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Guidance Notes and Best Practice Guides
Newswire – WAO: The Auditor General for Wales has published a new Code of Audit Practice which prescribes the way in which auditors – including the Wales Audit Office - are to carry out their functions. It also embodies what appears to the Auditor General for Wales to be best professional practice.
The Code applies both to the work of appointed auditors of local government bodies and to the audit & inspection work of the Auditor General. This includes audit of accounts, value for money examinations & studies and the certification of claims & returns.
The Code requires that auditors carry out their functions consistently in accordance with 4 principles - being public focused, independent, proportionate and accountable.
ScotGov: The Building Standards Technical Handbook, which was published last week (and which comes into force on 1 October 2010), confirms:
* Enhanced energy standards for new buildings - both homes & non-domestic - which will reduce emissions by 30% on 2007 standards and by 70% compared to 1990
* Improved sound insulation to party walls & floors and the introduction of sound insulation testing to homes
* Better security features for homes including higher design specification for doors, windows & locks to deter opportunity crime
* New build schools must have sprinklers fitted to reduce potential loss or damage
Other new features in the Technical Handbook include guidance on land contamination, flooding, ventilation, condensation, biomass installations and flueless gas appliances. The guidance for means of escape and the guidance for fire & rescue facilities have been re-written to reflect the needs of the fire & rescue service.
The changes will include the introduction of structural Eurocodes, the harmonised design standards for building structures which will help to eliminate technical barriers to trade between EU member states. The moves to increase energy standards flow from the Sullivan Report which looked at ways to make homes & buildings more energy efficient.
ScotGov: A leaflet designed to give advice & information to parents when major changes to their child's school are proposed has been published by the Scottish Government. Designed to explain the updated & strengthened consultation process that came into force on 5 April 2010, the leaflet makes clear that when any changes to schools are being considered, education must be the key priority.
It also explains the role & responsibilities of local authorities - such as consulting for 6 weeks during term time, holding a public meeting and asking HMIE to prepare a report - as well as covering how parents can get involved and have their voices heard.
Press release ~ Information for parents/guardians on the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 ~ Changes to school estate
OGC: The Office of Government Commerce (OGC), in conjunction with Intellect and Partnerships UK, has launched a negotiating guide for the OGC’s ICT Services Model Agreement. The new guide, developed following consultation with industry, aims to address several issues, including cutting negotiating times and providing a deeper understanding of provisions on a number of clauses, including supply chain rights, due diligence, authority termination for convenience, limits of liability and indemnities.
The Negotiating Guide supports a shared desire among Government & industry to shorten procurement timescales & negotiations, with the aim of providing even greater value for money from the procurement process.
Newswire – Ofcom: With millions of phone deals available today, it can be very confusing working out which offers you the best value for money. For example, having a monthly allowance of thousands of free minutes & texts may seem like a good idea at the time, but if you don’t use them you’re effectively wasting money. Similarly, regularly going over your monthly allowance could also hit you hard in the pocket.
A guide published by Ofcom, Consumer Focus and the Communications Consumer Panel is designed to help consumers get the most from their mobile deal and save money.
It provides helpful tips on what you should ask before signing up for a deal - such as whether there are any additional costs, the length of contract, details on upgrades and network coverage. It also explains how the Ofcom-accredited price comparison service ‘BillMonitor’ can help consumers track down the best deals.
It provides helpful tips on what you should ask before signing up for a deal - such as whether there are any additional costs, the length of contract, details on upgrades and network coverage. It also explains how the Ofcom-accredited price comparison service ‘BillMonitor’ can help consumers track down the best deals.
ScotGov: The ability of the Scottish red meat industry to rise to the challenge of developing healthier versions of much-loved traditional meat meals was shown at a meeting in Perth last week. The results of an ambitious Quality Meat Scotland project to investigate the potential to create healthier versions of eight Scots favourites were presented to around 60 public sector buyers & suppliers attending the workshop.
The £40,000, year-long project - match-funded by Scottish Enterprise - has been looking at the challenge of lowering the salt & saturated fat content of foods including Scotch pies; black pudding; haggis; burgers (lamb and beef); Lorne sausage (beef); bacon & pork sausages. The project involved QMS working closely with 7 meat producers and the Food Innovation team at Abertay University.
A guide on the reformulations developed in the project for public sector buyers & suppliers has been produced by Quality Meat Scotland (download here).
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