Government reveals plan to cut red tape

Measures
to cut bureaucracy in children’s services and free staff up to
focus on efficient service delivery were outlined last week by the
government with the Local Government Association.

The
proposals came in a report issued by the LGA and Department of
Transport, Local Government and the Regions. They include measures
to halve the number of plans that councils must produce, and to
reduce council inspections, building on last year’s Strong
Leadership: Quality Public Services white paper.

Changes
to children’s services include simplifying the benefits system for
disabled children and looked-after children and more effective ways
of dealing with school exclusions, which would take pressure off
social services staff.

The
report highlights Camden Council’s bid to introduce child
identification across agencies: “Sharing information would promote
interconnected services and multi-agency working to the benefit of
children and families.”

The DTLR
has already made a commitment to reducing local authority
inspections and has reduced the number of national performance
targets for 2002-3.

The
report’s 42 measures, based on the ideas of 70 councils, should be
implemented by the end of 2003.

–
Making a Difference: Reducing Red Tape and Bureaucracy in Local
Government from 020 7276 2170