Welfare Reform on the Web (August 2003): Welfare State - UK

FUTUREBUILDERS: AN INVESTMENT FUND FOR VOLUNTARY AND COMMUNITY SECTOR PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY: PROPOSALS FOR CONSULTATION

Treasury [and] Compact Working Group

London: Treasury, 2003

Consultation on how to use the new £125m futurebuilders fund which was announced as part of the 2002 Spending Review. Futurebuilders aims to assist the voluntary sector in building capacity to deliver public services in areas such as health and social care, education and learning, and support for young people. Proposals include:

• a move from grant funding to longer term investment;
• offering a broader range of finance to include loans, loan guarantees, and a mix of these with grants;
• encouraging organisations to form partnerships to tap other funding streams.

LAUNCH PAD TO HIGHER STANDARDS

N. Valios

Community Care, July 10th-16th 2003, p.26-28

High-performing local authorities now have the freedom to develop innovative models of public service delivery. Article summarises initiatives involving:

• reduction of hospital admissions and delayed discharges of older people;
• creation of safer communities;
• school improvement and early years excellence;
• public service integration.

RUBBER STAMPED?

J. Steele and G. Parston

London: Office for Public Management, 2003

Report looks at the experience of lay governors of public service bodies such as the police authorities, schools, NHS trusts and housing associations and the executives who work with them. Many governors report that they are unable to carry out their work effectively. They are reduced to rubber stamping ececutive decisions rather than leading or helping to shape strategy.

UNDERSTANDING THE FINANCE OF WELFARE: WHAT WELFARE COSTS AND HOW TO PAY FOR IT

H. Glennerster

Bristol: The Policy Press, 2003

This book asks how can a society pay for high quality public welfare services such as health, education, social care and social security? It challenges the belief that easy solutions lie in extending private funding or taxing the rich. The book:

• reviews the economic case for public social services, and examines the economic and political limits to taxation;
  
• analyses the limits to markets as a way of meeting basic human needs;
  
• explores the practical way in which hospitals, schools and other social agencies are funded. In each case the UK's position is contrasted with funding arrangements in other countries;
  
• devotes a chapter to the theory and practice of rationing scarce resources and the public expenditure process.