Publication Database

Moving beyond the market: a new agenda for public services

01-Aug-14

NEF

This working paper is part of a series of discussions that explore ways of building a new social settlement for the UK.

Services

A new poll tax?

16-Jul-14

Child Poverty Action Group

In April 2013 the national system of Council Tax Benefit was devolved to local authorities, along with a 10 per cent funding cut. While several London boroughs have found the additional savings needed to bridge this cut in funding, the majority have introduced a Minimum Payment. A new poll tax? is the first comprehensive study of the impact on Londoners from this change. CPAG and Z2K have examined the differing levels of Minimum Payment, collection rates and the numbers of people who have fallen into arrears. The report reveals the changes have caused widespread hardship for individuals and families already struggling on low wages or reliant on benefits and made it more complicated for councils to collect council tax payments � many resorting to the use of private bailiffs to make collection on their behalf.

Services

Local authority youth services survey 2013

09-Jul-14

Cabinet Office

This survey looked at how local authorities in England provide, as far as possible, sufficient services and activities for young people aged 13 to 19, and those with learning difficulties to age 24, to improve their well-being. The survey asked questions about each local authority�s statutory duty, other services and activities for young people and the challenges they faced when providing services.

Services

Mass collaboration: How we can transform the impact of public funding

08-Jul-14

IPPR

This report suggests that for the potential of mass collaboration to be realised, the bad habits of the top-down, mass-production model need to be unlearned by central government. Above all, it calls for the current experiments with �payment by results� for funding public service providers should be scrapped. There is rising public concern that payment by results as currently trialled can be highly destructive, with narrow, top-down metrics; overly large, complex and costly contracts; the temptation to take on easier cases and further marginalise those who are harder to help; and the ever-present risk of �gaming�, over-reporting and fraud.

Services

Effective leadership of children's services: joining the dots

01-Jul-14

New Local Government Network

New Local Government Network (NLGN) is an independent think tank that�seeks to transform public services, revitalise local political leadership and�empower local communities. This paper aims to set�out some of the steps that will be necessary to create the next market for�local public services.�NLGN is publishing this report as part of its�programme of research and innovative policy projects, which we hope will be�of use to policy makers and practitioners.

Services

Our ambition for children and young people

01-Jul-14

Local Government Association

LGA report aims to support a radical rewiring of local public services. It sets out four high level ambitions and groups 'core measures' underneath them. This is intended to provide a starting point and framework for local discussions with partners about how to join up services for children and young people around their needs and aspirations and how to measure success locally. They hope it will also support integrated commissioning of services focused on outcomes, not service areas.�

Services

Growing the market for charity bonds, Big Society Capital

01-Jul-14

Big Society Capital

As part of the social investment insight series this paper from Big Society Capital highlights the exciting developments in that space � including the launch of Retail Charity Bonds plc, the first platform to enable charity bonds to be listed on the London Stock Exchange, and the Big Society Capital backed Charity Bond Support Fund, managed by Rathbones. It also draws out the opportunities to grow this market even further.

Services

Ethical standards for providers of public services

17-Jun-14

Committee on Standards in Public Life

In its First Report the Committee set out and defined the principles that underlie public life. The Seven Principles of Public Life are: Selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, leadership. These principles have been widely adopted in the public sector and are internationally recognised. They form the basis of many codes of conduct, codes of practice and organisational and regulatory models. The Seven Principles are accepted as the basis of the standards ethical framework for those operating in public sector and continue to reflect public expectations.

Services

Hidden Talents: Councils supporting youth transitions

01-Jun-14

Local Government Association

This new report captures a range of innovations and services, led by councils, to support young people's transition from school into further learning and work. The examples demonstrate how councils have been able to reduce 16 to 18 year old disengagement to an all-time low and increasingly support older young people towards work.�Evidence demonstrates the value of creating personal advisers for individuals, planning provision across places, and brokering leadership and support into work.

Services

The Realities of Early Stage Social Investment

01-Jun-14

UnLtd

Reports on the realities of early stage social investment based on UnLtd�s Big Venture Challenge (BVC) pilot launched in 2011 and funded by Big Lottery. It shows the BVC was successful in raising awareness around social investment bringing new investors into the marketplace - 81% of the deals done during the BVC pilot involved investors new to social investment.

Services