Innovation and Efficiency

New standards published to improve legislation

20.05.13: The Government must comply with new standards for good legislation, the House of Commons Political and Constitutional Reform Committee has urged. The committee considered criticisms of the quality and quantity of legislation, and has publis...

Cuts to local services a ‘mathematical certainty’ – LGA

10.05.13: If Government delivers a further 10% cut on funding for local government in the next spending round, money for non-statutory services could have to be reduced by up to 90%. The LGA has mapped the likely impact of further spending reductions...

ERG must focus on sustainability – NAO

17.04.13: The Cabinet Office’s Efficiency and Reform Group (ERG) has helped government departments to make significant savings, the National Audit Office (NAO) has reported. The ERG has saved £5.5bn in 2011-12 through changes to the Civil...

£9m additional Future Cities funding awarded

11.04.13: The Technology Strategy Board (TSB) has awarded Future City funding to a further three cities, after Glasgow earlier won the competition for £24m to become a test bed for future innovation. Bristol, London and Peterborough will receiv...

22% of public sector leaders believe service quality improving

10.04.13: Funding and budget cuts remain the top concern of public sector leaders, a new survey by Ipsos MORI suggests. However, the research indicated a range of ways organisations were working to deliver the same quality of services in a different way. ...

A reason to change

01.04.13: Chiltern Railways recently won a CIM award for its ‘Mainline’ campaign. The train operator’s commercial director, Thomas Ableman, speaks to PSE. Chiltern Railways’ ‘Mainline’ campaign has succeeded in sec...

Changing behaviour by design

01.04.13: Ed Gardiner, behavioural design lead at Warwick Business School, discusses the power of behavioural design in the fight to tackle obesity. In February 2013, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC) published ‘Measuring up: The me...

Individual output on a shared platform

01.04.13: PSE speaks to Takki Sulaiman, head of communications at Tower Hamlets council, about a far-reaching new print contract that could generate significant savings. Tower Hamlets has set up an impressive pan-London framework agreement for print...

Preventing the pitfalls of public sector marketing

01.04.13: The Charted Institute of Marketing (CIM)’s head of research Mark Blayney Stuart describes the importance of good marketing in times of financial pressure. As markets across the world continue to Below: Home Office Campaign - Winners l...

Transforming public sector services

01.04.13: Peter Holbrook, chief executive of Social Enterprise UK, discusses the potential of the Social Value Act and how councils can make the most of this when commissioning services. In January, a groundbreaking new law came into force: the Socia...

Police must collaborate for procurement savings – NAO

26.03.13: Many opportunities for savings in police procurement remain unexploited, a new report from the National Audit Office (NAO) highlights. Police forces spent around £1.7bn in 2010-11, and while many forces are now working together to imp...

More information for technological innovation – MPs

14.03.13: Increased funding and information for technology companies is needed to boost research in the UK, a new report from the select committee on science and technology states. ‘Bridging the valley of death: improving the commercialisation...

Liverpool launches taskforce to ensure social value

07.03.13: A Social Value Taskforce has been launched in Liverpool to help commissioners to use the Social Value Act when procuring services and awarding contracts. At the Social Value Conference, held in Liverpool yesterday, minister for civil societ...

41% of local authorities to shun council tax freeze

28.02.13: Nearly half of councils are currently planning to forego the money for freezing council tax offered by the DCLG, and will instead raise it for 2013/14. CIPFA’s annual survey found that 41% of local authorities are considering rejectin...

Cabinet Office must do more to maximise savings – NAO

27.02.13: The NAO has called on the Cabinet Office to create more effective levers to create savings in procurement. Expenditure on common goods and services is more centralised, there is increased participation by SMEs and clearer lines of responsib...