WIREDGOV NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE

HMTNot including the £10 for the Chancellor’s burger - Details of spending plans for the year 2015 to 2016 have been announced by the Chancellor, including an increase in capital spending by £3bn per year. 

The Spending Round is the next stage in the government’s plan to move from rescue to recovery. That was the message from Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, as he delivered his Spending Round speech last week, setting out departmental budgets for the financial year 2015 to 2016.
Press release & links ~ HMT: Government prioritises long-term investment in infrastructure spending ~ Chancellor's spending plans are toxic, says TUC ~ Spending Review 2013: Statement from IfG ~ APCC: Comprehensive SR Announcement ~ Eric Pickles hails Council Tax ‘5 year freeze’ and £3.8bn for social care ~ CBI's full response to SR ~ Welsh Secretary responds to S4C funding announcement ~ The Work Foundation - SR provides welcome protection for science and innovation ~ WO: Solutions to boosting Welsh Infrastructure on the agenda ~ Welsh Secretary: ‘Infrastructure measures show Wales is open for business’ ~ IEA: Osborne's SR is just more salami slicing ~ IPPR - North/South divide widened by SR ~ STFC: 2015-16 Science Budget ~ WAG: Jane Hutt welcomes joint review of convergence ~ The Kings Fund - Our response to the announcement of the SR ~ Think tank Policy Exchange warns of £40bn worth of additional cuts over next 50 years ~ PX: Capping Welfare ~ IEA: Government should cut HS2 ~ CBI reaction to government infrastructure plan ~ ScotGov: Cuts confirm choice of two futures ~ SFA: Government’s SR 2015-16 ~ Infrastructure projects need to start now, says TUC ~ DCMS: 1.4m more premises to get superfast broadband after £250m capital investment ~ CLG: £3.5bn deal to build homes and drive local growth ~ NHS Confed: SR 2013 – key points for the NHS ~ IfL responds to SR
 
DHAn issue impacting on both men & women! - With 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men affected by domestic violence during their adult lives, every workplace up & down the country is touched by this issue.  The Department of Health, working closely with CAADA, has developed 2 leaflets:
* one for employees ensuring they understand their rights & responsibilities within the organisation
* a separate leaflet for employers, giving guidance on how to support those who are in immediate need of help

A Public Health Responsibility Deal pledge has been developed with the help of charities including CAADA, CAADV and Eliminate Domestic Violence.
Press release & links ~ Public Health Responsibility Deal ~ CAADA ~ CAADV ~ Eliminate Domestic Violence ~ BIG: Help for young people at risk of domestic violence ~ MPs say ending violence against women is the key to ending poverty ~ Better protection for victims of domestic violence under new EU law adopted ~ MoJ: New mediation laws to help separating couples ~ EHRC: New guidance launched to help employers support staff experiencing domestic abuse ~ Extended definition of domestic violence takes effect ~ International Women's Day - Speak out & stand up to end violence against women ~ Action at home in the UK is key to ending the worldwide scourge of female genital mutilation ~ Working together we can end violence against women ~ This is Abuse - new advert launched ~ ONS - Focus on: Violent Crime & Sexual Offences, 2011/12 ~ Campaign Tackles Domestic Violence Ahead of Six Nations Matches ~ IPCC publishes investigation report into Essex Police contact with Jeanette Goodwin prior to her murder ~ 'Clare's law' pilot begins ~ Fear of stigma holding men back from seeking help – BIG report finds ~ Protecting victims of domestic violence ~ HO:  Turning the ‘hunters’ into the ‘hunted’ (4th item) ~ Men’s Advice Line ~ Respect ~ Mankind initiative ~ Hidden Hurt 
  
BISAnd pigs might fly! - Reforms to curb excessive executive pay have been confirmed after the new regulations were laid before Parliament.   From 1 October 2013 investors will be better informed about how much directors have been & will be paid along with how this relates to company performance. 

As a result, shareholders of around 900 main market companies will be ‘better prepared to hold companies to account, using clearer information on pay to exercise their new legally binding vote on executive pay’.
Press release & links ~ CBI responds to Cox Review on short-termism ~ Cox Review: Overcoming short-termism within British business ~ HSBC bonus payout shows 'culture of entitlement' is alive and well in the City, says TUC ~ Directors' pay rising seven times faster than average wages ~ Eric Pickles acts to limit Town Hall chiefs' golden goodbyes ~ Top bosses' pension pots increase to £4.3m ~ CBI responds to Kay Review ~ Kay review ~ PX: Bonuses for failing directors should be clawed back, says think tank ~ Government strengthens reporting framework for directors’ pay ~ BIS:  Companies should be run for the benefit of their owners & all workers, not just a few privileged managers (2nd item)

HOOne may see the logic behind its introduction, but the ‘fairness’ should be monitored - From 25 June 2013 there will be no right of appeal against the refusal of a family visit visa application, unless the appeal is on human rights or race discrimination grounds.  With 46,000 visit visa appeals received last year alone, removing the burden of these appeals should allow visa staff to make decisions quicker and lead to an improved customer service.
Press release & links

DWP It is ‘right’ that loyal service should be taken into account - The amount of money which long-serving staff can receive in retirement if their company ‘folds’ is set to increase, the Minister for Pensions has announced.  

Long service is not currently taken into account when a person whose defined benefit pension scheme collapses and is then taken over by the Pension Protection Fund (PPF). The government is to increase the maximum level for those receiving capped compensation by 3% for every year of service over 20 years.

The revised compensation cap will not be backdated: anyone covered by this change who is already in receipt of capped compensation will get the increase from the date the relevant legislation is in place.
Press release & links

TNAAny budding ‘Spielberg(s)’ out there? - The National Archives is inviting aspiring filmmakers to put our 'Files on film' by entering a short film competition.  The competition, supported by the Friends of The National Archives, is aiming to encourage filmmakers to use our diverse collection of documents & pictures as the inspiration for an original feature. 

10 documents from the archives, ranging from the floor plan of a 19th century lunatic asylum to a West Indian view of life in post-war Britain, have been put online and entrants will need to use one or more of them as the starting point for a 3-minute short film.  

It could be a character, a line, or the whole document - it is up to you to decide. Entries close on 24 September 2013 and the winning entry will be shown on The National Archives' website and will receive a cash prize of £450.
Press release & links
 

National Prepaid Cards Steering Group Issues Comprehensive Guide to Local Government Implementation - A new and comprehensive guide to the use of Prepaid cards in Local Government has been produced by the National Prepaid Cards Steering Group.

The Steering Group, supported by MasterCard, is the first organisation to bring together councils who are using Prepaid cards, councils who are interested in implementing Prepaid card programmes and wanting to learn more about others’ experiences, and representatives from the supply side in the form of Programme Managers.

The Steering Group has discussed many of the issues facing councils and suppliers in an open and constructive way. This has enabled the Programme Managers to better understand the real needs of councils and so develop and tailor their products to deliver practical value and return on investment.

Within this helpful guide, the Steering Group have incorporated the content they believed to be of most use to other councils who wanted to know more, including are a number of relevant case studies which demonstrate the value of prepaid and the success of existing programmes in terms of efficiency improvements and cost reduction.

Click here to access and download your free copy of the full guide now.

Please note that previously published newsletters can be accessed from the Newsletter Archive 
The National Prepaid Cards Steering Group - A Comprehensive Guide to the Use of Prepaid Cards in Local Government image.
Please choose from the links below to view individual sections of interest: