News Summary of Collaboration and Shared Services from 14th October 2015

If you would like to update your understanding of the implications of combined authority and devolution working, then the new Grant Thornton & Localis practical guide for leaders will interest you.

Making Devolution Work

To quote William Eichler’ article in LocalGov: The report does, however, bring to light several misunderstandings about what central government expects to see. While Whitehall wishes to see ‘innovation’, only one in every nine local government stakeholders interviewed thought local public sector innovation was a vital priority for the government.

Central government also wants to see a unity of purpose between public sector actors in the devolutionary process. But, according to Localis’ findings, less than one in seven survey respondents believe the government view ‘long term collaboration with other public sector bodies’ is of vital importance.

Another misunderstanding concerns fiscal devolution. Almost half (47%) of the survey respondents believe it will happen inside this parliament and a further 33% think it will happen within the next parliament. But the reality is, despite business rate devolution, further devolution of other taxes or tax raising powers is not on the agenda, and councils do not have autonomy to borrow money against anticipated tax receipts to invest in new infrastructure.

Here is the rest of this week’s news, collaborative leadership and transformation events and job vacancies…

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Local Government

District councils should lead the way in the new devolutionary landscape

District councils should lead the way in ensuring devolution delivers improved services and outcomes for people and places through better collaboration, according to a new report. Read more >>>

Cheshire councils take ICT services back in house

Cheshire East and Cheshire West and Chester councils have decided to take ICT, finance and HR services back in-house. Read more >>>

Council leaders welcome chancellors devolution revolution but problems remain

Local government leaders are positive about further devolution, but big challenges remain according to new research. Read more >>>

Associations should consider sharing CEOs, says Lewis

Speaking to Inside Housing at the Conservative Party conference on Tuesday, the housing minister signalled he believes the sector has too many chief executives. Read more >>>

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FE/HE

New 'group structure' proposed for universities and colleges in South-East Wales

Universities and colleges in South-East Wales have been asked to consider the development of a new ‘group structure’ bringing together further and higher education in the region. Read more >>>

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ICT

FIELD NATIONAL CONVENTION development company

Increase the efficiency of municipal operations through national cooperation. Get Access to pre-competed, operations support and enhance ICT solutions. Read more >>>

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News Summary of Collaboration and Shared Services from 7th October 2015

Devolution is getting a bit serious, now that the Sheffield agreement has been signed. The Chancellor’s agenda wanders into uncharted collaborative territory and there is huge responsibility sitting on the shoulders of the councillors and mayors who will be steering these multi-billion pound, combined authorities juggernauts.

Academic and practical experience indicate that it will be much easier for them to go wrong, than be successful if collaborative behaviours are not fostered.

That is why they will need you as a collaborative transformation professional. This could be the moment for you, as an SSA, or CTArc or CTPrac, to step forward and volunteer for a once in a lifetime, roller-coaster opportunity to lead, or work in, a collaboration project.

In that context, you may want to reflect on these news items…

New devolution deal for Sheffield

A new devolution deal has been signed with civic leaders from South Yorkshire as part of the government’s Northern Powerhouse plan. Read more >>>

Caring for Greater Manchester together - Power plan for Greater Manchester's health devolution

Major step forward for Devo Manc: Greater Manchester announces shared plan for £6 billion health and social care funding. Read more >>>

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Local Government

Tories call for referendums to decide council mergers

Councils would only be merged in Wales if residents approved plans in a local referendum, under plans launched by the Welsh Conservatives. Read more >>>

Report proposes shared commercial waste service to increase market share

A report to be considered at the city council’s Environment Scrutiny Committee on 6 October outlines how Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire District working together could improve the service for recycling customers’ business waste and become more competitive to gain market share. Read more >>>

West Suffolk Councils outline savings to fill £2.96 million budget gaps

Two councils which have combined ‘usable reserves’ of £58.37 million have outlined savings to help meet their £2.96 million budget gaps for the next financial year. Read more >>>

 

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Blue Light Transformation

Assembly rings alarm bells over Met outsourcing

Metropolitan Police plans to contract out services to the private sector present huge risks, the London Assembly warned today. Read more >>>

Cheshire fire service to vote on police ICT link-up

Constabulary and fire and rescue bodies may approve full governance strategy for single back-office support functions including HR and ICT by year's end. Read more >>>

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News Summary of Collaboration and Shared Services from 30th September 2015

Most of this week’s news is local authority related, but very exciting too. Just who will facilitate the collaboration activity in the £24bn regeneration projects in the “Northern Powerhouse”? Maybe you…

Who will support the collaboration around the Dorset Unitary Authority? Maybe you?

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Local Government

Councils to benefit from £24bn regeneration projects across the north

Chancellor George Osborne and seven council leaders have announced a £24bn investment as part of the government’s ‘Northern Pitchbook’, designed to build and improve infrastructure and encourage regeneration projects across the north. Read more >>>

Countdown to ‘momentous’ transfer of 0-5 public health commissioning to councils

The responsibility of commissioning key public health childhood services, including health visitors and family nurses, will transfer to the hands of councils this Thursday (1 October). Read more >>>

Dorset councils propose new unitary authority

Four councils in Dorset have put forward proposals to create a single unitary authority, saying the move would provide a more cost effective way of delivering services across the region.
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Scottish Shared Service begins to unravel

This report details the views of Clackmannanshire Council and Stirling Council employees regarding the current status of Shared Services as at March 2015. Respondents were given access to an electronic survey via the respective Unison websites during the month of March. Read more >>>

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Education

Collaboration key for regional education consortia, says senior leader

The head of one of four regional bodies charged with improving Wales’ schools has admitted they should have collaborated more to share best practice. Read more >>> 

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Shared ICT

Shared service venture to develop new ERP platform

Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire shared service works with Unit4 on enterprise resource planning system for the public sector. Read more >>>

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