 |
About the Centre |  |
Good Practice |  |
Business Opportunities | |
Business Plan | |
Workstreams | |
Membership & Management |  |
|
||||||||||||||
Related Links News Updates |
News UpdateWeek Ending 28th July 2006Shared services conference
Angela Smith MP, Parliamentary under Secretary of State, DCLG and Lord Sandy Bruce-Lockhart OBE, Chairman of the LGA, will be the keynote speakers at the Shared Services in Local Government conference on 21 September in Central London.
Other speakers include Tony Wiltshire, Regional Director, Yorkshire and the Humber RCE and Sue Reid, Head of the Modernisation and Efficiency Division, DCLG.
The conference, promoted by the DCLG and supported by the RCEs, will look at emerging examples of best practice and at specific guidance for local authorities and their partners. Delegates will have the opportunity to consider the different types of shared services and explore how they can be designed to respond flexibly to diverse needs.
A series of regional workshops are also being organised for local authorities to examine in detail the DCLG toolkit, Service Transformation Though Partnership. Look out for details soon.
Download the Shared Services Conference brochure.
2005 e-Government and Efficiency Regional Symposia - Final Reports
Two copies of final reports produced by the facilitators of the events held in all 9 regions in 2005 are now available. These reports are the final deliverables from the 9 symposia commissioned by Julian Bowery in 2005 with the principal objectives of supporting integration of regional e-Government partnerships with regional centres of excellence, and to facilitate the establishment of the new (at that time) extended remit of the Centres within their regions.
The symposia were managed by Cap Gemini and BuyIT, and engaged with Chief Executives, senior Officers, regional change agents, and national stakeholders.
Report 1 - Ten Building Blocks for Local Public Service Modernisation - This is a record and ‘audit trail’ of the resourcing, development and outputs of the 9 events at a time when the national e-Government programme was at its height and the then new efficiency benefits realisation agenda had taken hold.
Report 2 - Regional Agency (and Local Authority) Efficiency Strategy Recommendations This report is a summary of both the consultant facilitator’s observations on the general environment and specific recommendations on priorities at that time.
A number of queries have been received by those involved in the Portal project stream around how commitment accounting will work with an eMarketplace. As such a briefing note has been produced to explain the background and look at the issues involved. If you feel there are other areas where briefing notes would be useful please let us know.
Free Mobile Telecoms Consultancy
ttMobiles are a leading provider of mobile device management solutions and are currently providing services to a number of local authorities. They have agreed to offer one Mobile Asset Audit free of charge to a NW authority (limited to 1500 handsets). They will offer the same audit at £4k, 50% of the normal fee, to the remaining authorities for audits taken before 6th August. Please email Neil Hind if you would like to be considered for the free or subsequent audits.
Please view the offering and a case study. Savngs of up to 61% have been identified to date so this is an offer worth considering.
Postage re-Engineering
Due to changes in the postal services we are aware that a number of authorities are looking at this area. It is felt that although savings can be made via changing service provider, real savings can only be made by looking at how and when items are posted. The NWCE has negotiated reduced rates for NW authorities with consultancy Civica who have a model for re-engineering this category.
A case study is required within the NW and a payment from savings is proposed.
Please view the postal re-engineering overview. Please email Neil Hind if you would like to take part or would like further details.
Waste Information Network (WIN) – Website
A groundbreaking website designed to support local government in its drive for more efficient waste management practices has been launched at the Chartered Institution of Waste Management annual conference in Paignton in June. Developed by the South East Regional Centre of Excellence (SECE), the waste information network (WIN) site is a new one stop shop for public sector waste professionals to access easily a huge range of information on waste related topics.
It’s packed with information on procurement, partnering, efficiency and service improvements. It also provides a document library that brings together best practice, innovation, consultancy reports, legislation and toolkits.
The WIN website marks the first time that such a comprehensive set of information has been brought together under one roof. Professionals are currently hampered by having to search through vast amounts of information held by different organisations in various formats. It’s thought that the site will bring immediate benefits by cutting duplication in contract preparation and cut the time spent searching for information.
The initiative is part of a wider collaboration between the Regional Centres of Excellence, DEFRA, WIP, WRAP and the IDeA in a bid to support councils to deliver efficiency gains on recycling, waste collection, treatment and disposal and street cleansing services. To use the site you must register your details by clicking Join in the left hand bottom corner if the Homepage.
WIN can be accessed by clicking here and for more information e-mail win@sece.gov.uk
NWIN Individual Studentship Bursaries –
"Seeking Improvement through Shared Learning"
Has lack of funding prevented you from bringing an idea for improvement to fruition? Do you have a dream that will bring about long-term improvements or a vision that will support our shared drive to become a region of excellence in local governance? Would £5,000 additional funding help you make this a reality?
NWIN Individual Studentship Bursaries – further information.
ESD-Toolkit – July 2006 Newsletter
The latest edition of the esd-toolkit newsletter ‘Take Five’ is available. Use the link to download.
East Lancashire ePartnership – Change of Contact Details
With effect from Monday 31st July, the two new contact numbers for the East Lancashire e-Partnership will be as follows: Nicola Hallsworth - 01282 661372, Andy White - 01282 661373
Until 31st July ELeP can be contacted on the following telephone number – 07896 690350.
Email addresses are: nicola.hallsworth@pendle.gov.uk or andy.white@pendle.gov.uk Please amend your records accordingly.
Showing at The Palace Hotel, Manchester October 3, 2006
The NWCE has identified a catalogue of savings/efficiency opportunities from initiatives that can deliver more than £100million a year for local authorities in the north west.
The Bargain Hunt conference will reveal how local authorities can take advantage of these opportunities and grab a share of the savings for themselves.
There will also be the chance to view a live, national e-auction for IT hardware that will be taking place in the conference hall itself.
Who should be in on the action? Bargain Hunt is a must for members, chief executives, finance directors, operational staff, procurement staff and auditors.
Further details about the event and places, which will be limited, will be announced shortly.
4Ps Gateway Review Training
A Gateway Review can cast a critical, independent eye over procurement projects at crucial stages in their development. The reviews are conducted by a team of professionals who aren’t part of the project team and who can look objectively over the aims of projects and the structure of the deal. 4ps Gateway reviews are helping local authority project owners to deliver successful projects. The North West Centre of Excellence is now offering Gateway Review training, which would normally cost £500, FREE OF CHARGE.
Further information, including an overview of the Gateway Review process and profile of a gateway reviewer can be found here.
Forthcoming dates and venues for this training are as follows:
If you would like to attend please complete a booking form by clicking here - and return by email to Beverley Brooks at the NWCE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
The Centre for Construction Innovation Event – Constructing the Sustainable Way – Promoting Best Practice in Lancashire Burnley Football Club, 07.09.2006
Sustainable development and construction is at the heart of what Elevate, the Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder for East Lancashire, is trying to achieve in building sustainable communities. Elevate is delighted to present “Constructing the Sustainable Way”, a one day conference promoting best practice in sustainable construction in East Lancashire and beyond. Further information.
Construction Workshop – “Collaboration in Construction” 18.09.2006, Henry Ford College, Loughborough
This conference, organised by the East Midlands Centre of Excellence, will consider the findings of the recently published report; ‘Transforming Local Government Construction Procurement – The Power of Framework Agreements’, and share the lessons learnt from around the UK. The day will be about sharing knowledge, considering the issues around implementation and the support required by Local Authorities in adopting collaboration in construction.
Forthcoming Events Calendar
|
|
