Monthly Archives: February 2012

Local council buildings as civil spaces

Posted on February 29, 2012 by

Summary Do modern council buildings reflect the castration of modern local government when compared to their Victorian foreparents? Some thoughts on a key pillar of Tristram Hunt’s book Building Jerusalem: The rise and fall of the Victorian City I took … Continue reading →

Posted in Housing and transport | 3 Comments

Accountability, creativity & going alone

Posted on February 29, 2012 by

Summary Rambling thoughts on moving from accountability within a hierarchy to the free world This is something that I’ve been pondering more and more as I reflect on my time in the civil service with the benefit of lots of … Continue reading →

Posted in Public administration & policy, Puffles, Social media | Leave a comment

It’s good to talk – and even better to listen

Posted on February 26, 2012 by

Summary Can People and Planet and The National Community Activists Network link up? I hope so. Click for People & Planet’s Facebook Page Click for National Community Activists Network Facebook Page After three very heavy mainstream politics-related posts that picked … Continue reading →

Posted in Campaigning, protesting and demonstrating | Leave a comment

The politicisation of the civil service

Posted on February 25, 2012 by

Summary Why this is an issue – on the back of some … ‘controversial’ tweets from @DWPPressOffice Until the age of about 20, I had no idea the civil service existed. While I followed politics more closely than most people, … Continue reading →

Posted in Campaigning, protesting and demonstrating, Party politics, Public administration & policy, Social media | 4 Comments

NHS risk register and freedom of information

Posted on February 22, 2012 by

Summary Should the government release the risk register on the NHS Bill? Declaration of interest: I am opposed to this Bill – see my first post on the Bill. I’m not going to use this post to kick Lansley over … Continue reading →

Posted in Campaigning, protesting and demonstrating, Party politics, Public administration & policy | 4 Comments

Social media guidance for public servants

Posted on February 21, 2012 by

Summary  What should new Cabinet Office guidance on social media contain? What challenges does it need to address?  Just under a year ago while I was still in the civil service, I started making representations to the great and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Public administration & policy, Social media | 19 Comments

Preparing to deliver my first paid commission

Posted on February 19, 2012 by

Summary Ponderings and preparations for four social media workshops I will be delivering.  I’ve built up a sizeable book collection over the years. I can’t pretend that I’ll get to read through all of them in detail. Too many of … Continue reading →

Posted in Business economics and finance, Cambridge, Social media | Leave a comment

Will spam kill Twitter?

Posted on February 18, 2012 by

Summary Why does Twitter seem to be unable to deal with Spam? In Puffles’ early days of Twitter, I estimate that around four in five new followers was a form of spambot. It takes a huge amount of patience and … Continue reading →

Posted in Social media | 2 Comments

Puffles’ Twitter Lists – Transparency, Open Data & all things digital

Posted on February 17, 2012 by

Some of you may have seen my attempt at a spoof article and blogpost on Freedom of Information. This group are worth following for all things transparency, open data and digital things. The first is an official one – UKTransparency … Continue reading →

Posted in Puffles' Twitter Lists | 1 Comment

“Politicians push for new Freedom from Information Act”

Posted on February 17, 2012 by

Summary – a spoof article followed by a defence of Freedom of Information NEWZ-SPOOF: In a new development from Westminster, senior figures within the Whitehall jungle have come out in support of a proposed new “Freedom from Information Act.” Its … Continue reading →

Posted in Campaigning, protesting and demonstrating, Public administration & policy | 1 Comment