Welcome to the NWEGG Members News page
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We are always keen to hear good news stories from around the region.
If you have any news you wish to appear on this page and share with fellow members please feel free to add your news article.
Or alternatively you can send it to admin@nwegg.org.uk and we will add it for you.
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Highlights:
13th July 10
Lane Fox kicks off campaign to get millions online
The UK's digital champion, Martha Lane Fox, has launched a campaign to get millions of people online by the 2012 London Olympics, with the blessing— but not the financial backing— of the government.
1st July 10
NWEGG Launches Online Community
Find out how to join NWEGG's online communnity...
22nd June 10
What lies in the future... for ContactPoint
More about Contact Point database
11th June 10
£500 procurement publishing rule
Here are links to information on the £500 figures for publishing supply opportunities and spend
2nd June 10
CLG Customer led transformation fund - Phase four of funding
Funding has been made available for LA's from the Customer Led Transformation Fund for Customer Insight and/ or Social Media based projects
1st June 10
Organisation of the future
The West Midlands recently ran an ‘organisation of the future’ event at which Gillian Hibberd, Resources and Transformation, Buckinghamshire CC spoke in an oversubscribed seminar.
24th May 10
Government announces £6.2bn of savings in 2010-11
The new Chancellor has announced £6.2 million of immediate budget cuts although £500 million of that is being used to fund certain skills and business development initiatives. Of particular relevance is the impact on local government. The Treasury’s statement reads.
24th May 10
Data sharing guidance realised relating to worklessness
The IDeA has launched a new set of data sharing guidance relating to worklessness that follows on the DWP’s guidance on the same subject. It can be found at http://www.idea.gov.uk/idk/aio/19221282 and includes links to a number of useful resources plus relevant case studies. NWEGG continues to be busy in this space working with the DWP on issues relating to the Common Financial Assessment project being particularly relevant.”
19th May 10
Green Flag for Nottinghamshire County Council\'s access to services for older people
Nottinghamshire CC had been awarded a Green Flag for innnovative approaches to the provision of well being to its older community, through improved access to services and new preventative services in the form of the 'Notts 50 plus scheme'.
14th May 10
New government plans to scrap some ICT projects... see below
Public sector ICT plans to scrap ContactPoint
11th May 10
Extending the Eligibility of Free School Meals - Consultation Paper DCSF
As you are no doubt aware, the imminent General Election means that all of us need to ensure that communications comply with the General Election Guidance. An overview of the current situation is given below.
30th April 10
Successful Tell Us Once Bids Announced
The successful bids for the NW Tell Us Once Enablement Fund has been announced. Congratulations to the following Authorities that secured funding for their TUO project proposals:
9th April 10
Budget 2010: Cabinet Office Contribution to Operational Efficiency and Smarter Government Savings
The Cabinet Office announced on the 24th of March that it will deliver £25m of efficiency savings, as its departmental contribution towards £11bn savings that are being made across Government.
9th April 10
£39 million for North West councils to protect front line services and strengthen local communities
A pot of over £39million is being given to North West councils so they can continue to improve services from crucial skills and jobs programmes to arts facilities for young people and town centre regeneration projects, Local Government Minister Rosie Winterton announced today.
7th April 10
Worklessness Guidance
Work and Skills plans - The practitioner's guide has now been published as guidance for local councils, sub-regional partnerships and partner agencies.
1st April 10
How Public Institutions can best adapt to meet the demands of the future
Professor Kate Jenkins recent presentation to the Cabinet Office looked at how Public institutions face a crisis. Her key message was that most are ill equipped to provide the services expected of them. Social, economic and political pressures clash with expectations that public services should provide competent, reliable and efficient service.
1st April 10
The New Greater Manchester Combined Authority for Transport, Regeneration and Economic Development
All 10 Greater Manchester local authorities have today agreed to submit a scheme to the Government for the creation of a new authority.
1st April 10
New Dialogue with Citizens
In March 2010 the Cabinet Office published a report entitled A New Dialogue with Citizens which is about how public sector organizations can engage successfully with citizens and families to address complex issues
12th March 10
Pilots’ final reports
13 Total Place Pilots have now been published
12th March 10
Country\'s best local service providers awarded at Downing Street ceremony
The Local Innovation Awards, jointly designed by the Government and the Local Government Association, recognised the country's most innovative councils, fire services and other partners at a ceremony at 11 Downing Street. Northumberland Council, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, Tameside Council, Sunderland City Council, Trafford Council and Halton Borough Council all took home awards.
