News Summary of Collaboration and Shared Services from 23rd September 2015

Blue light transformation is gathering pace with the announcement by the Prime Minister last week that PCCs may be given the powers to take on fire and rescue in addition to police. Although the idea of a precept raising PCC taking on their local FRS is not new, one of the key barriers has been the lack of primary legislation to make it easier to do. With the 2016 PCC elections next year, this is set to become a hot topic.

We facilitated some of the discussions between Suffolk PCC and Suffolk Council late last year on Suffolk FRS being transferred to the PCC, so have experience in how to lead collaborative discussions in this space. What I found really interesting, was the idea of adding community safety, trading standards and licensing into the PCC’s bag too. Here are two good articles that capture the PCC & blue light transformation story…

Bumpy ride to Blue Light amalgamation

Ambitious plans go beyond past failed shared services schemes. A 20-year-old dream of amalgamating emergency services’ command and control systems… Read more >>>

Cheshire fire and police services consider having joint HQ

Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service is considering selling its Winsford HQ in a plan that would create a joint police-fire headquarters at the nearby Cheshire Constabulary main base. Read more >>>

Here is the rest of this week’s news, with a number of health and social care issues bubbling up…

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Local Government

Fairer funding and powers will unlock 80bn boost to economy says LGA

Shifting power and funding to local areas will boost England’s economy by at least £80bn, according to council leaders. Read more >>>

Job share for Peterborough City Council’s chief executive moves closer to completion

Cambridgeshire County Council, which wants to share Gillian Beasley with Peterborough for 12 months, has said progress is being made towards a temporary arrangement between the authorities. Read more >>>

LocalGovCamp considers councils' shared platform and data challenges

Saturday's 'unconference' brought together stakeholders from across local central and government to look at direction for specialist digital services and collaboration. Read more >>>

Union and councillors question Adur and Worthing chief executive’s potential £21,000 pay rise

Adur and Worthing councils chief executive Alex Bailey could receive a £21,000 pay rise – bringing his salary to £125,000. Read more >>>

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Health

The fragile care market will collapse unless councils act quickly

In Shropshire and North Tyneside, new approaches to front-end soc older people, people with a learning disability and people with a physical disability. Read more >>>ial care are being tried to reduce the burden on traditional services. Read more >>>

Tricuro social care organisation launched by trio of Dorset councils

The largest of its kind in the UK, Tricuro delivers high-quality care for Dorset residents – including

Is health and care transformation possible? And, if so, what is needed to make this happen?

We need to be more like an iPhone. This bold statement, made with the understanding that other forms of mobile communication device are available, was made at an event we held last week.. Read more >>>

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International

Big Savings from Councils' Co-Operation

Collective local government savings worth millions of dollars have already been achieved, and more will be delivered, through collaborative arrangements between the 12 councils of the Waikato region, says a new report. Read more >>>

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News Summary of Collaboration and Shared Services from 16th September 2015

If you have attended the SSA Highway Code Session you may remember the Trust Fracture Point (TFP) test. If there are only two partners in a collaboration project, then there is only one point at which organisational trust can fracture. If there are three partners, there are three TFPs. 

But, if there are four partners it jumps to six TFPs. With five partners there are 10 TFPs, six partners 15 TFPs and it rises rapidly. It is a way of helping leaders estimate the resources required, with a recommendation of at least two project team members per TFP. Anybody care to work out how many people should be in the collaboration project team if Sussex are granted this combined authority activity…?

Devolution bid for Sussex formally submitted to Government

A bid for greater devolved powers for Sussex has been formally submitted to the Government. The partners include 23 councils, three local enterprise partnerships, 12 Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), the two police forces, as well as the South Downs National Park and East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service. Read more >>>

Here is the rest of this week’s collaborative transformation and shared service news, plus quite a few jobs including Manchester Combined Authority posts…

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Local Government

Spending Review | Local Government Association

The LGA has set out a broad range of proposals for the Government to consider as part of the Spending Review. These are aimed at streamlining public services, generating investment, and protecting social care and health - all while saving the public purse almost £2 billion a year by the end of the Parliament. Find out more about what we are calling for. Read more >>>

 

Councils must innovate to meet need for savings, says expert

Local authorities have to innovate to find more efficient ways of providing services to the public at a cost they can afford, an expert has said. Read more >>>

Devolution bid for Sussex formally submitted to Government - Hastings and St Leonards Observer

A bid for greater devolved powers for Sussex has been formally submitted to the Government. Read more >>>

Solent LEP Backs Plans To Devolve Power

On Friday, the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership added its support to a Hampshire and Isle of Wight Devolution Prospectus which seeks to devolve additional powers from Whitehall to the local area. Read more >>>

Troubled families: what next for government's controversial programme? The Guardian

The second phase of the scheme will work with children in need – but the results-based funding has been halved. Read more >>>

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Health

I only slipped this one in because of the name “Resolving Chaos”. It probably sounds like your day-job. Maybe SSA should create a post-nominal recognition “PSCPrac” - Public Sector Chaos Practitioner. Anyone want to apply?

