News Summary of Collaboration and Shared Services from 15th October 2014

Cohort 11 of the Postgrad Cert in Shared Services started last week. I was teaching the first two days and asked the students why they had joined the six-month, part-time programme.

They saw collaborative transformation, and a shrinking workforce, as the future for the UK public sector and as a result wanted a qualification that clearly gave them advantage, and distinguished them, at their next job interview.

If you feel the same way, Cohort 12 will start in Feb 2015 and you can find more details here http://www.sharedservicearchitects.co.uk/Find-Out-More-About-Canterbury-Christ-Church-University-Postgraduate-Certificate-In-Shared-Services

 

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Local Government

Shared services is only one of the solutions that can help organisations to make savings and improvements. Redditch and Bromsgrove Councils have created a number of valuable shared services but it doesn’t seem to be sufficient…

Council has ‘no clear plan to balance books’

Redditch Borough Council bosses have been slammed for failing to have a clear plan on how to balance the books in future years….auditors say further significant savings are not expected from shared services while the council has struggled to demonstrate the level of savings transformation has and can achieve.  Read more >>>

 

When there are two of you in a marriage, what happens when you add a new partner? Weymouth and Portland Borough Council are in discussions about adding North Dorset District Council to the shared services partnership it has with West Dorset – is this the first ‘super district’ in the UK?…

 

First ever tri-council merger could get green light

The first tri-council partnership in the country could be set to get the green light from one of the authorities involved. Read more >>>

 

…and what might happen when you create ‘super districts’ through merger? Northern Ireland's 26 district councils will be replaced by 11 larger councils next year and apparently some residents’ council tax may have to go up…

 

NI super councils: 300,000 householders face rise due to changes

At least 300,000 householders in Northern Ireland will face rate rises as a result of moving into the new so-called super councils, according to figures from the Department of Finance. Read more >>>

 

Back in 2011/12, St Edmundsbury and Forest Heath District Councils put 30 of their senior staff through the Shared Service Practitioner programme. Feedback from staff in the following months showed it helped them to lay the foundations of the journey that has enabled savings of £3.5m since then …

 

 

West Suffolk councils share ERP platform

An ERP system shared by two West Suffolk councils went live today as the authorities look to cut costs by sharing resources. Read more >>>

 

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Welsh Local Government

 

What happens when you want to go out with your neighbour, but they clearly don’t want to go out with you? In a vote two weeks ago, Anglesey Council made it clear they were not up for merger with next door Gwynedd. Here is the response from Gwynedd…

 

Gwynedd councillors vote to consider Anglesey merger

Councillors in Gwynedd have voted overwhelmingly to further consider a merger with Anglesey council. Read more >>>

On the basis that you don’t have to marry the council next door, (for example Surrey and East Sussex) maybe we should let Rhondda Cynon Taf Council know that Gwynedd (lively, fun, looking for soul mate with a view to long-term relationship) is available…

Welsh council considers merger options

Rhondda Cynon Taf is to investigate the pros and cons of merging with neighbouring authorities. The council said its response to the Welsh Government’s consultation on voluntary mergers must be based on a strong business case. Read more >>>

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