Local Authority & Councils Archives - Government & Public Sector Journal

Government call for a radical shift in Council Strategy

By Claire Agutter

Government Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has called for an urgent rethink of council strategy.

Seen by some of the public sector as a provoking statement, Hunt delivered a bleak explanation of local government and how they manage their resources and funds. Hunt proposes that significant spending cuts should be made on consultants

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Working at height innovation: maintenance engineers get spider power boost

Leading spider platform manufacturer Hinowa has recently launched two important new products. Hannah Treggalles, Marketing Director at Access Platform Sales (APS), explains their significant advantages for maintaining buildings and the national power network.

National spider lift rental specialist Paramount Platforms has become the first access hire company in the UK to take delivery of

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Tackling digital infrastructure deficits in South and East London

Over 150,000* premises in south and east London do not have access to high speed – Gigabit capable – internet connections.

Contrary to perception, hundreds of thousands of addresses in London are affected by slow digital connectivity, causing digital inequalities that impede the lives of people and businesses.

The ‘Sub-regional Digital Infrastructure Strategy’ launched

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CONCRETE ASSURANCE FOR BUILDING FIRE SAFETY

A new guide outlining how concrete construction is best placed to meet the requirements of the Building Safety Regulator has been published by the British Association of Reinforcement (BAR).

The Building Safety Regulator is the Building Control Authority for higher-risk buildings. This includes buildings that are at least 18 metres in height or at

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Calls for greater data-led efficiency in the public sector

The Information Commissioner’s Office has just gone out to public consultation on its new data strategy.The ICO teamed up with Oakland, an independent data consultancy, to develop its data strategy using the Government’s new Data Maturity Assessment for Government framework.The data strategy sets out a clear vision for responsible innovation in the use of

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UK PUBLIC SECTOR HARBOURS HIDDEN DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION ‘DEFICIT’

Almost all UK central and local government organisations are skipping key steps necessary to deliver successful major transformation programmes, according to new research from ArvatoConnect. ArvatoConnect provides customer experience and business optimisation services to public and private organisations. The findings show that the majority of organisations don’t set key performance benchmarks, secure citizen and

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LUNAZ UPCYCLED ELECTRIC REFUSE TRUCKS GET GREEN LIGHT TO OPERATE ACROSS LONDON

Lunaz upcycled electric vehicles (UEVs) achieve the highest Direct Vision Standard (DVS) for driver visibility Responds to ongoing demand from London borough councils New tech maximises vision for operators; makes streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists and other road users Lunaz UEVs ready for deployment in the capital and other metropolitan areas Supports long-term plan

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Reinventing Local Authorities To Leverage Transformative Ability Of Software

Local authorities across the country are struggling to fully embrace the use of software to improve efficiency, streamline operations and optimise decision-making. Historically, new software has been introduced to a process or system that has been used for decades. Bolt on approaches can work but in recent years, across the public sector, there have

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Fusion21 and Newlands Developments announce new partnership to drive social impact

National social enterprise Fusion21 has officially announced a new nationwide social value partnership with Rugby based developer Newlands Developments.

The ground-breaking collaboration will see social impact incorporated into all Newlands Developments’ projects at the pre-planning application stage to ensure multi-million pound developments benefit the local area and people who live there.

Fusion21, based in

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Local Government Recruitment: Addressing Challenges and Proposing Solutions

By Rod McMillan, Marketing Manager, Monster UK

Rod McMillan

As we usher in 2024, local authorities across the UK find themselves at a crucial crossroads in the continually evolving employment arena. A Local Government Association survey reported last year that over nine out of ten councils were experiencing recruitment difficulties in at least one

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Reducing the stress of financial hardship on the most vulnerable

Charis client services director Jonathan Hunt outlines the impact the Charis Shop platform is having on organisations working directly with the most vulnerable in their care.

Jonathan Hunt

Supporting vulnerable people in their homes is a fundamental aspect of community care, whether they are recovering after a stay in hospital, struggling with mental health

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Navigating the digital frontier for local government

By TechnologyOne UK executive vice president, Leo Hanna

Leo Hanna

Local government is facing a perfect storm. Funding pressures and demographic challenges are getting worse, councils are having to pursue modernisation amid economic volatility, and they are still recovering from the disruption caused by Covid-19. For some, this has been an accelerant to digital

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How Swindon Council Improved Procurement Efficiency and Cost Savings with Matrix Workforce Management Solutions

Introduction: In July 2018, Swindon Council embarked on a transformative journey in partnership with Matrix Workforce Management Solutions to address long-standing procurement challenges. Through a strategic collaboration, this case study delves into the successful transition from a master vendor solution to a neutral vendor model. The study highlights the problems faced by Swindon Council,

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Setting higher lifesaving standards in public parks and outdoor leisure with wind and solar power

The Northamptonshire Sport installed solar and wind powered defib cabinet at Northampton Bike Park.

Turtle Defib Cabinets, which has a long partnership history with local authorities, emergency services and non-profits, has designed and engineered the UK’s first solar and wind powered defibrillator and bleed control cabinet. Northamptonshire Sport, one of 43 non-profit Active Partnerships

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Fusion21 names suppliers appointed to £346 million Building Improvements Framework

Procurement experts Fusion21 has announced the suppliers successfully appointed to its national Building Improvements Framework worth up to £346 million over a four-year period.

Following a competitive tender process, a total of 70 specialist firms – 74% being SMEs, have secured a place on the framework which has been developed to support public sector

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Tough times for councils mean shared services must be the way forward

By Mark Gibbison, VP Strategic Sales Programs, Unit4

The stark economic challenges being faced by the UK public sector and local councils especially have been impossible to ignore recently. The sheer scale of the issue is becoming clearer over time with the Special Interest Group of Municipal Authorities (SIGOMA) indicating

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Manchester homeless charity receives donation of repurposed counterfeit clothing from police raids

Reporter: Stuart Littleford

A recent operation by Greater Manchester Police has seen tonnes of seized counterfeit clothing being recycled to help homeless people and low-income families in Manchester.

Left to right: Tim Jensen from Lighthouse Security, Harry Dwan from the Mustard Tree and Inspector Dan Cullum from Op Vulcan

In the last 14

Continue reading Manchester homeless charity receives donation of repurposed counterfeit clothing from police raids

Almost 500 jobs created as procurement experts Fusion21 help organisations reach social value targets

Reporter: Stacy Clarke

Almost 500 jobs and 90 new apprenticeships have been created within a year thanks to work delivered through social enterprise and procurement expert Fusion21.

Celebrating its 21st anniversary this year, Fusion21 ensures its members, ranging from social housing associations to education and health providers, include social value targets as part of

Continue reading Almost 500 jobs created as procurement experts Fusion21 help organisations reach social value targets

AVC Wise Secures Place on UK’s First Salary Sacrifice AVC Framework

Reporter: Stuart Littleford

Additional Voluntary Contribution (AVC) service provider, AVC Wise Ltd. (AVC Wise), has been awarded a place on the UK’s first and only Salary Sacrifice AVC Framework, and as the only approved supplier on the framework.

Portsmouth City Council has launched the new framework meaning other public sector organisations can seamlessly enter

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North Herts Council rolls out TechnologyOne’s full SaaS ERP suite

North Herts Council (NHC) is set to revolutionise its operations and enhance service delivery with the adoption of TechnologyOne’s Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) suite.

The comprehensive solution encompasses financials, supply chain management, Enterprise Asset Management (EAM), and Corporate Performance Management (CPM), establishing North Herts Council as a pioneer in digital innovation within

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