WIREDGOV NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
| Time to ‘lift the rock & expose the problems’ |
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A new approach to addressing the problem of hidden domestic abuse in Scotland has recently received a cash boost of £869,000 from the Big Lottery Fund. Community justice organisation, Sacro will roll out the FearLess project in 18 of Scotland’s local authorities combining a domestic abuse helpline with intensive 1 to 1 support & mentoring. This will include a range of practical & emotional support including help with accommodation, personal finances, creating a personal safety plan, education, training and employment. In partnership with statutory agencies, housing providers and 3 specialist third sector organisations (Shakti Women’s Aid, Respect and LGBT Youth Scotland), the project will reach out to those people who are ‘less inclined to come forward or recognise their experiences of abuse’. This will include women from the black & ethnic minority community, LGBT people and men. |
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BIG: Lottery funds new, fearless approach to tackling domestic abuse Community justice organisation, Sacro BIG’s Becoming A Survivor programme They have already 'paid a price' New crackdown on domestic abuse Domestic abuse pilot areas announced New fund planned to support the victims of crime Vital support for Domestic Abuse Charity Family mediation projects secure £1.5m Lottery funding Reforms needed to protect victims Greater rights for victims & witnesses Over £3m in BIG funding for two UK projects New £8m Lottery fund to help Scots affected by domestic abuse stay safe BIG boost for Stirling Women’s Aid There is no justification for either male or female domestic violence or abuse |
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| Will it be ‘all change’ or ‘Build on what’s there’? |
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PMs often complain that the rest of government fails to deliver their agenda – Cameron recently griped about the ‘buggeration factor’ and Blair famously referred to the ‘scars on my back’. But after the election, whoever is PM needs to invest in the unglamorous but essential topic of Whitehall reform, or be complicit in the likely failure to deliver on their election promises. The next government faces repeating a common mistake of over-promising on the campaign trail and under-delivering in office, the Institute for Government cautions in a new paper - All in it Together. The IfG says that a new administration can hope to break this cycle by building on the existing long-term reform initiatives – which are only now starting to address the entrenched weaknesses found across government departments. |
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IfG: Next government must build on existing Whitehall reforms IFG: How to build an effective government IFG: Politicians should devolve power HMRC 'Aspire' to unachievable transformation Implementation is always the main issue PASC doesn’t obfuscate when considering Sir Humphrey’s future (3rd item) ‘We trained Hard’ Petronius (AD 166) quote Report: Change in Government: the agenda for leadership Government policy and the capacity for strategic thinking in Whitehall |
| Whoever gets elected (& in whatever combination), the pressure to reduce costs of service provision will increase |
| A focus on improving & refining IT Service Management (ITSM) through the adoption & adaption of ITIL® is helping local authorities to meet objectives despite continued financial pressures. A new case study, presented by AXELOS Global Best Practice, outlines how Essex County Council used ITIL to improve services while reducing costs. |
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| Bigger & more potholes filled with street rubbish |
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More than half of what people pay in council tax will soon be spent on caring for vulnerable children & adults, creating a huge squeeze on councils' ability to fix roads, clean streets and keep libraries open. New analysis published by the Local Government Association breaks down how every £1 of council tax is allocated by councils. For every £1 of council tax collected by councils in 2019/20, 60p will be spent on caring for the elderly, vulnerable adults & vulnerable children. This is up from 41p in 2010/11. By contrast, 1p in every £1 will be spent on street cleaning & flood defences, 5p in every £1 will be spent on road maintenance & street lighting and just under 5p in every £1 will be left to fund all libraries, leisure centres, parks, museums & arts. |
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LGA: Majority of council tax will soon be spent on social care The NHS is not the only ‘care service’ with a funding ‘Black Hole’ |
| How some future savings can be made |
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A recent government report sets out how new measures to tackle fraud & error will save the taxpayer £2.6bn a year. Measures include simplifying the benefit & tax credits system, more accurate monitoring of changes in income through Real Time Information (RTI) data, and improved detection of fraud & error through improved sharing of data across government. The report – Tackling fraud, error & debt in the benefits and tax credits system – published jointly by the Department for Work and Pensions & HM Revenue & Customs - explains how changes to the benefits & tax credits system (including the full roll-out of Universal Credit with RTI) will lead to the savings. |
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DWP: New fraud, error & debt measures will save taxpayer £2.6bn a year |
| An opportunity that is ‘out of this world’ |
