News Summary of Collaboration and Shared Services from 9th December 2015

Here’s a great new collaboration metaphor for you, from Matthew Taylor at the RSA. Excellent for use in your next meeting…

Collaboration as superconductor

Deep collaboration should be the superconductor of civic energy. But in reality the energy flow is far from perfect. Improvement and innovation will be less than we want or need until we recognise these sources of resistance and set about removing them. Read more >>>

SSA has a stand at the IEWM Conference in Birmingham this Friday. If you are going, come and say hello.

The Devolution agenda is getting a bit wonky as there appears to be some reversal by Whitehall in what was on the table. So let’s start with Devolution, followed by the rest of the collaboration news from the last few days…

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Devolution

Devolved regions must elect mayors even if one or more councils disagree

Devolved areas may be forced to elect a mayor even if one or more constituent councils disagree with the proposal, communities secretary Greg Clark has made clear in an amendment to the Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill. Read more >>>

Devolution deal hangs in the balance, claim council leaders

Council leaders say the deal to devolve more powers and gain millions for the region are under threat because of new amendments to a government bill. Read more >>>

Is Hampshire devolution doomed?

It all seemed to be going so well. Hampshire and Isle of Wight's bid for devolution was seen as a southern front-runner. An economy close to the scale of Wales bidding for control of its own destiny. Read more >>>

 

Sheffield City Council leader: Mayoral veto plan 'unacceptable'

Plans to give South Yorkshire's elected mayor the power to veto unanimously supported decisions under a government devolution deal are "unacceptable", the leader of Sheffield City Council says. Read more >>>

 

How can we make regionalists and wonks agree about devolution? Talk about accountability

Much of the debate over devolution is currently being argued out in terms of identity versus practicality. Read more >>>

Osborne’s devolution experiment will hit poorer councils where it hurts

In older, and frankly more chauvinist times, Stanley Baldwin identified “the prerogative of the harlot through the ages”, as “power without responsibility”. Read more >>>

New Birmingham leader vows 'We'll catch up with Manchester'

Birmingham City Council's new leader has pledged to battle for a better devolution deal, promising "we will catch up with Manchester". Read more >>

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Local Government

Government to invest an extra 31m in the One Public Estate programme

Over 100 councils have joined the third phase of the One Public Estate programme, which is also set to receive a further £31m from the Government. Read more >>>

Kent councils sign District Deal

Two councils in Kent have signed an agreement to work together on delivering key strategic projects. Ashford Borough Council and Kent County Council have signed a new District Deal to increase joint working between the two councils. Read more >>>

Read more >>>

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LEPs

New plan for Midlands engine could help create 300,000 jobs

A new plan to make the Midlands an ‘engine of growth’ which could help create 300,000 jobs and boost the national economy by £34bn will be unveiled today at the University of Birmingham. Read more >>>

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Health and Social Care

National award for Bradford respite care service

A life changing initiative which also helps free up hospital beds in Bradford has secured a national award after winning a public vote. Read more >>>

Better Care Fund struggling with red tape, CIPFA warns

The flagship government project to bring health and social care funding together is being hindered by red tape that must be tackled if services are to be integrated, a CIPFA report has found. Read more >>>

Watchdog warns of 'conflict' within integrated health and social care services

The imminent integration of health and social care could lead to conflict between health boards and councils with no clear plan over who will be accountable if something goes wrong, the public spending watchdog has warned. Read more >>>

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Blue Light Transformation

Green light for shared police and fire station plans

Plans have been approved to merge Maltby’s police and fire stations. Maltby fire station will close and Maltby police station will be modified to accommodate fire service vehicles and staff, under the plans approved by Rotherham Council. Read more >>>

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Housing

SFHA: Housing must be involved in health and social care integration

The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) has called for housing to be fully involved in the future integration of health and social care services in Scotland. Read more >>>

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News Summary of Collaboration and Shared Services from 2nd December 2015

There has been a gush of collaborative transformation news following the CSR statement last week. A good place to start is this short, reasoned overview from the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives…

