Government Business 30.03
This issue of Government Business magazine is the first to feature our new redesign. At the start of the pandemic, we made the decision to switch from a print to exclusively digital magazine. Three years on and we are still working to improve our readers' experience and how you interact with Government Business. We know that more and more readers are choosing to read our magazine on a mobile or tablet device, as well as on a desktop computer. With this in mind, we have overhauled the design of the magazine to improve your experience. Throughout the pages, you will notice the font size has increased. This is to reduce zooming and scrolling, and make our stories easier to read and digest. We will also be including more video content in our magazines, including a welcome message from our editor with details about what is included in this issue. Finally, the magazine has a sleek new design, all hopefully adding to an enjoyable and informative experience for you. We hope you like it.
GB 30.3 still includes lots of great content, including a feature on invasive plants by the Property Care Association and an article on the importance of fire doors by the British Woodworking Federation.
We have also included a few frameworks, and previews of some of the exciting events coming up over the next few months. As well as this, this issue covers health and safety, cyber security, waste management, road maintenance and more!
Smart City Business May 2023
This Smart City Business supplement is brought to you by Government Business.
The supplement uses our new redesigned magazine format, which is designed to be more easily read on mobile devices and improve the reader experience. We hope you like it.
In this supplement, we cover the hot topics in smart cities, including waste management, traffic management and robots.
We hope you enjoy it.
Government Business 30.02
Another Hunt budget
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt recently published his spring budget, including further help with energy costs and extended provision of childcare.
Missing from the budget was any statement on public sector pay or any big announcements on the NHS. However, funding was announced for pot holes, which will be welcome for many in local government and the public at large.
The chancellor also announced funding for leisure centres and swimming pools, which as you will see in our energy feature on p. 72 have been struggling for some time now. Many across the country have been finding innovative ways to keep their heads above water.
Our waste management section looks at ways that savings can be made on local bin collections and how electric refuse vehicles have been rolled out around the country.
We also cover a lot on facilities in this issue, including cleaning, fire safety and asbestos management.
Finally several event previews are included throughout the issue, providing an overview of the best events for facilities management, fire safety, health & safety and security, which you can visit in the coming months.
Polly Jones, editor
Government Business 30.01
Achieving Net Zero
Rishi Sunak and his government have reached the three-month mark, longer than his predecessor, and the current priority is tackling the cost-of-living crisis.
Meanwhile, many across the public sector are striking over pay and working conditions on a scale that hasn’t been seen for decades.
This issue of Government Business magazine focuses on Net Zero, with a detailed look at Chris Skidmore’s Net Zero review and a call from UK100 to invest in Skills for Local Net Zero. There is also a feature on how to run a Net Zero event.
We’ve included an article on cyber security, jointly authored by representatives from the National Cyber Security Centre and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
Finally, we also cover the latest iteration of the G-Cloud framework, Sir Stephen Timms MP talks about asbestos removal and the managing director of District Enforcement explains how technology can deter fly-tippers.
Polly Jones, editor
G-Cloud Special
Cloud services for the public sector
The latest G-Cloud agreement has been live for just over a month now and will run for a year.
With the introduction of a fourth lot and improved terms and conditions, G-Cloud 13 offers all public sector organisations a simple and compliant way to purchase cloud-based services.
Brought to you by Government Business, Health Business and Education Business magazines, this supplement tells you everything you need to know about G-Cloud 13, including how to search for services, how to assess your search results and how to award a contract.
It also provides helpful links to the G-Cloud webpage and a link to the list of suppliers.
We hope you find this useful.
Polly Jones, editor
Government Business 29.06
Another day, another government
In our last edition, we were talking about Liz Truss and her new government. However, following a series of dramatic events, she only lasted 45 days in the job.
Now we have the third prime minister of the year. Some of prime minister Rishi Sunak’s appointments have already been criticised. Suella Braverman was reappointed to her role a week after she resigned for a data breach. Gavin Williamson resigned over bullying claims, which Sunak allegedly knew about before his appointment. Now, deputy PM Dominic Raab is facing a formal investigation into his behaviour after two formal complaints were made against him.
One of the first acts of the new government was chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s recent Autumn Statement, which set out tax rises and spending cuts. So far, it has had a better reception than the mini budget of his predecessor Kwasi Kwarteng, which was a catalyst in the downfall of the previous government.