10th March 10
£32million available in 2010/11 for Gypsy and Traveller sites
Local authorities, ALMOs and RSLs who wish to provide social rented sites for Gypsies and Travellers, New Age Travellers and Travelling Show People can now bid for a share of £32million funding from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).
10th March 10
Ten ways councils can protect local services
A new report setting out ten decisive steps that all councils should act on to protect vital frontline services in an era of tighter public finances was welcomed by Communities Secretary John Denham. The Improvement & Efficiency Partnership offer help in many of these areas.
10th March 10
Sharing the Gain: Collaborating for Cost Effectiveness
The Chartered Institute of Public Financing and Accountancy (CIPFA) has produced a ‘how-to’ guide for public services looking to take advantage of collaborative working.
10th March 10
Prisoner re-offending costs economy £10bn annually
The majority of thieves and violent criminals who are jailed for less than a year go on to re-offend within 12 months of their release, the public spending watchdog has found.
10th March 10
Tell us Once – Early adopter bid successful
Rochdale MBC request to be included in the early adopter programme for ‘Tell us once’ campaign has been successful!
2nd March 10
Tax Credits help in Dukinfield and Hyde
Free advice on Tax Credits and Child Benefit will be available at a series of events in Dukinfield and Hyde next week from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) teams offering face-to-face help and guidance.
25th February 10
NHS N3 and Local Government GCSx networks
NWEGG, the NW Strategic Health Authority and Government Connect have been working together for several months on the potential for improvements in information sharing between NHS N3 and local government GCSx networks.
11th February 10
DWP Guide: Data Sharing to Tackle Worklessness
The DWP have now published a guide fro how to tackle worklessness through the use of Data Sharing.
10th February 10
RIEPs Efficiency Casebook
As budgetary pressures increase across the sector, the need for partnership working grows ever more apparent.
10th February 10
Launch of esd4you
Do you think esd-toolkit looks brilliant – but don’t know where to start?
1st February 10
Denham: new powers to help residents fix local problems - North West
Communities are being given a powerful new way to fix local problems under new proposals to strengthen the ability of councils to scrutinise all local public services, announced Communities Secretary John Denham today.
29th January 10
House of Lords approves DWP use of data-sharing to help combat fuel poverty
Draft regulations that will allow the DWP to use data-sharing to help combat fuel poverty have been approved by the House of Lords.
27th January 10
The government has signed £1 billion worth of two-year framework deals with 19 suppliers, for software applications
The deal opens up advantageous buying terms to all central government departments. Contracts have been drawn up with an optional two year extension.
27th January 10
Release of the UK Government ICT Strategy
The need to transform public services and to fully exploit ICT to achieve this is accelerating. To meet increasing demand within this complex technology arena, the UK public sector has built an ICT infrastructure that in many instances duplicates solutions across different areas of Government.
25th January 10
London centric Total Place report published - should the NW do likewise?
A thought provoking study by PWC was published today which looks at the applying the Total Place approach to all of London.
21st January 10
Tim Berners-Lee unveils government data project
Web founder Sir Tim Berners-Lee has unveiled his latest venture for the UK government, which offers the public better access to official data.
20th January 10
MCPSG update - New fines for DP breaches.
After the recent consultation the Government has now approved £500,000 fines for worst data protection offenders, including the Public Sector subject to certain considerations.
19th January 10
Protecting data in Government report
The Cabinet Office has just published an update on the Data Handling Guidelines. Well worth a look given the recent review of CoCo 4.1.
18th January 10
Free phone calls for most people using their mobiles to claim benefits and pensions are announced by DWP
Free phone calls for most people using their mobiles to claim benefits and pensions are announced by the Department for Work and Pensions today. From next week, six of the biggest mobile phone network companies will no longer charge their customers for calls to the Department’s 0800 Benefit Claim lines. Currently 12% of UK households use only mobile phones and do not have a land line.
