News Update

Week Ending 24th February 2006

Health and Social Care – Specialist MS Respite Bed

At our recent Health and Social Care Programme Board meeting (17^th February) it was agreed that Lancashire Council would offer access to their scheme.

The block respite facility at Oakland’s, Garstang is currently a unique five way partnership agreement between The Multiple Sclerosis Society, Leonard Cheshire (the provider) and the three Authorities of Lancashire County Council, Blackburn with Darwen Council and Blackpool Council.  The Multiple Sclerosis Society approached the three Authorities as part of the organisation’s national strategy to increase specialist respite facilities for MS sufferers.

The current contract has been in place since April 2004 for one respite bed to be available 52 weeks a year. The contract is due to be extended for another year from the 1^st April 2006 to 31^st March 2007. Unfortunately Blackburn with Darwen Council and Blackpool Council have confirmed that they will no longer be continuing with the agreement. However Lancashire County Council and The Multiple Sclerosis Society are still committed for the block respite facility to continue with the option of other Local Authorities being able to spot book to ensure the bed is fully utilised.

For further information please click here.  All initial enquiries should be emailed to Joanne Sherborne at Lancashire Council. 

Outstanding Value Deals for Local Authorities

The Regional Centres of Excellence are pleased to announce the development of a price benchmarking service coming soon to you through your local Regional Centre.

The Centres are currently in the process of undertaking a national comprehensive price benchmarking analysis programme. For the first time every local authority and other public service providers will have access, through their Regional Centre of Excellence, to information on prices being paid for nearly 2000 commonly purchased commodities through professional buying organisations (PBOs).

The service will enable the Regional Centres to identify the highest, lowest and average prices being paid to suppliers for common commodities, enabling them to advise local authorities as to which contracts represent the best value for money. The service will also incorporate on-line web functionality promoting outstanding current value deals available.

Download today a sample of the kind of information that you will have access to through your Regional Centre in the near future. This sample shows the kind of price councils in the South East region paid by going it alone compared to what they could have paid using market tested contracts of the type negotiated by PBOs.

South East Price Benchmarking Pilot (pdf, 106kb, 15 pages)

Also download an example of an exceptionally good deal on Printers from YPO which we think represent excellent value for money!

Outstanding Value Deals on Printers (pdf, 15kb, 1 page)

For more details please contact Ian Summerscales at YPO on 1924 834893 or ians@ypo.co.uk

IDeA Leadership Centre

Whatever your authority's present achievements, teaming up with the IDeA and the Leadership Centre can help you, your members and officers tackle the challenges of leading today's local authorities. Read on to find out the complimentary roles of these two important resources for leadership development in local government.  For further information please click here.

Draft Strategy for Sustainable Construction

The aim of the revision to the 2000 Strategy for Sustainable Construction is to consider what has been achieved over the past five years and to provide an effective framework to guide future Government policies where they are relevant to construction. It indicates where government wishes to see the industry going in terms of its future development as well as indicating where businesses believe their efforts should be concentrated. It is also the hope that the strategy will encourage industry to propose a positive response to some of the big questions it faces.  The closing date for responses is 26 April 2006.  For further information click here.

Sustainable Communities

ODPM launched the ‘Sustainable Communities: Building for the Future’ plan in February 2003.  The plan sets out a long-term programme of action for delivering sustainable communities in both urban and rural areas.  It aims to tackle housing issues and the quality of our public spaces.  Information about progress made can be accessed by clicking here. 

Sustainable procurement guidance for all departments

Public procurement is often seen as a lever to achieve economic, social and environmental policy objectives. The Office of Government Commerce (OGC) is working with a range of departments across the Government, providing advice and guidance on how these policy objectives can be incorporated into the procurement process in ways that are consistent with the legal and policy framework governing public procurement.  In particular, OGC has recently published a note on Social Issues in Purchasing that provides guidance on how a range of social issues can be taken into account in the procurement process.  For further information please click here.

FAME - Framework for Multi-Agency Environments

The February newsletter is now available to read on the FAME website: to view please click here.

£17m Grant Boost for Voluntary Organisations

Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes announced a £17 million grant boost for voluntary organisations working with children, young people and families.  The newly formed Children, Young People and Families Grant Programme will help fund voluntary organisations to do work of national significance that supports the outcomes of the Every Child Matters: Change for Children programme.  Grants of up to £1.9 million were awarded to 65 organisations for 2006-07.  Click here for further information.

Case Study: Southwark Transforms Customer Service

The London Borough of Southwark has achieved one of the fastest Customer Service Transformations on record, on time and within budget.   These improvements in customer services and efficiencies have contributed to Southwark being named 'Most Improved Council' from the LGC and their CPA rating improving from 'weak' to 'good' in only 18 months.

Please click here for further information (site registration required).

Consultation on the review of England’s Waste Strategy

New targets to recycle up to half of all household waste is one of a number of proposals being put forward in a major consultation on the Government’s strategy for waste in England.  The review aims to reflect on existing policies and delivery mechanisms and to consult on proposals for a revised waste strategy.  Online consultation – deadline for responses 09/05/06.  Please click here for further details.

EVENTS

Helping Managers deliver efficiencies – Week commencing 13^th March

A subsidised capacity and skills programme for the North West

A Middle Tier programme is being jointly promoted and sponsored by the North West Centre of Excellence and 4ps.  The programme will build upon and link with the work of existing programmes in developing capacity and is designed to help middle managers quickly identify where and how they can make deliver these gains.  It will generate further opportunities to share expertise, tools and techniques and to access further support.

Sponsorship from NWCE means that each authority will be able to send up to four participants to each event free of charge. 

These events are taking place the week commencing 13^th March 2006, on a sub-regional basis.

For further information and to view the flyer / booking form, please click here.

Securing the Future through Carbon Management  - Practical Solutions for Local Authorities

2 March 2006, Lancashire County Cricket Club, Old Trafford

We would like to draw people’s attention to this event next week.  In the last 2 years a small number of Council's in the North West have received support from the Carbon Trust's Carbon Management Programme. This programme has provided change-management and technical assistance to enable them to effectively manage their carbon emissions and minimise energy costs.

Funding has been secured from NWRA, GONW and the Carbon Trust by Greater Manchester Local Authorities to host a FREE event on 2^nd March at Lancashire County Cricket Club, to share the learning from the Carbon Management Programme with regional colleagues.

In addition the conference will see the NWRA preview the forthcoming North West Sustainable Energy Strategy. This will form the regional framework for meeting our national commitments on tackling climate change.

For further joining formation including details of how to book please view the flyer and registration form.

The role of HR in delivering efficiency and supporting change

9 May 2006, The Law Society Hall, Chancery Lane, London

The drive for efficiency is reaching most back office functions in Local Authorities and other public sector organisations. The HR function can be considered as a source of efficiency gains, however, HR has a unique and sensitive role to play in helping the rest of the organisation through the changes brought about by efficiency gains elsewhere. 

Public Sector Forums is hosting a one day conference bringing together case studies from a range of public sector organisations who have successfully transformed their HR services through reorganisation and/or e-HR implementations, as well as those who are working hard to transform the services they provide to support their organisation's wider change programmes.

For further information please click here.