The focus of an upcoming Northamptonshire County Council capacity building event, organised by the Workforce and Development team, will be strategies for delivering high quality public services in a context of severe budgetary constraint. ResPublica's Deputy Director, Asheem Singh, will be exploring how local government operational, policy and financial frameworks can be reconfigured to enable 'Big Society' goals to be achieved in local communities.

In advance of the Prime Minister's visit to China, Wilton Park is hosting a major 4-day conference in co-operation with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Chatham House, with support from Rio Tinto and the Ford Foundation. Its purpose will be to explore the current debate within China how to achieve a 'harmonious society' within a 'harmonious world' and to exchange thinking on how the shock waves generated by the credit crunch may be turned to positive effect in terms of restructuring economies and employment to deliver productive, harmonious societies. Phillip Blond's theme will be 'China's Civil Society; The UK's Big Society - A Golden Age for Development?'

Other speakers tackle topics such as

• What are the implications for business and financial sectors?


• What can be done to improve market access and rebalance towards domestic consumption?


• What are the appropriate g
  04 November 2010 13:00 - 13:00 Wiston House
  Steyning
  West Sussex BN44 3DZ

ResPublica Director Phillip Blond will be speaking at this Association of Convenience Stores event. He will be giving an update on the current ResPublica/ ACS project, which focuses on what government can do to support a more competitive retail market.

Phillip Blond, Director of ResPublica, today (October 26th) speaks to a major conference hosted by CIPFA (Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy), which will be attended by senior finance and policy leaders from local authorities in England and Wales.

Chaired by John Butler, the event will focus on answering the thorny question of how best to meet key practical challenges faced by local government finance professionals in the current climate of austerity. Specific topics include:

• The Coalition Government's plans -- what does this mean for local government finance?


• The financial challenges brought by the ‘Big Society'


• The crucial financial questions facing our top managers: learn from the leaders


• The future of local authority audit and performance assessment


• Addressing the major area that chief executives and finance directors must
  26 October 2010 08:30 - 08:30

ResPublica's Associate Director and Head of the Health, Housing and Environment Unit Matt Leach will be speaking at the King's Fund event on health care and the big society.

For more information please visit the King's Fund website:http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/events/hidden_events/health_care_and_the.html