18th January 10
\"Leese\" to lead new Task Force to drive value for money for councils
A new local government Task Force will drive value-for-money efficiencies and protect frontline services, Communities Secretary John Denham announced today. Manchester City Council leader Sir Richard Leese will lead the Task Force, alongside the Mayor of Lewisham, Steve Bullock.
18th January 10
Blackpool Council will benefit from £33.9 million to improve street lighting
Blackpool Council will benefit from £33.9 million to improve street lighting, Transport Minister Sadiq Khan announced today.This money will be used to replace approximately 16,500 street lighting columns, and to install 1,886 new columns. This will provide Blackpool with modern, high-quality street lighting and traffic signals. The scheme involves the replacement of 1,465 traffic signals.
8th January 10
CLG to publish councils\' spending data online
Communities and Local Government has announced plans for a new web service on local authorities' spending.
8th January 10
Lancashire launches £1.9bn shared tender
A county council is involving its districts, neighbouring councils, the local emergency services and two local universities in a joint deal.
7th January 10
Putting the frontline first: Smarter Government
The final copy of the Smarter Government putting the frontline first has been realised.
4th January 10
NWIEP\'s Got the Dragon Factor
For £3.7million of the the 2009/10 capital funding, for capital projects, we are proposing an innovative and engaging allocation process: NWIEP's Got the Dragon Factor!
18th December 09
CAA Overview
The first round of the CAA reports are now available at http://oneplace.direct.gov.uk/Pages/default.aspx.
18th December 09
New Partnership Working / Shared Services Toolkit
Toolkit
15th December 09
Government grants worth £368,201 given to charities in the North West today
In total 39 charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises in the North West have today been awarded £368, 201 in grants between them to help provide vital services during the tough economic times.
9th December 09
New DWP Data Sharing Guidelines
As announced in the DWP Housing Benefit Newsletter, a review of data sharing is underway in response to requests from authorities to make wider and more effective use of DWP data in order to deliver more joined up service or to better target services.
9th December 09
CAA results are out
Oneplace, the reporting website for Comprehensive Area Assessment, is now live.
8th December 09
Mapping the Future
The Civil Service Network website has run a good article that not only covers the government's announcement that OS data will be free but the work that Sir Tim Berners-Lee has been doing, the work on data.gov.uk which our own Paul Davidson from LeGSB is advising on, plus the wider debate about making public data public.
8th December 09
Smarter Government?
Interesting times indeed. The PM announced the Smarter Government initiative yesterday with civil service headcount reductions, cutting consultancy spend and so on.
7th December 09
LSP Improvement Tool
Given the increasing recognition that local partnership working offers great potential for efficiencies it is worth revisiting the LSP Improvement Tool offered by the Improvement Network.
7th December 09
COMMON FINANCIAL ASSESSMENT PROJECT: Potential to save the NW £5m - £12m
This ground breaking NWEGG and Sefton led project aims save the North West between £5 million and £12 million a year.
7th December 09
‘TELL US ONCE’ PROGRAMME ROLLOUT: NW fund update
The NWEGG Executive agreed in November that the £150k in the NW Tell us Once fund should be used to support a small number of clusters of authorities progress with offering the service.
7th December 09
ONLINE SCHOOL ADMISSIONS: Missing an easy win?
Online schools admissions in the NW lag the national average which is surprising given that it is one of the proven channel migration successes that saves money in terms of administration and printing.
7th December 09
GOVERNMENT CONNECT CoCo 4.1: NWEGG to feed back
The Merseyside and Cheshire ICT Policy and Strategy group recently discussed CoCo 4.1 with the view being that it contains some outdated concepts.
7th December 09
DEN-X: £3.7 million of capital funding available in the North West
The CLG announced that each region would be getting an additional round of Efficiency and Transformation monies for this year and that this would be managed by the Improvement and Efficiency Partnerships.
7th December 09
CUSTOMER LED TRANSFORMATION FUND: Update and next round of grants
The IDEA has kindly provided the following update on the £7m CLT fund...
7th December 09
ELECTRONIC MONITORING AND ROSTERING OF HOMECARE: Is your authority on board?
The DoH have asked us to highlight some of the opportunities presented by electronic monitoring and rostering of homecare.
7th December 09
STRUGGLING WITH ROI CALCULATIONS? Updated MIEtool available
The Mietool product was developed by the CLG and can help with assessing, planning and monitoring or change project and programmes.