| A ‘space’ mission this May will see up to 15 innovative UK satellite companies head to the US to secure investment & new partnerships. Innovate UK are giving entrepreneurs from the UK’s space industry the chance to win a place on the trade mission to Boston, Los Angeles and Silicon Valley. If you think your business could benefit from investment and developing strategic partnerships with US space companies, you can apply to attend the mission. |
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Innovate UK: US Space Mission will help UK entrepreneurs take off |
| Some of us with just the old paper licence are awaiting a free photocard when we reach 70 |
| Updates & advice to motorists on abolition of the counterpart to the photocard driving licence. From 8 June 2015, the paper counterpart to the photocard driving licence will not be valid and will no longer be issued by DVLA. The counterpart was introduced to display driving licence details that could not be included on the photocard. These details include some vehicle categories you are entitled to drive and any endorsement/penalty points. Please note; this does not affect photocard licences issued by DVA in Northern Ireland. |
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| The path marches ever onwards |
| Folkestone to Ramsgate route has been approved and Ramsgate to Whitstable route proposals have been published. |
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NE: England Coast Path in Kent - two steps forward Weymouth coastal access route to be open in time for Olympic sailing RAF supports development of Anglesey Coastal Path Public consultation opens on improved coastal access for north Norfolk |
| Complete it or lose it! |
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If you are applying to Ofsted for registration to run or manage a social care service, the online social care application forms (SC1, SC2 and SC3) will be unavailable from 6:00pm on Tuesday 31 March until Friday 15 May 2015. Ofsted is updating its systems for new legislation coming into force at this time. If you have partially completed any online forms, please make sure that these are completed & submitted, and that any payments required by Ofsted are received by midday on 31 March 2015. If you don’t do this, work you’ve done on any form you’ve not then finished will unfortunately be lost. New online forms will be available from 15 May 2015. In the meantime, from 1 April until 15 May 2015, you can download & print paper copies of the new application forms (SC1, SC2, SC3). |
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Ofsted: Online social care registration unavailable 31 March to 15 May |
| Proof of ability to care |
| All new healthcare assistants & social care support workers will be expected to get a Care Certificate within 12 weeks of employment. The Care Certificate assesses the fundamental skills, knowledge & behaviours that are required to provide safe, effective & compassionate care. It will be awarded to staff in health & care roles who can demonstrate that they meet each of the 15 Care Certificate standards. It is expected that the Care Certificate requirement will be extended to NHS funded student nurses in 2016. |
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| ‘More than my jobs worth’ is alive & well |
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From dangerous daffodils being banned on a village green, to pork crackling not on the menu at a restaurant because it might splash the chef – complaints from the public being fobbed off with ‘elf and safety excuses are at a record high. More than 600 people approached the HSE’s Myth Busters Challenge Panel in its first 3 years after being told ‘health & safety’ stops them from doing something. In the overwhelming majority of cases, the HSE panel has confirmed that H&S regulations do not ban the activity and that ‘health & safety’ is being used as a smokescreen, usually to hide poor customer service. |
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DWP: ‘Dangerous’ daffodils and 10 more ‘elf and safety myths |
| Wonder who gets to be ‘No. 5!’ |
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Minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude, has announced that the public will soon be able to choose from 5 new identity providers as well as the existing 4 providers when accessing government digital services. GOV.UK Verify is transforming how the public identify themselves when using government services. The new system works by letting users pick from a range of certified companies who check & verify their identity. People simply verify their identity once in a process that takes just 15 minutes and can then use this single account whenever they subsequently use a government service, such as HMRC’s Self-Assessment tax returns. |
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CO: 5 new providers join flagship identity verification service |
| As the winter ends and it starts to get warmer! |
| Local Authorities ‘on the front line of tackling cold homes’ can now apply for their share of a £25m Central Heating Fund. The money is expected to help up to 8,000 fuel poor homes living off the gas grid stay warmer for less through the installation of complete first-time central heating systems. New details have also been unveiled of the £1m warmth-on-prescription fund that will boost 9 local authorities in their efforts helping people in fuel poor households whose health is affected by cold homes. |
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| DECC: The heat is on to ensure warmer, healthy homes for everyone |
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More news, opinions, documents, claims & counter-claims; |
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PC&PE: Civil servants must remain impartial in future referendums PC&PE: Devolution proposals process risks continued constitutional instability |
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