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Clegg defends drastic benefit cuts, public sector inefficiency and Clone Town Britain

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Clegg defends radical reductions in benefits

Cameron backs simplified welfare proposals

Private cosmetic clinincs "exploiting" patients, says report

Obesity crisis "cannot be solved by exercise alone"

Home office to deport Jamaican mother after 10 years in UK

Public inquiries "not worth the money" says Soham chair

Colin Shek: Now you have to pay, you still swim?

Letters: time for a rethink on Special Educational Needs

More news

• Roads, water supplies, the power grid and other infrastructure must be urgently overhauled and green spaces in cities preserved if the UK is to avoid the damaging effects of climate change, according to a government advisory body, the Financial Times reports.

• Neighbourhood police officers in Manchester are to be given Blackberry mobile phones so they can tweet messages about crimes to residentsto fix them, reports Daily Mail.

On my radar ...

• Excellent piece by blogger Flip Chart Fairy Tales on inefficiency in the public sector:

"There are some excellent examples of efficient and highly effective organisations in the public sector. At their best, they are more efficient than many private sector organisations. The overall picture, though, is not good. The public sector is overstaffed and inefficient. It is in desperate need of reform. That would be the case even if the country were not grappling with a huge public debt."

• Blogger Carrie Bish on Big society and the "Guardian-reader's dilemma."

• This unnanounced inspection report of Haringey children's services by Ofsted. Not much detail or comparative data, and no assessment of how much extra money has been invested in the past 18 months, but it suggests child protection services are improving in the borough.

• A strong blog riposte to Lord Nat Wei's criticism of "charities who become reliant on government funding" by Acevo boss Stephen Bubb.

"Let's make no mistake, the Government needs the sector if it is going to achieve its Big Society vision. We're not an optional extra. To suggest that we are some sort of bit player to Big Society, as opposed top being at its heart, is not simply wrong but divisive and unhelpful."

• My colleague Roy Greenslade on a report which suggests changes aimed at making the family courts more open to press and public scrutiny have failed dismally, and now have the opposite effect, making many legal cases "virtually unreportable."

• New Economic Foundation's latest Clone Town study, which finds that Britain's high streets are beoming increasingly dominated by chainstores. Cambridge, apparently is the worst offender

• Guardian of Leeds, who lined up Leeds Council chief executive Tom Riordan for online chat to discuss public spending cuts. Email in your questions please.

• Blogger Rich W / 'comments about how the government loves that, and another when it comes to "inflammatory statements" on Social Policy

Events

Driving efficiencies in public sector ICT, September 30, London: The one-day conference for senior IT professionals to review their work, reduce costs and deliver vital efficiency savings.

Public sector online, 4 October, London: a one-day conference examining how public sector professionals can engage with their audience to deliver services more effectively and strategically online.

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