PUBLIC SERVANT May 2012
PUBLIC SERVANT May edition out now
Cover Story
BICHARD ON DATA – FACING UP TO THE FEARS AND LACK OF TRUST
Government proposals for greater surveillance of personal communication, for ‘secret courts’ and to share more data across the public sector have become an urgent feature in the domestic policy agenda. The role of government to protect the rights of individuals and society is full of contradictions. In the latest edition of Public Servant magazine, Lord Bichard writes that it’s time to resolve the vexed question of data sharing, finally facing public servants’ fears and lack of trust. Influential MP and opponent of ‘a snoopers’ charter’ David Davis adds insight on the battle for civil liberties amid the contradictions.
Top Stories
The age of providing universal services with no conditions attached is over – writes Westminster Council leader Philippa Roe
Free schools: Gove tells councils to back off
Confusion ‘a price worth paying’ for city mayors, says Greg Clark
City Hall liberation or is it just government-defined localism?
Making the most of mayors: how they do it in the US, with Bruce Katz
Pay bargaining: ‘no clear evidence local is better’ – Sir Merrick Cockell
Watmore learns from Whitehall’s shared services failings
Why politicians keep falling into the delivery trap
Who are you calling old? – a taxing question writes Richard Kerley
Yet another NHS procurement strategy: Let’s get it right this time
Recipe for riots prevention – the answer’s a fruit salad not a smoothie, says Wendy Weal
Centre for Social Justice: politicians are asleep at the wheel
Criminal justice – it’s a service not just a system, says Andrew Morley
Bold but affordable steps to make police pensions affordable?
Don’t plan on any plain sailing with the NPPF
Special Report on the efficiency challenge
The evidence is clear but not in Whitehall, says John Seddon
Making work more effective (and flexible) in Scottish public services
The MoJ’s improvement journey with Faith Geary
Localism that’s Altogether Better with a community budgets pathfinder
Unleash the privateers and the funding for recovery
Revolutionary road: Jos Creese says it’s not just the technology, it’s how you use it
Pinning down the golden rules on the Green Deal
Understanding stigma and discrimination
CMI’s Chris Kinsella looks for the bright side of business continuity
Finding an edge with an MBA
Managers face a perfect storm. Professor Ivan Robertson on building confidence from within
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LATEST PUBLIC SECTOR FEATURES
''Home Secretary, quite simply you are wrong''
Speaking at the Police Federation conference, chairman Paul McKeever warned the Home Secretary that she was ''on the precipice of destroying'' the country's police service. Here's his full speech
Taking a measured approach to the problem of NEETs
Prevention is better than cure when it comes to the growing number of NEETs, but how can local authorities effectively intervene at an early stage? Dr Glen Williams discusses how measuring children's attitudes can pinpoint problems and provide vital insight
Data sharing: we've got to switch on
Public servants remain fearful of data sharing, says Lord Michael Bichard, who argues that the proper sharing of key information is vital to the provision of decent public services and protecting the rights of individuals
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Youth unemployment is down by 18,000
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Austerity is a myth, says finance company
Public spending hasn't gone down at all, in fact it has risen since the coalition government came to power
A4e stripped of work experience contract
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Civil servants accept ''higher'' pensions
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Clegg: ''There will be no regional pay''
The Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg's comment appeared to contradict government policy
The new-look Public Servant magazine makes an excellent show case for those breaking news stories on the public sector that will be so much a feature of national debate in the next few months. Good design focuses the reader's attention on the content. Public Servant is always interesting and the new design is an even better presentation of its content. These issues that might have once seemed dry – public finance, service reform, accountability and accounting transparency – are now the key battleground for the future of the public sector. Public Servant does an excellent job of exploring those topics and always has an eclectic mix of commentators to offer useful insights.