News Summary of Collaboration and Shared Services from 2 April 2014

Thank you for your support if you helped the LGA generate the 2014 shared service map. It has been launched this week and makes good reading – especially if you want to tap into the partnerships that are only a few steps ahead of you…

National map of shared services 2014

The LGA has re-launched the national shared services compendium and map which now shows that at least 337 councils across the country are engaged in 383 shared service arrangements resulting in £357 million of efficiency savings. Read more >>>

Highway Code Updates

Here is a survey for your Data Protection and ICT section in your SSA Highway Code  folder. This new report from iGov evaluates the application of G-cloud and other ICT provision in shared services in local government and blue light services….

iGov Survey of Shared Services in Local Government

The UK's public sector is in the midst of major transformation as government initiatives seek to develop more efficient, technology enabled organisations. Read more >>>

Local Government

Last week I suggested that you look at the Locality/Vanguard report Saving money by doing the right thing which favoured localised delivery. Following on the same theme LGIU have released a report on systems-wide collaborative working. And we have a new phrase “synaptic public services”…

Synaptic public services | LGIU: Local Government Information Unit

What’s next for localism? There are lots of things we could talk about: the future of localism under the coalition, the future of localism under our next Government, whether that be Labour, Conservative or another coalition. Read more >>>

There was criticism in the press last week that councils were diverting social care money to prop up services. This article argues that this could be a good thing. Just because money was spent in a particular way by the health service, does not mean that local government must do the same thing…

Putting joined up thinking into action

The need to join up delivery in pursuit of the 'triple bottom line' in local service provision is universally acknowledged as a necessary and good thing. Read more >>>

Higher Education

Most universities need to work on their internal collaboration before they step into external partnerships. This report provides a helpful review and new thinking on HE collaborative working…

 

Making shared services work in higher education

We've not yet seen all the possibilities for shared services in higher education, says Andrew Rothwell from Loughborough University, who offers advice on how to make it work in the UK. Read more >>>

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Blue Light Services

Last week I was teaching the SS(PRAC) programme  for project managers in Greater Manchester Police, and today I am at CFOA teaching the SS(PRAC) programme again to Fire & Rescue managers, as the Blue Light Services prepare themselves for the transformation funding that is coming down in the next two years. In this newly launched shared service, two fire services have created a shared control centre…

Fire calls merger now in place to boost service

Emergency calls to West Midlands and Staffordshire fire and rescue services are being handled by a new shared fire control service. Read more >>>

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