News Update

Week Ending 17th February 2006
 

eProcurement

Work Package Agreed
 

A recent study carried out by the North West eGovernment Group (NWeGG) study identified a number of areas within the eProcurement agenda that will have the most impact on delivering efficiency savings. The report also indicated that although there was a high willingness to take up eProcurement initiatives very few solutions had been implemented. As a result of this, NWCE proposes further to develop the areas identified by this report and develop a programme of work to ensure increased take up within the region

The full document that outlines the works the NWCE have commissioned to establish a firm programme of work for 06/07 can be reviewed by clicking here.

ESD-toolkit – Backward looking returns
 

Due to the local government elections it is not expected that guidance will be published for backward looking returns before 5 May.

ODPM has invited Departments to revisit their toolkits published last May and consider publishing revised versions where useful additional help can be provided as soon as possible after 5 May.  They expect to publish a short annex to the measurement guidance in February covering additional information such as eligibility of Treasury Management gains and an updated suite of quality crosschecks.

For more information on ESD-toolkit please click here.

Department for Work and Pensions – PLEASE FORWARD THIS ITEM TO YOUR HEAD OF BENEFITS

Performance Standards funding is available from the DWP for improvements in Housing and Council Tax Benefits. The NWCE have been looking at the automated application form developed by CACI and believe that this could benefit individual Councils as well as collaboration projects. Details of the funding and information about Automated Forms can be found in the Benefit circular HB/CTB S1/2006.

Please click here to view the circular.

Expressions of interest need to be in by 31st March and the funding is limited we are sure that Benefits Services are already working on this. For those people who are interested we have arranged for a demonstration of the Automated Forms Processing application from CACI provisionally on 6^th March at The Lancashire Hub.

If you would be interested in attending please contact Shelley Timpson.

ODPM Efficiency News

The latest edition of the newsletter is now available.

Please click here to view. 

Spend Analysis – PSA High Level Expenditure Figures

Purchase Spend Analysis is progressing well within the North West, with 13 local authorities having had their data analysed and a further 11 currently having their spend data processed.  Work is continuing to co-ordinate Purchase Spend Analysis for the remaining councils, and we would like to remind you that grants are available from the NWCE to help fund this activity.  Information and grant application forms are available by clicking here

Looking at the data for the 13 authorities who have already undertaken such analysis provides strong evidence for improved procurement practices to reduce transactions and deliver efficiencies.

Below are total figures for those authorities who have undertaken the spend analysis:

Total Transactions = 1,205,365

Total Spend = £2,096,047,040 

Best Practice Guidelines on Public Engagement for the Waste Sector

One of the keys to achieving sustainable waste management is changing consumer behaviour. For waste prevention, composting and recycling schemes to reach their potential, we all need to alter our lifestyles. For people to act differently they need to believe that it is the right thing to do.

The NRWF has jointly published, with The Environment Council Best Practice Guidelines on Public Engagement for the Waste Sector, a comprehensive roadmap and guidelines to help local authority officers and project managers to identify, plan and run the most appropriate and effective engagement process.

The guidelines detail seven steps to the planning, selection of the right engagement techniques, management of the implementation and evaluation of effectiveness. Using check lists and considering possible constraints, they identify:

·         Potential aims

·         Potential audience

·         The context and considerations which affect different planning requirements

·         The most appropriate methods for engaging the public

·         Methods of assessing environmental impact

·         A directory of specific techniques

·         Check lists for managing the design, implementation, response and evaluation

Please click here to view the guidelines.

VOCA

NWCE has had discussions with VOCA (formerly BACS) about opportunities to reduce the cost of processing receipts and payments transactions through better use of automated payments. VOCA have analysed payments by each local authority in the North West and we will shortly be sending each authority its own analysis. This comes with a cost calculator that will enable each authority to forecast its own potential savings. Initial indications are that some local authorities should be able to achieve significant savings and that the potential throughout the North West could exceed £2 million.

Discussions are being held with VOCA to run a workshop on analysing the reports and it is hoped to run it during April.

NWCE/OGCbuying.solutions P Card Event – Next steps
 

A seminar on the benefits of introducing purchasing cards and implementation issues was held at Ashton-Under- Lyne on 16 February. It was well received and a project plan will be drafted during the next few weeks for supporting implementation in North West councils. This will incorporate the current work being undertaken with OGCbuying.solutions.

Merseyside Supply Chain event

On 2^nd February the five Merseyside Authorities, in conjunction with local Chambers, the North West Regional Centre of Excellence and the NWDA, hosted a Merseyside Supply Chain Event at Aintree Racecourse The objective of the Event was to encourage Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the Merseyside Area to consider tendering for Local Authority contracts.

The Event included two workshops, attended by over 50 small businesses, which focused on the ‘Do’s and Don’ts of Tendering’ and provided the businesses with tips and guidance on how to win public sector contracts. In addition, suppliers were offered the opportunity to meet with public sector buyers in a number of key commodity areas in order to discuss potential future tendering opportunities and to market their services to the local authorities. As well as opportunities to contract directly with local authorities, small businesses may also be engaged as sub contractors on major public sector construction and engineering works. To reflect this, four large contractors currently carrying out contracts in the Merseyside Area also took part in the event, in order to highlight potential sub contracting opportunities in the area.

The Event was attended by approximately 130 suppliers; representatives from the local authorities, local Chambers, the NWDA and the North West Food Alliance were on hand to answer questions.

Mark Hughes, NWDA Executive Director of Enterprise, Innovation and Skills, said:

“Better purchasing and supply can help cut costs and build businesses. Today’s event offers businesses on Merseyside professional advice that will help them to improve their competitiveness when tendering for public sector contracts. The NWDA welcomes the commitment by the region’s council authorities to working with local businesses, which is an important step in helping to strengthen Merseyside’s supply chains and boosting the local economy.”

EVENTS
 

East Lancashire e Partnership - Benefit Realisation seminar 1^st March 2006

The venue is Holden Vale Conference Centre, Rossendale

For more information please contact Lorna Dobson.  

eProcurement Workstream Meeting

Friday 3^rd March 2006 - The Red Rose Hub, Preston, 12.30pm for 1.30pm to 4.30pm

A full and interesting looking agenda is now confirmed for the eProcurement update meeting that will include an overview of the proposal for a regional eProcurement Programme. The session will also include:

• An update on the National Scene by NePP Project
• A review of Business Portals
• An eAuction Case Study
• A session on Realising the Benefits from eProcurement
• An overview of the very successful OneForm PQQ system

Full details can be found by clicking here

To book please email Shelley Timpson

Local Economies Workstream Meeting
 

Tuesday 21^st February 2006 Lancaster University Conference Centre 2.00pm to 4.00pm

We would like to remind everyone about the above Workstream meeting taking place next week.

To view the agenda please click here.

If you would like to attend the meeting please email Shelley Timpson.