News Summary of Collaboration and Shared Services from 22nd February 2017

How do you change a public service from a £1.5m cost, to making half a million profit? In the section below on ICT & Digital, (It started with a Google search…), Aylesbury Vale District Council tell their story of disrupting the old way of working to make significant savings with a new, better and lower-cost model. Collaborative working between organisations can also be “positively disruptive” by focusing on the creation of new, better, lower-cost ways of working. That can be very effective when redesign of delivery through ICT and digital are at the heart of the “new and better” elements. Here is your collaboration news and collaborative working job vacancies from the last seven days… ICT & Digital It started with a Google search... Soaring budget gaps, the risk of financial collapse and a move towards self-financing – it would be fair to say that back in pre-austerity days not many councils could have predicted what the sector would look like today. Read more Birmingham’s unique approach for redesigning ICT and digital services Andy Fullard, interim information and technology director at Birmingham City Council, outlines how the local authority’s ambitious new five-year ICT and Digital (ICTD) Strategy will support the way in which local services will be provided in the future, as the organisation continues to undergo major changes between now and 2021. Read more Local Government   County Based Unitaries A recent study, commissioned by the County Councils Network (CCN), suggests that the amalgamation of two-tier areas into county-based unitaries could potentially save £2.9bn nationwide and on average up to £106m per county. Read more   Glasgow city region councils launch ambitious economic action plan Eight Scottish councils have launched an ambitious joint economic action plan, kick-starting an unprecedented, long-term collaboration on jobs, skills and inclusive growth. Read more South London councils agree to jointly deliver new work and health programme Five councils in London have agreed to work together to commission a new work and health programme. Read more   Overwork and resource cuts driving public sector staff into agency work Public sector staff who move from permanent roles to agency work mainly do so due to concerns over insufficient resources and unmanageable workloads rather than in an effort to increase pay, a review has found. Read more Lincolnshire ‘mega-council’ poll cancelled due to ‘ludicrous’ cost A referendum on the creation of one ‘mega-council’ in Lincolnshire would cost in excess of £1m despite previous county council assurances costs would be ‘kept to a minimum’. Read more Health & Social Care   Approaches to integrated care ‘too top down’, says health alliance Approaches to integrating health and social care have been “too top down”, while insufficient emphasis has been placed on rebuilding shattered community trust, contends the New NHS Alliance. Read more   MSPs to investigate health and social care integrated joint boards MSPs on the Scottish Parliament’s health and sport committee are to investigate whether or not integration authorities are doing enough to involve patients, carers, the third sector and other stakeholders in the design and future of health and social care. Read more Resources: Materials to support health and social work in situations of coercive control New open access learning resources for social workers, safeguarding leads and health and social care practitioners, provide information and guidance on how to recognise and respond to coercive and controlling behaviour in intimate or family relationships. Read more   Dorset implements cloud-based platform for environmental health services Dorset councils have carried out a shared procurement exercise for an environmental health system that they argue will improve customer service. Read more Housing Three associations to merge in the North East Three of the North-East’s leading social landlords have announced plans to merge together to form one region-wide organisation with more than 23,000 homes. Read more   We Are Lancashire: the place for growth – Summary, slides + pictures More than 120 developers, investors and property professionals drawn from across the North West gathered for a special inward investment event focusing on the commercial opportunities and investment potential offered by Preston, South Ribble and the Central Lancashire region. Read more   Housing association merger supported by HCA Two Hampshire-based housing associations have had their merger backed by the housing regulator. First Wessex and Sentinel plan to join forces to create a new 30,000-home organisation which will be branded Vivid. Read more   Catalyst and Berkeley Group get together to deliver Southall Waterside Catalyst has partnered with Berkeley Group to deliver 186 affordable units as part of the first phase of the Southall Waterside development in West London. Of the homes, 120 will be for “affordable” rent with the remaining 66 for shared ownership. Read more Devolution   Minister gives west of England devolution go-ahead Communities minister Andrew Percy has given the go-ahead for the west of England combined authority headed by a directly-elected mayor. Read more   West-Midlands Devolution And The Potential For Public Services In May, the people of the West Midlands will vote for their first democratically elected “Metro Mayor”. This is all part of a devolution deal struck with the Government which will see powers transfer to the “Midlands Engine”. Read more Receive this Shared Service News Summary into your inbox every week. Just register on our website.

News Summary of Collaboration and Shared Services from 15th February 2017

Speaking at a conference last week, Brandon Lewis the Minister for Police and Fire confirmed that "The Policing and Crime Act introduces a new statutory duty on the emergency services to keep collaboration opportunities under review and to enter into collaboration where it would be in the interests of their efficiency or effectiveness to do so. This new duty will come into force in April 2017 and going forward, I expect the pace and ambition of collaboration to increase and for it to become the norm." This requires that each Ambulance, Fire and Police service will need to produce a collaboration strategy document. Those strategies will need to evidence how collaboration will take forward the strategic narrative of the organisation and also state clearly, what is not up for collaboration. Here is your collaboration news and collaborative working job vacancies from the last seven days… Local Government   Council considers joint venture for environmental services A joint venture between Daventry District Council and Norse Commercial Services to deliver waste and recycling services is being considered for next year. Read more Health & Social Care NAO: No compelling evidence that health and social care integration works The government’s plan to integrate health and social care services across England by 2020 is at “significant risk” due to progress being slower and less successful than had been hoped, the National Audit Office (NAO) has warned. Read more   £1.3 billion deal will speed up groundbreaking health plans The £1.3 billion investment plan for South West Wales will help speed up the transformation of health services across South West Wales, according to health leaders. Read more Delivery Models   A Practical Guide to Alternative Delivery Models This guide gives clear explanations of the different types of alternative models and vehicles, their structures and frameworks. Read more IT Three London councils set to share IT services The London Borough of Southwark is set to share IT services with two other London boroughs. Read more   Council outsourcing deals increase due to tech investment Spending on IT and technology procurement increased dramatically last year with over £800m of outsourcing deals signed by councils. Read more  Housing   Merger proposed for Berkshire Associations Berkshire based housing associations Housing Solutions and Bracknell Forest Homes have confirmed they are in early merger discussions. Read more Receive this Shared Service News Summary into your inbox every week. Just register on our website.