Efficiency Projects

• East Coast Merged Services (Back Office Pilot) - Enabling the bringing together of the back office functions of East Lindsey and South Holland. This will see the district councils merge all back office and some high volume transactional services. The East Coast work is match funded by the partners.

• Strategic Planning for Central Lincolnshire Three districts (North Kesteven, West Lindsey and City of Lincoln), and Lincolnshire County Council have established a Joint Strategic Planning Committee in order to develop a joint core strategy for the Local Development Framework. The Committee comprises three members from each of the partner Councils. The new approach came into force through statutory instrument in October 2009, with the local development scheme in place by January 2010, and a new joint planning unit on track to start on 1 May 2010. The approach will ensure better planning for the Central Lincolnshire area, with a long term strategy for sustainable growth, economic development and housing provision. The approach will deliver significant efficiency gains for all partners - a genuine example of councils working together better to deliver ‘more for less'.

• Business Transformation The purpose of the Business Transformation Project is to use ‘Systems thinking interventions to improve customer service and achieve greater efficiency'. A system thinking approach provides the method that via the Business Transformation Project can underpin all 9 projects of the LIEP Programme. There is an opportunity for sub-region to successfully navigate the economic pressures that lie ahead by harnessing the benefits of this to deliver a coordinated programme of change that supports the delivery of the SCS.

• Warm Homes - This project is an area based approach, bringing energy efficiency to the neediest - those in worst housing and those with health needs. The solution to fuel poverty is to provide households with affordable warmth. The £300k will be used to purchase insulation materials this is supported by matched funding from the utility companies.

• ICT Strategy - The Public Sector Working Group (PSWG) commissioned the preparation of an ICT strategy for the 8 Lincolnshire Local Authorities. The strategy contains a baseline, blueprint and roadmap for the local Authorities to pursue in order to improve customer service, support new ways of working and drive out efficiencies. The conclusion of the strategy is that technology (ICT) does not pose a significant barrier to achieving these objectives and as long as sufficient initial investment can be secured, service improvements and savings of £2.3 million per anum can be achieved from 2016/17. This represents a significant saving on current baseline costs.

• Smart Metering - a county-wide initiative to install smart meters and energy monitoring and targeting software. This builds on the existing LCC business case and procurement route. The top 90% - by energy consumption - of council buildings would be targeted first to provide best return on investment. Around 20-30 buildings have been identified at the District level and around 100 sites at LCC. (Note; the numbers of building could be increased or decreased to reflect the funding approved). The installation of meters produces annual cost savings of between 5% to 12%, along with similar reductions in carbon emissions. (Savings figures have been obtained from the published results of a two year smart metering trial conducted by the Carbon Trust).

• Excellent Ageing - Detailed work to ascertain Lincolnshire's approach to preparing for and supplying services to older people now and in the future. Especially those who are most at risk and vulnerable. Understand how effectively partners are working together to deliver new projects from concept through to outcomes local people will recognise.