welfare reform must be broader for substantial savings IFS: Benefit cuts: where might they come from? Osborne could have gone for the Finnish solution |
| Editorial Commentary; Another ‘omnishambles’ or brilliant political ‘trap’? |
|
While Labour & LibDems ‘crow’ over their recent political victory it might be worth looking at what has happened from a Conservative viewpoint;
|
| Local democracy restored |
| Greater responsibility for the governance of Tower Hamlets Borough Council will now fall to the mayor, Greg Clark. From last weekend, the government’s commissioners will no longer have the power to directly run the council, but will continue to carry out some functions and will oversee further improvements, which will be led by the mayor. |
|
CLG: Day-to-day running of Tower Hamlets to return to the council |
| ‘Sticking Plaster’ agreed |
| The past weeks have shown that the challenges currently faced along the Western Balkans migration route will not be solved through national actions. Last week, leaders representing Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Romania, Serbia & Slovenia met in Brussels and agreed to ‘improve cooperation & step up consultation between the countries along the route and decided on pragmatic operational measures that can be implemented as of tomorrow to tackle the refugee crisis in the region’. |
| Researched Links: |
|
Western Balkans Migration Route: Leaders Agree on 17-point plan of action Germany and Austria acting in compliance with Schengen Borders Code Migration: Debate on Turkey, Balkans, funds and borders with Tusk & Juncker EC grants additional emergency funding to Greece EU provides €365.5m to support Southern Mediterranean countries EC increases co-financing for assistance via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism Migration debate: the real divide Budget 2016: Parliament adds extra funds for migration & competitiveness |
| Timely announcement |
| The ICO has signed an agreement to be part of a new technical solution for international agencies involved in privacy enforcement, the GPEN Alert, which is intended to be a secure & confidential information sharing tool for Global Privacy Enforcement Network (GPEN) members. |
|
Information Commissioner's Office: Alert to help cross border privacy enforcement |
| Hitting the spot with ‘smart’ funding |
| A novel interactive rebound wall for ball games has made its debut on BT Spot’s Football Tonight show. Former England star Michael Owen was the first to test his talents against a wall designed especially for the show by WallJAM. Innovate UK provided support through Smart awards totaling £75,000 for proof-of-market & prototype development. |
| Researched Links: |
|
Innovate UK: WallJAM: novel rebound ball game spurs youngsters to get active Read about how other businesses have benefited from Smart funding |
| Recognising excellence in Social Value |
| The Cabinet Office has opened nominations for the Social Value Awards, which recognise & celebrate good practice in commissioning & providing social value. Nominate people or organisations for the awards by completing the online form by 20 November 2015. The Cabinet Office has also announced almost £30,000 funding for 8 social value projects around the country. |
| Researched Links: |
|
Cabinet Office: Nominations for Social Value Awards open Join 100,000 Public Service Practitioners, Talking, Sharing and Solving Issues Together The Guardian: The Social Value Act is largely being ignored Joint open data initiative "game changer" for social enterprise industry |
| Sweetest ‘Policy’ in Whitehall |
| The first jars of honey produced from Defra’s beehives have been collected. Defra’s first yield of 6.5kg have been bottled with the label ‘Whitehall Honey’ – just in time for National Honey Week. Defra installed beehives on the roof of Defra’s building in Westminster to demonstrate government commitment to improve health & well-being of pollinators. The government’s National Pollinator Strategy, which was launched last year, aims to raise awareness of what pollinators need to thrive. As part of the strategy, Defra launched the Bees’ Needs campaign, which consists of 5 simple actions. |
| Researched Links: |
|
Environment Secretary collects first ‘Whitehall Honey’ during National Honey Week |
| Patient Safety Alert |
| A PSA has been issued by NHS England to support providers of NHS funded care to minimise the risk of distress & death caused by inappropriate doses of naloxone. The new ‘Stage 2: Resource’ alert highlights a number of resources now available to help providers ensure their local protocols & training related to naloxone reflect best practice. These resources have been developed in response to a previous Patient Safety Alert issued in November 2014 to raise awareness of the risk. |
| NHS England: Patient safety alert – Support to minimise the risk of distress & death from inappropriate doses of naloxone |
|
|
|
More news, opinions, documents, claims & counter-claims; |
| Researched Links: |
|
Wales Office: Stephen Crabb "The world won't wait for Wales" |