Reflections on the Chancellor's Spending Review and what it means for us

Up and down the country, top teams will be trying to assimilate the impact of the Chancellor's Spending Review (CSR) which, combined with the Autumn Statement this year, sets out Government's spending over this parliament. Read more >>>

Comprehensive Spending Review reaction: Infrastructure and devolution

Chancellor George Osborne’s Comprehensive Spending Review detailed how the government would invest over £100 billion in infrastructure while the Cardiff Capital Region and Glasgow and the Clyde Valley city deals have both advanced. Reaction to the infrastructure and devolution announcements has been collated here. Read more >>>

After George Osborne's autumn statement last week, now is the time to get on with the important projects that will transform Wales - Robert Lloyd-Griffiths

The discussion about George Osborne’s Autumn Statement last week goes on. One very positive announcement was his pledge to work further on a new infrastructure fund for the Cardiff Capital Region (as part of Cardiff City Deal.) Read more >>>

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Devolution

Devolution will bring thousands of jobs to Lincolnshire’

Tens of thousands of jobs will be created, 100,000 homes will be built and the economy will grow by £8 billion if devolution proposals are approved, it is claimed. Read more >>>

Spending Review: What does it mean for Greater Manchester?

The combined spending review and autumn statement devolves further powers and responsibilities to Greater Manchester. Read more >>>

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Local Government

Council pensions should fund infrastructure say MSPs

Councils in Scotland should take advantage of opportunities to improve their infrastructure through City Deals, the Scottish government has advised. It was one of the conclusions in a report issued today by the Scottish parliament’s local government and regeneration committee. Read more >>>

Decision day looms on council cuts

Today is decision day on the future direction of Dorset County Council's back office services, which are set for a shake-up in a bid to save money. Read more >>>

London councils agree joint ICT service

Two more London councils have agreed to create a joint ICT function in a move aimed at saving millions of pounds in revenue costs. A meeting of the cabinet at London Borough of Brent last week approved plans to create the joint function with its south London counterpart Lewisham. Read more >>>

Trading Standards move back in house is not a sign of "failure", say council chiefs

A move to take Trading Standards back in-house has been defended by council chiefs - who say the tactic is not an admission of "failure". Read more >>>

Vanston to leave Kent for Cambridgeshire council pair

The manager of the Kent Resource Partnership, Paul Vanston, is to leave the organisation in 2016 to become head of waste resources for a pair of councils in Cambridgeshire. Read more >>>

Governments commit to Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Deal

Partners behind the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Deal hope to have a deal agreed by early next year after both the UK and Scottish governments showed their commitment to the £1 billion project. Read more >>>

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Health

Dorset tenders for shared care record

Nine local authorities and NHS organisations are looking to create a Dorset Care Record across the region, integrating health and social care. Dorset Council is looking to create a shared health and care record for the region and has launched a tender for a framework agreement worth up to £20m. Read more >>>

Viewpoint: Collaborative working at scale in primary care is the future for GPs and patients

The current primary care landscape points clearly towards the need to embrace working at scale, says RCGP Supporting Federations programme lead and Yorkshire GP Dr Mike Holmes. Read more >>>

Out-of-hours healthcare review proposes team approach | Holyrood Magazine

Healthcare hubs with teams of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other professionals can provide urgent care when normal GP surgeries are closed, a review into out-of-hours care has proposed. Read more >>>

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Blue Light Transformation

I have slipped in this item from Tim Newburn, Professor of Criminology and Social Policy at the London School of Economics as the stats may be useful if you have to present on a blue light transformation…

What's happening to police numbers?

The terrorist attacks in Paris have focused attention on the preparedness of British police and security services to deal with similar threats. Read more >>>

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Outsourcing

Council leader defends approach to outsourcing as union warns 92% of jobs at risk of being farmed out

The leader of Barnet Council has defended the authority’s approach to outsourcing, as a union raises fresh warnings over its risks. Barnet Unison says 92 per cent of the current council workforce – the equivalent of 1,540 full time posts – face the likelihood of being outsourced. Read more >>>

Outsourcing increase likely as MoD heads for 30% civilian jobs cut

Strategic defence and security review highlights value of cyber specialism, innovation and technology - but jobs and defence estate face major reductions. Read more >>>

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