Society Daily: 26.08.10

Follow Society Guardian on Twitter Follow Patrick Butler on Twitter Sign up to Society Daily email briefing Today's top Society stories Ministers told to prove impact of budget cuts on poor was assessed NHS sees record number of complaints Atheist doctors "more likely to hasten death" Minister acts to calm charities' fear of aid cuts A brand of austerity about as progressive as Thatcher's All today's Society stories Other stories Leeds council is braced for more cuts as £3.6m budget deficit is revealed with a projected £8m overspend on children's services and overspend in adult social care reports Guardianleeds "Reckless" public spending cuts are putting social work reforms at risk, says shadow education secretary Ed Balls in an interview with Community Care. Members of the public have been asked to report unnecessary street signs as the government urged councils to cut down on "street clutter" . Communities secretary Eric Pickles and transport secretary Philip Hammond have written to council leaders calling on them to reduce the number of signs, railings, bollards and advertising hoardings, reports the Daily Telegraph. People on benefits should be encouraged to take up summer work picking fruit and vegetables, according to government advisers. The Fruit and Vegetable Task Force has warned of an impending shortage of labour in the horticulture industry. It wants the coalition government to change the benefit systems as part of an overall review so that the unemployed are guaranteed a rise in income if they take a job, reports the Telegraph. Tobacco companies may be using interactive websites such as YouTube to market their products to young people, according to a study. Tobacco brands have always vehemently denied product placement on the internet, and several signed a voluntary agreement to restrict direct advertising online by the end of 2002. But a study published online by the Tobacco Control journal found more than 20 "very professionally made" video clips in a YouTube search for any reference to five tobacco brands – Marlboro, L&M, Benson & Hedges, Winston and Mild Seven, reports the Independent. Events Driving efficiencies in public sector ICT , 30 September, London: a one-day conference for senior IT professionals to re-examine the way they work, cut 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. Society Guardian blogs Joe Public Sarah Boseley's global health blog Guardian awards Guardian Public Services awards 2010 Guardian charity awards 2010 Society Daily blog Society Daily blog editor: Patrick Butler Email the editor: [email protected] Society Guardian Links SocietyGuardian.co.uk Public - the Guardian's website for senior public sector executives The Guardian's public and voluntary sector careers page Hundreds of public and voluntary sector jobs Society Guardian editor: Alison Benjamin Email the SocietyGuardian editor: [email protected]