General News
Socitm: Socitm Consulting has helped the London Borough of Camden to transform its ICT service in an ambitious programme led by John Jackson, Assistant Director (Corporate ICT), which has centred on reorganising Camden’s ICT service (previously the most devolved in the United Kingdom) and making it more focussed on customer service.
Savings of £600k have already been realised in year one and from 2007/08 onwards over £1m p.a. is expected to be freed up. Over the next five years the ambition within the draft IT strategy is to take £8-10m out of ICT operating costs from the review and redirect these at areas of priority.
NA: The Archive Awareness Campaign has been launched, with archives across the UK planning special events to commemorate the history of human rights. The theme of the 2007 campaign is 'Freedom and Liberty', looking at the struggle for rights in history, including the Chartists, the Suffragettes and the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade.
Over a hundred archives all across the UK are currently planning showcases, open days, workshops and many other activities to celebrate their holdings of original documents and tell stories of freedom to new audiences in the most inspiring ways possible.
Press release ~ The National Archives Human Rights exhibition ~ Parliamentary Archives slave trade registers ~ Treasures of archives ~ Events near you!
MoD: The Ministry of Defence has signed a £30m contract with Plymouth-based DML for 130 weapon mounted patrol vehicles which will be used by troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The MWMIK can carry up to four soldiers with their individual weapons, and can operate on a variety of terrains, including off road. Delivery will take place throughout 2008.
The MWMIK vehicles (Mobility Weapon Mounted Installation Kit) will be built at the Devonport site and, with a top speed of 80 mph, they will offer increased mobility & protection. The vehicle can be fitted with a range of firepower, including a .50 calibre machine gun or an automatic grenade launcher and a general purpose machine gun.
DCMS: Forty-three museums and galleries in England will benefit from grants totalling £4m, provided jointly by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Wolfson Foundation. The grants will help improve the quality of museum displays and the visitor experience.
This is the sixth year of the current DCMS/Wolfson Foundation Museums & Galleries Improvement Fund, which has awarded a total of £20 million to institutions around the country since it was set up in 2002.
Press release ~ DCMS - museums and galleries ~ DCMS/Wolfson Foundation Museums & Galleries Improvement Fund ~ A summary of the successful institutions and projects ~ Wolfson Foundation
Defra: Chief Veterinary Officer Debby Reynolds welcomed the launch of the first World Rabies Day on 8 September, which was initiated by the Alliance for Rabies Control and the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta.
World Rabies Day aims to improve global awareness of rabies and how to prevent & control it, as well as support educational initiatives about rabies prevention, especially in areas of the world where the disease is prevalent. Rabies is a fatal condition but it is preventable by vaccination.
The UK has had a system of quarantine for rabies-susceptible mammals for many years, and has also operated the Pet Travel Scheme since 2000, which allows certain animals including dogs and cats to enter the UK from a number of countries without the need for quarantine as long as they meet strict veterinary conditions.