In this issue, we cover different ways to prepare for winter, from facilities management to road maintenance. There are articles on drainage, fire safety and groundscare on what needs to be done in these industries. Finally, the technology section includes digital transformation and the digital skills gap.
Polly Jones, editor
Government Business 29.05
Lots to do for the new government
A lot has changed in government over the last month - a new prime minister, new cabinet and a new monarch following the sad death of Her Majesty The Queen.
Many of the new appointees to government are at least the third to hold the position this year alone. In the last ten years, the UK has seen five different home secretaries, seven individual foreign secretaries and six separate chancellors, with the last three prime ministers all resigning before the end of their term.
There is no denying that this newly formed government has a lot to deal with urgently and over the coming months with the cost-of-living crisis, a still-ongoing NHS backlog and an energy crisis, as well as climate concerns following a record-breaking summer.
This issue looks at some of the areas they will have to tackle, including saving money on the government estate and reducing energy use in the public sector. We also cover fire safety and asbestos removal, along with a look at the return to large conferences and events.
Finally, this issue covers technology, with an analysis of the government’s latest digital strategy, and a look at Google Public Sector in the US, as well as sharing some information on procuring EV charging infrastructure.
Polly Jones, editor
Government Business 29.04
It’s fair to say that things haven’t exactly been plain sailing of late in the rudderless ship of government. After the parliamentary party lanced its boil, regular members now get to choose between current foreign secretary Truss or ex-chancellor Sunak, neither of whom have thus far achieved anything tangible in their bleak ministerial careers. Nothing gets done while they duke it out, and whoever wins will have a mountain to climb to regain trust.
In this issue, we take another look at the Procurement Bill and the potential it has change the way the public sector works.
With staff recruitment and retention always an issue, we dive into the Crown Commercial Service’s Permanent Recruitment Framework.
This issue’s Expert Panel tackles transformational change and asks five big questions around people, process and technology.
The ability of local government to get things done is evident in Smart City Business, which features Edinburgh’s award-winning LED street lighting project and takes a look at Energy Superhub Oxford, reportedly the most powerful EV charging facility in Europe.
Danny Wright, Acting Editor
Government Business 29.03
A level playing field
Among the most technically ambitious of the Government’s planning reforms announced as part of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill is the new Infrastructure Levy, which on the face of it appears to be a quicker, fairer way of funding new infrastructure and could even be useful in helping Local Authorities to finally get a grip of affordable housing. The current S106 mechanism - based loosely on floor space - is open to interpretation and often sees projects held up by contractural biccering. New proposals base the levy on the gross development value of the finished project, so both the authority and the developer know where they stand from the get-go.
Also open to interpretation is the language used in the Procurement Bill (see page 29). Rees-Mogg says his post-EU procurement revolution will ’free businesses from straightjackets’ but according to law practice Eversheds Sutherland, the Bills approach to the principles of procurement law appears somewhat unclear. Expect big changes to buying, possibly even by the latter half of 2023.
On the road to net zero, this issue takes a look at Clean Air Zones including Oxford CC’s trailblazing ‘ZEZ’ and a retrofit scheme that can help commercial vehicles operate in the zone. Smart City Business summarises fascinating research into smart city lighting projects and how they can be replicated as well as the innovative use of smart tech in UK ports.
We welcome your feedback.
Danny Wright, acting editor
Government Business 29.02
Time to put people at the centre of policy
This March issue of Government Business has a number of varied features which look at the role of placing people at the centre of decision making.
Firstly I would like to signpost you to our interview with Councillor Phélim Mac Cafferty on page 15 in which the leader of Brighton & Hove City Council discusses bringing together people and projects to tackle the climate emergency, as well as local food strategies and reducing transport-related carbon emissions in the city.
On page 19, the IWFM’s Linda Hausmanis discusses why the question of how organisations get the best from their staff has never been more prominent than in today’s world of work. Her thoughts on the triad of people, technology and the workplace is a very interesting read.
Elsewhere, our March energy feature (page 27) analyses the increasing public support for solar and Chris Clarke, from HOPE not hate, writes about the need to focus more on local events which bring people and their communities closer together (page 67). As alway, enjoy the issue.
Michael Lyons, editor