7th December 09
REDUCING YOUTH OFFENDING: Next steps from information flows study
The NWEGG / NW IEP report on the potential for reducing youth offending through better information sharing is available on the NWEGG website.
2nd December 09
REVIEW OF NWEGG ANNUAL CONFERENCE: The key messages
The annual conference feedback has been very good this year so thank you all again for coming and to everyone to spoke on the day.
30th November 09
REQUEST FOR HELP: ‘Lean’ BPI tools
Jez Adams at Manchester City recently asked what ‘Lean’ BPI tools people are finding most useful.
27th November 09
FEEDBACK REQUESTED: NWEGG programme for 2010-11
The NWEGG Executive would like authorities to sign up to a rolling two year programme for NWEGG for 2010-12 on the same basis as the current year’s membership cost.
22nd November 09
FREE OS MAPS: About time!
Good news for public sector organisations who currently pay significant costs for access to detailed Ordinance Survey data is that it is planned to be free from April 2009.
19th November 09
Free access to OS maps
Government to make access to OS maps free from April 2009.
17th November 09
SO WHAT DO GUARDIAN READERS THINK?
Patrick Butler, editor of Society Guardian, spoke at a recent NWEGG event about the perception of government by Guardian readers and how addressing a set of 5 questions was at the heart of the challenges facing the sector.
10th November 09
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES TRAINING UPDATE: Over 400 signed up, over 320 completed
Through the two Business Improvement Training providers we are promoting there are now over 400 people registered for the free Business Improvement Techniques (BIT) training with 294 people having completed it.
9th September 09
Cabinet Office News ! The Office of Cyber Security
The newly created Office of Cyber Security [OCS] has been set up by the Cabinet Office and is headed up by Dr Steve Marsh.
Read the full article, for a copy of the Cyber Security Strategy, National Security Strategy ...
28th August 09
Performance Management Framework (PMF)
August 2009 ............This comms message is intended for Local Authorities who do not currently contribute to the PMF, but if you have used the tool in the past please read on to see the many improvements that have been made.
11th August 09
AUDIT COMMISSION REPORT: Is there something I should know? Making the most of your information to improve services
Debates on improving public services often focus on the use of financial, natural or human resources. However, information can also help enable public bodies to work more effectively.
This study looked across local public bodies at how information is analysed and presented to decision makers, the skills they have to use that information well and how these skills are organised. [Ref: Audit Commission]
11th August 09
Are your local businesses aware of a free access site to Government Contracts?
Supply2.gov.uk previously charged to search the site across the UK , but it will now be removed, providing firms with better access to public sector contracts to help their businesses grow.,
11th August 09
Extra Government Funding for training providers across the North West
The department for Business, Innovation and Skills have announced that training providers across the North West are to recieve extra Government Funding to help train those who are facing redundancy or have lost thier jobs, to get them back into work.
11th August 09
The ICO raps another council
Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council breaches Data Protection Act
5th August 09
CLG’s £7 million Efficiency and Transformation Fund.
This is an update on from the CLG’s £7 million Efficiency and Transformation Fund.
3rd August 09
Public Sector Network
Find the latest presentation on this on the NWeGG Forum
31st July 09
North West Frontline Technologies Report
NWeGG’s Customer Service Managers Group commissioned study on North West Frontline Technologies Report
28th July 09
Making better use of information to drive improvement in public services
Debates on improving public services often focus on the use of financial, natural or human resources. However, information can also help enable public bodies to work more effectively.
23rd July 09
CLG/BIS Innovation Review Fieldwork
Communities and Local Government (CLG) and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) have jointly commissioned a short, focused review on the local government innovation landscape.
3rd July 09
The NW Information Security Group -Inaugural meeting
The first meeting of the Information Security Group was held on Friday 26 June in Sefton.
2nd July 09
ProgM - the APM Programme Management Specific Interest Group.
Online Programme Management Resources
2nd July 09
GreenPM - Building Environmental Impacts Into Projects
The environmental impact of our projects is becoming increasingly important. Indeed, as charges as introduced tied directly to carbon emissions, this consideration will continue to grow.
