WIREDGOV NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
The WGPlus editorial team is now signing off for its Christmas break with Seasonal Greetings to all our readers. Our first offering for 2015 will be published w/c January 12th.
| One could try keeping a loud whistle by the phone! |
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The government’s Nuisance Calls Taskforce formally set out its recommendations to help tackle the problem of unwanted calls & texts last week. Responding to the publication of the report ICO Head of Policy, Steve Wood, said: “We welcome the publication of the report from the Which? taskforce and the recommendations put forward to tackle the problem of nuisance calls ….. our office has been keen to highlight the importance of organisations following good practice when collecting and using personal information for marketing purposes. “We have published detailed guidance to help legitimate marketing companies stay on the right side of the law and we will continue to work with the industry and other regulators to improve compliance. We are also working with the government to enable our office to use our fining powers more effectively, so we can issue a penalty at an early stage where it is clear a company is knowingly making nuisance calls in breach of the law.” |
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| National Prepaid Cards Network Launches New Web Site as Surrey CC Announces Public Sector Framework |
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The National Prepaid Cards Network has launched a new website and online resource for public sector organisations that use prepaid cards to help with the delivery of services. The website contains helpful ‘how to’ guides and case studies which have been generated from early adopters of prepaid cards. A forum allows members to ask for help, share ideas and discuss upcoming legislative changes and how they’re best delivered. The online resource is available to network members only and contains example documents submitted by members such as tender specifications, cardholder agreements and process maps which can be downloaded and adapted. The launch of the website comes at an important time for the industry as Surrey County Council has recently announced the award of a framework contract for prepaid cards which can be used by public sector bodies across the country to shorten the timescales and lower the costs of tendering. The network is independent and free to join, simply click here or email colin.whitehouse@prepaidnetwork.org.uk for further details. |
| Beneficial ‘red tape’ for Medium & Large Businesses, which may also benefit public sector |
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The Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS), is a mandatory energy assessment & energy-saving identification scheme in response to the requirement ‘for all Member States of the EU to implement Article 8 of the Energy Efficiency Directive’. The objective of the scheme is to ‘reduce energy consumption, increase energy security, help address climate change and improve the competitiveness of UK businesses’. The scheme, which came into force in July 2014, applies throughout the U.K. to enterprises (carrying out a Trade or Business) of 250 or more employees and to enterprises under 250 employees which have an annual turnover exceeding €50m (around £39.5m) and a balance sheet exceeding €43m. While ‘aimed at larger private sector organisations, SMEs and public sector organisations wishing to establish & monitor their energy use may also benefit from the tools being offered to help them carry out surveys. A recent survey found awareness of ESOS, was just 33% in large businesses, and as low as 24% in firms operating in the retail, distribution & transport sector. This is despite the fact that ESOS mandates that companies need to identify the source of 90% of the power usage within their organisation and then make recommendations that can be implemented to reduce that power consumption. There will be fines and a public register of non-compliant firms. The deadline to report energy usage is 5 December 2015. |
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| How better’ is often the unasked question when ‘tonight’s homeless’ is the immediate problem |
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This summer, 10 homelessness professionals from England & the United States took part in a Transatlantic Practice Exchange (TPE). 5 front line staff from England travelled to the USA, and 5 from the USA visited England, to explore different ways of delivering homelessness services. All asked a single question: ‘what can we learn from each other's most innovative practices?’ Homeless Link has now published their answers in a single volume. The nature of public services in England is changing. The perception of and the public value that they create is being challenged. The TPE was designed against this backdrop to provide a space for new thinking about the ways that we deliver services. There are 2 overarching themes in the reports from the English participants – the need for therapeutic interventions and the need to challenge the short term nature of support in the UK. |
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| Wired-Gov.net welcomes the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority |
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Consultation has begun on NDA’s Draft Business Plan 2015 to 2018 that sets out our key objectives & plans for delivering their priorities over the next 3 years. Find out how they are dealing with one of the most complex environmental challenges in the UK: nuclear decommissioning. |
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| Would a system of ‘critical friends’ make Ministers more realistic in their policy announcements? |
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A Call for new panel members to advise the Welsh Language Commissioner. The members will sit on an Advisory Panel to the Commissioner, Meri Huws, for a period of 3 years, providing support & advice to the Commissioner – and to act, when necessary, as a ‘critical friend’. Panel members will not be involved with the Commissioner’s day-to-day activities, but will provide a source of advice for the Commissioner and an opportunity for her to discuss issues at a strategic level. The panel may be required to aid the Commissioner in introducing the new system of language standards, which will replace the current system of Welsh language schemes. They will also consider certain documents produced by the Commissioner and, where appropriate, provide her with their views. The closing date for applications is 7 January 2015. |
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| HMRC has its own take on ‘Peace on Earth’ for Christmas |
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To do your Self-Assessment tax return online, you first need to find your activation code. If you’ve lost it, you’ll have to request a new one online. Once you have it, you will have taken a ‘first step towards inner peace’. |
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| It may not be ‘one size fits all’ but this will help identify a ‘range of appropriate sizes’ |
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Socitm has launched a new survey to ‘enable sharing of data about the governance & management of websites in local authorities’. Anyone that participates, whether or not a member of Socitm or Socitm Insight, will be given access to the resulting data from all participants. The survey aims to gather sound evidence about the variety of approaches to governance, management & spending, enabling cross referencing with evidence on performance from our other Socitm work on website quality & performance. |
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| Well which is it; ‘austerity’ or ‘robust growth’ – it’s time for the SNP to stop ‘whining’ and spend the Barnett formula’s ‘+20%’ funding on ‘essentials’ not ‘freebies’ which England doesn’t get! |
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First ScotGov press release: Deputy First Minister John Swinney has condemned the austerity agenda outlined in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement and the “devastating impact” it will have on people right across the country. Second ScotGov press release: Scotland’s economy is continuing to grow, according to the latest reports from Bank of Scotland and Ernst & Young. The Bank of Scotland PMI figures show further expansion in the economy during November and robust employment growth across both the services and manufacturing sectors. ……… Commenting on these reports Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: "Economic recovery in Scotland is now being sustained with the latest GDP figures showing Scotland's economy growing continuously for two years. With the 26th month of expansion in the PMI, and the most recent forecasts for Scottish GDP growth having been revised up, the economic outlook remains positive. “The latest figures on the job market from July to September 2014 also revealed that Scotland has the highest employment and economic activity rates and lowest unemployment rate of the four nations of the UK”. |
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| Well we (& others) did warn the SNP about the difficulties of fully implementing new ICT systems |
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Delays in hiring staff and procuring an IT system have increased the risk that new taxes for Scotland will not be effectively managed when they come into force next year. Audit Scotland reports on the Scottish Government's progress in preparing for the implementation of the Scotland Act 2012. The Act will introduce the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (replacing the current stamp duty arrangements), Scottish Landfill Tax and other financial powers for the Scottish Government from 1 April 2015. |
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More news, opinions, documents, claims & counter-claims; |
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