The biweekly efficiency and improvement bulletin is produced by the LIFT SW Partnership (GOSW, IDeA, SWLGA, SWCoE).
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If you wish to include efficiency or improvement articles in the next bulletin, or add your name to the circulation list please email swce@dorsetcc.gov.uk.
LIFT SW Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnership Funding of £21m confirmed and National Improvement and Efficiency Prospectus Launched
Local Government Minister John Healey recently confirmed the first step in an overhaul of improvement support for councils, as they work to increase efficiencies and improve services to release £5billion in cashable savings, which can be used to reduce pressure on council tax bills or invest in local services.
He praised councils for being on track to make £4.2billion annual efficiency gains this year – well ahead of the £3billion target.
Mr Healey announced the allocation of £185million of which £21million will go to the LIFT SW Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnership to pioneer innovative ways to transform and improve services, while also making significant efficiency savings over the next three years.
He also published a new prospectus, outlining the new approach for supporting councils to make efficiency gains which is available from the following link:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/localgovernment/pdf/725539
Download additional information about the RIEP funding from the following link:
http://www.swce.gov.uk/news/latestnews/
overhaulofefficiencyandimprovementsupportforcouncils.htm
Download an executive summary of the LIFT SW RIEP strategy from the following link:
http://www.swce.gov.uk/aboutus/LIFTSWRIEPStrategy.htm
For further information contact:
Julian Morley - 01305 757230, j.morley@dorsetcc.gov.uk
South West Success at LGC Awards 2008
Congratulations to Local Authorities in the South West who were well represented at this year’s LGC awards. Plymouth City Council won the Regeneration Award for their ‘East End Community Village’ partnership working project, while North Cornwall District Council won the Health and Well Being Award for their Challenging Lifestyles project - narrowly pipping another Cornwall authority Caradon District Council, who were highly commended, to the post.
Gloucestershire County Council won the coveted Innovation Award for their LIFT SW Partnership funded social care placements fair pricing tool, and were also highly commended in the Procurement Award category.
Mietool – efficiency and improvement measurement tool
This new efficiency and improvement measurement tool, produced by RSe consulting on behalf of the Regional Centres of excellence, is designed to support Local Authorities in assessing, planning and monitoring the delivery of high quality, low cost public services.
For further information and to obtain an electronic copy of the Mietool please contact:
James Herring - 01305 757230, j.r.herring@dorsetcc.gov.uk
LIFT SW Business Transformation Newsletter
The LIFT SW Business Transformation Programme has now published the first edition of its bi-monthly Business Transformation Newsletter.
Download the newsletter from the following link:
http://www.swce.gov.uk/news/Newsletters/bustransnewsletters.htm
For further information contact:
Anita Tadayon - 07885 363408, anitatadayon@yahoo.com
Officer & Members Toolkit now available
South West LGA and South West Employers have produced a suite of documents which outline the support available for new and experienced elected members.
The guidance notes produced provide both new and experienced councillors and local authority officers with a framework of good practice in Member Development – and much of it refers to good practice taking place in the region. Councils who have committed (or who are thinking of committing) to the South West Charter will find the documents of particular interest.
For further information contact:
Ann Penwell - 07917 557366, a.penwell@dorsetcc.gov.uk
Review of Planning Arrangements
South Gloucestershire are currently undertaking a service review of planning arrangements and would be interested in hearing from any other authority who have recently undertaken similar activity.
Contact:
Sue Covello (South Gloucestershire Council) - sue.covello@southglos.gov.uk
National Conference on "Transforming Your Business Processes" - 8th April, Birmingham
Already over 300 delegates from around the country have registered for this national conference arranged by the West Midlands RIEP, but there are still a good number of available places. There is no charge for attendance. Following plenary addresses from Paul Downie (CLG) and Barry Quirke (LB Lewisham), delegates can choose to attend four of the 20 available workshops. Workshop presenters include representatives from CLG, LIFT SW, various councils, and several suppliers – including three of the companies that LIFT SW has recently procured for our subsidised training courses (Aspire Europe, Vanguard, Grant Thornton), and the company currently delivering NVQ training in Business Improvement Techniques to SW Councils (NA Consultants).
Download additional information and book your place online from the following link:
http://www.wmcoe.gov.uk/index.php?page=27&iID=627
For further information contact:
Tony Banks (West Midlands RIEP) - 0121 245 0220, tbanks@wmcoe.gov.uk
Homes and Jobs - A Thriving Economy in Sustainable Communities - 18th April, Weston-Super-Mare
The West of England comprises of four unitary authorities and encompasses major conurbations (Bristol and surrounding environs), historic towns (Bath) and beautiful countryside, including greenbelt land. The area has a total population of over 1 million and an economy providing over 500,000 jobs. The area is an economic success story with the highest productivity outside the South East.
The West of England has been designated as a New Growth Point by CLG to help stimulate economic development and regeneration along with significant house building to support this growth. This will include around 46,250 additional homes by 2016, up to 30 per cent of which will be affordable homes.
To support this process the Improvement and Development Agency’s Strategic Housing programme, working in association with the Chartered Institute of Housing, is arranging a seminar to bring together the key players for the four unitary authorities, local MPs, registered social landlords and principal strategic partners including, the Housing Corporation, Government Office South West, the CBI, the Learning Skills Council and the South West Regional Development Agency.
The seminar has keynote presentations from Richard Capie, Director of Policy and Practice for the Chartered Institute of Housing and Professor Steve Wilcox, Centre for Housing Policy, University of York.
For further information and to book your place on this seminar contact:
Jen Patterson (IDeA) - 020 7296 6170, jennifer.patterson@idea.gov.uk
