News Update

Week Ending 4th March 2005

Local Economies

1.      The ODPM have produced a document 'Small Business Friendly Concordat - Good Practice Guidance' (see separate document attached to email) which was released on 28th February. The Local Economies workstream will be considering the implications of this document for the North West and whether a regional approach should be taken at its next meeting. Further guidance will be issued from the workstream in due course.

2.      As part of the Local Economies workstream a benchmarking exercise has been carried out of procurement processes, policies and procedures operated by authorities in the North West. The report includes; variations in tender and quote levels, terms and conditions variations, use of approved suppliers lists and details of the various initiatives that authorities have in place to support SMEs.  For an electronic copy of the report please contact the centre – nwcope@tameside.gov.uk.

Transport

3.      The Centre has been given the national lead on Local Transport.  We are working with the Department of Transport, Department of Education and other Regional Centres of Excellence.   The annual spend nationally on Transport is £1bn.
 

4.      We are setting up a workstream and invite authorities to come forward to take the lead on this.  Please email the Centre nwcope@tameside.gov.uk if you would like to be involved with this workstream indicating the level you would like to be involved e.g. Lead, Active Member or Reference/User Group.  We need the name of nominated officer, position, phone number and email address.

Out of Authority Placements Team Update

5.      The Joint Unit Commissioning Manager and the Research and Development Officer came into post 21^st February and commenced the work of recruiting the rest of the team, this being the Accreditation and Monitoring Officers and the Administrative and Technical Officer.

6.      The Units role will be:
 

°          To set up a website to contain all the Units documents, reports and supporting information together with a Register of Provider information to improve the efficiency of placement finding.  Although buying the Bury Resource Register this will be improved to include a geographical limit and provider vacancy information.

°          To respond to the Provider Feedback and make the necessary amendments to the standardised regional contracts and accreditation process.

°          To complete the draft Secure Unit Contract following the feedback from Providers.

°          To commence the data collection of placement activity across all the Authority as at 1^st April 2005 and ongoing.

°          To lead AGMA in the undertaking of a pilot of the Accreditation Process in March 2005.

°          To support AGMA in the introduction of the regional suite of contracts on 1^st April 2005, when they will be issued for all new placements and placements renewals.

°          To commence the accreditation and monitoring of all the Providers used by AGMA Authorities, initially concentrating on those within AGMA’s geographical boundaries and starting with the Residential Care Homes and Residential Schools.

°          To set up the Provider Forums the first of which will be held Thursday 28^th April.

°          To work with the Providers on the working groups set up via the Provider Forum to look at:
 

-           Outcomes for Children and Young People.

-           Writing a generic referral Form.

-           Reviewing the Accreditation Process.

-           Reviewing the Regional Suite of Contracts.
 

°          To analyse the collected placements activity data to support and influence regional and sub regional commissioning activity.

°          To offer advise and support to individual local Authorities focusing on good practice within the region.

°          To act as a central point of contact for Providers.

°          To liaise with others who may influence or support our work i.e. The Centre of Excellence, OFSTED, CSCI, OFSTED and other Regional Authority Groups to name but a few.

7.      Please note that having achieved clarity of purpose and produced the necessary supporting documentation we are now ready to offer other North West Authorities the opportunity to join us and a letter to this effect has been sent to their Chief Executives by Roger Ellis, Chief Executive of Rochdale and Chair of the Out of Authority Placements Management Group.

 

8.      Should anyone be interested in taking up this offer please liaise with your own Chief Executives who should contact Roger.  Alternatively if you want to know more please do not hesitate to contact me.

Rosemary Cowgill, Joint Commissioning Manager, Out of Authority Placement Unit
Telephone           0161 342 4262.
E mail                  rosemary.cowgill@tameside.gov.uk

      (if you do have problems contacting Rosemary please contact the Centre)

Forthcoming Events

9.      A FREE Learning Event for Chief Executives, Chief Officers and Senior Managers (Gershon – The Efficiency Challenge for Councils) is to be held on 23rd March 2005, commencing 9.30 a.m. at Blackburn Rovers Football Club, Ewood Park, Blackburn.  For more information or to reserve your place please contact Beverley Jones, Tel. (01254) 585427 (or email beverley.jones@blackburn.gov.uk ).

Many thanks,

Colin Cram

4^th March 2005