PM looks for fresh contract between citizen and state

PM looks for fresh contract between citizen and state (PF 19/1/07)

Can be interpreted as using ‘Education and Communication’ and ‘Consultation and Participation’ in an effort to move stakeholders to a ‘key player’ position.

Performance anxiety, by Colin Talbot and Carole Johnson

Performance anxiety, by Colin Talbot and Carole Johnson (PF 12/1/07)

PSAs can be seen in terms of marketing – a promotion mechanic.

Survey of select committee members – scepticism of the value of target measurement in changing accountability. No restriction on strategic freedom.

Best of both worlds, by Jonathan Bland

Best of both worlds, by Jonathan Bland (PF 12/1/07)

Benefits of social enterprise:

- Different culture – Propector vs. Defender -> more innovation

- More emphasis on customer value.

- Ethical position – more likely to be in ‘Shapers of society’ than in ‘Multiple stakeholder expectations’.

E.g. Sandwell Community Caring Trust. Drove costs down, excellent employee relations

E.g. Bulky Bob’s – Collect, restore or recycle unwanted furniture. Innovative approach. Also, large part of the workforce came up through training programme.

I want that one, by Neil Merrick

I want that one, by Neil Merrick (PF 12/1/07)

Choice-based letting. Interesting points:

- Still not any kind of ‘market’. Applicants are ranked in terms of priority and high priority applicants are more likely to get their choices.

- Applicants are given feedback on why they are not successful – they can adjust their bidding behaviour in future, so they have information rather than being somewhat blind cf. health

- What constitutes good housing is readily understood by service users.

‘Urgent debate’ needed on state’s role in social care

‘Urgent debate’ needed on state’s role in social care (PF 12/1/07)

Combination of financial restrictions and rising demand has led to an emergent strategy of reduction in council-provided social care. “That’s happening by default, it’s not being debated.”

Ethics – need to at least improve information and support for informal carers.

News analysis – Future teaching to be up close and personalised

News analysis – Future teaching to be up close and personalised (PF 12/1/07)

2020 Vision Report

Ethical issues – when you look at average attainment, you are ignoring a tail of under-achievement. The Government wants to be more individual on moral grounds.

Marketing mix:

Product – personalised rather than generalised education

Price – proposals have not been costed, and could come to nothing is not backed up by funding.

People – teachers to become more professional again: relax target restrictions on them and a more flexible National Curriculum.

Process – teachers to identify pupils not making progress and make progress plans.

Emphasis on professional standards and schools formulating their own strategies – disaggregation. But whole concept of National Curriculum is opposite.

Staff issues cloud maternity shake-up

Staff issues cloud maternity shake-up (PF 9/2/07)

Place – how are maternity services to be distributed: Choice of home, midwife-led hospital unit or consultant-led regional unit.

Promotion – selling changes in provision to the public

People – new arrangements would need more midwifes and obstetricians

Physical – public attachment to physical infrastructure: local maternity hospital units would be downgraded.

Process – making sure it all works

Personal questions

Personal questions (PF 12/1/07)

Affordability of personalised services. Socially divisive and limited by personal means.

Comment – Making space for place, by Paul Raynes

Comment – Making space for place, by Paul Raynes (PF 9/2/07)

LGA report – economies largely function on a local level: most people are not nationally mobile and most companies do not have a national footprint. Therefore economy should be governed locally.

Getting better all the time, by Paul Jackson

Getting better all the time, by Paul Jackson (PF 5/1/07)

CIPFA survey of council officers’ thoughts on key drivers. Demonstrate focus on local and internal issues over external programmes