Efficiency Projects

• Category Mapping of Expenditure - The collection, sorting and analysis of expenditure in one system allowing procurement professionals to target the higher spend and high risk commodities thus realising further efficiency savings.

• Electronic Enablement and Electronic Sourcing - To improve efficiency, capacity and improvements by moving to a shared system of electronic procurement and the adoption of electronic ordering, invoicing and payments.

• Buying Energy Efficiently - To generate savings by improving the efficiency of energy buying by co-ordinating purchase of electricity, gas and liquid fuel and flexible procurement contracts and by promoting energy-saving products.

• Strategic Review of Material Assets - A strategic review of all Northants public sector owned assets with a view to develop efficiencies through joint contracts for asset management, identify surplus and under-performing assets and potential for county community groups to own and/or manage their assets through transfers.

• Kettering Carbon Reward Scheme - An innovative scheme with energy provider EON to examine means of reducing household energy consumption.

• Transforming Safeguarding in Children's Services - To identify the best value service options and develop the capacity to deliver a target operating model by March 20100.

• Adult Social Services - Intermediate and Immediate care packages - To focus on the implementation of intermediate care proposals and achieve efficiencies in specific business processes that overlap commissioning for Health and Adult Social Care.

• Shared NBC/NCC Customer Contact Centre - To progress the development and implementation of a shared customer contact centre for NBC and NCC. The model put in place will support the introduction of new partners as and when they are willing to join the new shared service offering.

• Market Testing of Environmental Services - To develop a shared service approach to environmental services.

• Advertising Portal - To develop a shared job advertising web portal for the Northamptonshire Partnership with supporting shared service back-office functionality.

• Single Person's Discounts - To develop a partnership approach to driving out fraud and maximising income in Council Tax receipts.

• One Stop Shop Upgrade - Currently Northamptonshire residents are faced with several access points for services from the different partners. This project will bring all providers in the same building thus reducing the need for NCC, Northamptonshire Police, CAB and other voluntary sector providers to have a face to face service operation elsewhere. Queuing system software will enable all partners to identify customers, measure satisfaction and thus improve service delivery as a result of the co-ordinated feedback.

• Large Format Transportable Screens - The purchase of up to 3 large format transportable screens with additional supporting infrastructure is recognised by partners across the cultural sector (public, not-for-profit and voluntary) as key infrastructure that can assist in delivering a lasting legacy in terms of stimulating active audience participation in live outdoor events across the whole of Northamptonshire as part of the Cultural Olympiad, London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics and beyond.