2nd July 09
Preparing for the CAA
Project and Programme Management and the CAA
The Right Track North West (RNTW) programme within NWeGG recognises the challenges which Local Authorities (LA) face with the introduction of the Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA). Work has already started to assist LA in understanding what will be involved in undertaking a CAA. In particular, the benefits to be gained through Programme and Portfolio Management through a dedicated Programme Office function.
22nd June 09
TARGET Good Practice
An EU funded resource for new project managers
17th June 09
DCSF asks Local Authorities to take part in its information standards groups
The Department of Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) have asked the Local e-Government Standards Body (LeGSB) to propose a number of people from Local Authorities to participate in various parts of the department’s standards and information management activities and groups.
3rd June 09
NWeGG June Events
This is the June 09 Grapevine - Event Special
27th May 09
Case Studies
Examples of good practice and projects in the North West on the RightTrack North West website.
20th May 09
J'aime la Tour - Hotpot anyone??
Genuine advertising campaign from Blackpool City Council.
19th May 09
Foss Report 2009 - NW Case Studies
The 2009 Foss Report is an interesting read and includes information on case studies from the North West and Nationally.
1st May 09
Cabinet Office PMF Report
Performance Report: For publicly funded contact centres July to September 2008
1st May 09
Public Services on your side.
Working Together - Public Services On Your Side details the steps the Government is taking to give people, communities and frontline staff the information and real power they need to personalise public services. Reflecting their local and individual needs will create a richer, fairer and safer society.
16th April 09
Improvement and Efficiency West Midlands and Buying Solutions in partnership for new National Framework
Improvement and Efficiency West Midlands (IEWM) can confirm that ‘take-up’ of its existing BPI / Systems Thinking Framework has exceeded the estimated £5 million for the full life contract value - three years earlier than expected.
30th March 09
Blue Badge Reform Centre of Excellence in the North West
Bolton MBC, the Centre of Excellence for ‘Blue Badges Application and Renewal processes, wishes to work with volunteer partner authorities in the North West to help identify and implement best practice methods.
30th March 09
ESD Toolkit Cost Architecture Project
ESD Toolkit are looking to deliver a range of support products in a package they have named ‘ABC Choices.’
13th March 09
Laming report produced
Here are the links to the DCSF site and the Laming report itself updating on progress on reform in childrens services.
4th March 09
MPs: Bullying still rife at DCLG
Blimey! Surprising results from a parliamentary committee's findings.
4th March 09
Councils get PFI cash guarantees
Local council infrastructure projects - backed by private finance but stalled by the recession - are getting fresh impetus from additional government cash.
4th March 09
New Beacon Awards!
Well done to Chorley, Lancashire County (and all the rest of Lancashire too), Bolton and St Helens (twice!) on their Beacon Awards. Great to see so many NW Beacons!
2nd March 09
Common Assessment Framework for Adults (CAF) Demonstrator Site Programme
Rochdale Borough Council is one of only a handful of local authorities nationwide chosen for a pilot that will create a more efficient and transparent system of information sharing of assessment and support plan information with individuals, their carers and the health, social care and community services that support them. The official announcement was made on Tuesday 10th February 2009 by Care Services Minister Phil Hope.
2nd March 09
Benefits staff in training to spot fire risks
Benefits staff are being trained by the fire brigade to spot potentially lethal fire risks when making house calls to disabled people.
24th February 09
Pilot sites for the common assessment framework for adults are announced
33 million for demonstrator sites to develop and test improved information sharing across health, social care and wider community support services was announced by Care Services Minister Phil Hope.
18th February 09
Interesting change of position!
News of NWeGG Friends!
16th February 09
CAA guidance is out
Everyone should have seen this, but in case they haven't the links is here.
5th February 09
New information management strategy
This wasnt widely shouted about, but is worth a read. The Cabinet Office continues to drive for more effective use of information in the public sector - something that NWeGG believes in strongly!
4th February 09
National Example of Customer Insight
The Cabinet Office has published a great set of Customer Insight case studies, and they are looking for more examples! Read on to find out more...
3rd February 09
How to make savings in adult social care
A superb case study has been published by the DoH Care Services Efficiency Delivery programme (CSED) relating to financial re-assessments in adult social care and highlights high six figure savings potential.
21st January 09
Cabinet Office releases avoidable contact NI14 Update
The Cabinet Office has released a 2 page release on NI14 - the national indicator that measures avoidable contact.