Resolving Chaos

A partnership of organisations working in Hertfordshire have come together to commission an innovative approach to supporting people with multiple needs including homelessness, mental health problems, substance misuse and offending. Read more >>>

Landmark agreement boosts technology collaboration between Wales and Scotland

A landmark agreement has been signed by NHS Wales and NHS Scotland, which will focus on sharing technology developments and expertise. Read more >>>

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Blue Light Transformation

Fire chiefs could run English police forces under plans

Fire chiefs could become chief constables despite no previous experience of arresting criminals, the government has proposed. Read more >>>

Outsourcing to 'play a part' in reducing £1bn police IT bill

Police ICT company chief admits 'big elephant' gobble won't be done in one. More outsourcing will "play a part" in reducing the eye-wateringly expensive £1bn-a-year police IT bill. Read more >>>

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Other collaborative items to interest you…

Department for Business, Innovation & Skills terminates SSCL contract

The Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) is terminating a contract with Shared Services Connected Ltd (SSCL). Read more >>>

Read the comments from readers at the bottom of this next article – very funny…

The 10 worst-ever government IT projects

When people think of a government IT project, the first thing that comes to mind is a kitchen sink with millions of pounds pouring out of it (just to clarify, that the money goes straight down the drain). Read more >>>

Fit for the Future

In parallel with UK activity on combined authorities and mergers, Australian councils are in the same debate. This website is the hub of knowledge for their work. Read more >>>

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

Just to remind you of the combined authority calendar, all submissions had to be in last Friday (4^th Sept), with announcements of successful proposals (roll of drums, followed by a tense pause) in the spending review on the 25^thNovember.

This following article speaks volumes about the complex, devolution decision-making in localities on the border of two or more potential combined authority deals. Harrogate in Yorkshire is in that dilemma. Do they join the Leeds City Deal (offering shiny new transport systems and new adventure), or an East Yorkshire Regional deal (offering close family ties, Yorkshire tea and beautiful scenery)?

Yorkshire Devolution: Everything you need to know about Harrogate’s dilemma

As the deadline looms for Yorkshire’s devolution proposals, the Harrogate district looks set to be choosing between the big city region of Leeds or the rural North Yorkshire and East Yorkshire region. Read more >>>

You can read a detailed background to the devolution activity at www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/SN06649.pdf   

Hundreds of collaborative transformation project managers will be required to roll out the combined authority/city deals and Collaborative Transformation Practitioners - CTPrac™ and Collaborative Transformation Architects - CTArc™ will have the toolkits to deliver. Below the news are the dates of the next practitioner programmes to turbo-charge your CV.

Here is more news on the public sector world of collaborative transformation and shared services…

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Local Government

Deadline looms for devolution deals

Councils are today submitting their devolution plans to the government ahead of the Treasury’s deadline for proposals. Read more >>>

Call for new approaches in devolved transport decision making

New and more flexible approaches are needed in the way decision makers assess transport infrastructure plans in the light of devolution, a new report has suggested. Read more >>>

Scottish councils submit £1bn city region deal

The proposals aim to secure £1bn of funding and boost the local economy for the region. The councils aim to grow on current strengths, in the knowledge economy, culture and technology. Read more >>>

Warwickshire County Council rejects combined authority

Warwickshire county councillors have voted against joining the West Midlands Combined Authority. They have decided to continue to explore a closer working relationship between the council and Coventry. Read more >>>

West Yorkshire council leaders agree on devolution bid

George Osborne’s plans for a networked “northern powerhouse” of English city regions have received a boost after council leaders in West Yorkshire said they would bid for Leeds to join Manchester as having devolved economic powers. Read more >>>

Councils warn of reaching financial ‘tipping point’

Councils across the country have warned they must make savings ‘significantly’ more than originally planned, and are bracing themselves for further cuts following the upcoming spending review. Read more >>>

London boroughs plan joint ICT service

Two London boroughs have announced plans to launch a shared ICT service, under proposals meant to save £4m a year. Read more >>>

'Team North Wales' can help region to thrive

The North Wales Economic Ambition Board (NWEAB) believes that working on a regional level is key to unlocking the area’s potential. Read more >>>

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Housing

I really like this announcement for what it seems to imply, but doesn’t say…

Merger Discussions Paused

In February 2015, we announced we would begin exclusive talks with Symphony Housing Group to investigate the possible advantages of a merger. Read more >>>

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Blue Light Transformation

Councillor demands answers on emergency services' shared headquarters proposals

Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service’s decision to look at a shared headquarters with the police force has been scrutinised by a Winsford councillor. Read more >>>

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