National Home Composting Framework

28 Sep 2010

Accessing subsidised composting bins is an important service for residents as well as helping authorities to divert waste from landfill. Our National Composting Framework helps local authorities to continue to deliver this important service with value for money and significant procurement savings.

The framework has already made £316,000 of cashable savings for councils, through economies of scale and procurement savings; to find out how to benefit from the scheme visit our Home Compost Framework page today.

WRAP's Waste and Communications Update

28 Sep 2010

Issue 12 - read the update including information on consumer communications, training and funded support

LGA highlights cost savings from optimising routes

26 Sep 2010

Councils could potentially save hundreds of thousands of pounds by using technology such as mobile, web-mapping and satellite tracking to increase the efficiency of their waste and recycling collection rounds, according to a report published by the Local Government Association (LGA).

The study, entitled ‘The Value of Geospatial Information to Local Public Service Delivery in England and Wales', identifies waste collections as one of the key areas where using the technology had helped councils save £230 million in 2009.

In particular, it cited the experiences of Daventry district council, in Northamptonshire, where using location-based technology to plan waste collection routes resulted in £223,000 in savings from reduced mileage, less overtime, smaller vehicles and fewer rounds.

Councillor David Parsons, chairman of the LGA's improvement board, said: "Whether it's bin men working smarter, fewer phone calls to inquiry centres, freeing up staff from time-consuming checks or reducing parking ticket machine maintenance costs, making the most of modern technology and data sharing has seen huge cash savings across the country.

"This is money which can be ploughed into vital frontline services on which millions of people rely each year, and is yet another example of councils striving to be more efficient to make their stretched budgets go as far as possible."

Councillor Parsons also said the report, which was produced for the LGA by consultants ConsultingWhere and ACIL Tasman, concluded that using this kind of technology and information sharing could potentially save councils up to £372 million by 2014/14.

"In this climate of strained budgets, councils must strive to keep reaching more residents and improving services ever more creatively, and look at more ways of working together to make these big savings," he added.

Daventry

The report outlines how Daventry district council used geospatial technology to optimise household waste collection routes under a project which began in October 2006, aimed at generally improving the efficiency of waste management within Northamptonshire as a whole.

It explains that, after recording existing routes to act as baseline data, the council then matched these against "new electronic routes" which were then optimised electronically using RouteSmart software, which also developed several different collection scenarios.

"Daventry chose the one that best supported local need, while at the same time generating savings," it adds, explaining that, initial cash savings included: £25,000 per annum from a 12-13% reduction in mileage; £17,000 per annum from spare capacity allowing for vehicle washing; £28,000 per annum from employee overtime being "virtually eliminated"; and, £25,000 saved from reducing the planned purchase of a six-wheeled collection vehicle to four-wheeled alternative.

Related links

• ‘The Value of Geospatial Information to Local Public Service Delivery in England and Wales' report  

The report also explained that the council had, since the initial changes, identified further savings using route optimisation to implement a four-day working week for collections, with the service being delivered using 16 rather than 18 rounds.

"This will yield substantial savings in manpower costs and avoid the need to purchase additional vehicles. Implementation of the plan will generate cash savings of £153,000 per annum," it added.

Please click here to read more

Local Environmental Quality - Case Studies

26 Sep 2010

Following a request from the East Midlands Improvement and Efficiency Partnership (EM IEP), Keep Britain Tidy submitted a proposal to develop a regional programme to tackle the poor levels of local environmental quality in the East Midlands, as assessed independently by Keep Britain Tidy for the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

The most recent published results from the national Local Environmental Quality Survey of England (LEQSE) 2008/09 show that the East Midlands was second from the bottom of the English regions league table with an unsatisfactory LEQSE score of 62%.

The two identifiable work streams proposed as part of the regional improvement programme were the efficiency work stream and the improvement work stream. Both elements of work were intended to benefit the whole region, as well as carrying out discrete work with a small development group of authorities in the East Midlands to look at best practice. Key findings, challenges and potential improvements from the work steams were to be fed into the East Midlands Improvement and Efficiency Partnership (EM IEP) and the ‘Efficiency Challenge Project’. The East Midlands Improvement and Efficiency Partnership would then work with local authorities on the recommendations and the measurement of potential savings and improvements made within this and previous reports.

Waste Project Update - Phase Two

24 Sep 2010

Phase two of the Waste Project is now underway with a focus on four key priorities; member engagement, sharing good practice, improving communications and supporting the delivery of efficiencies within waste collection authorities.

By the end of next month, two good practice case studies will be published examining why and how North Kesteven District Council and Rushcliffe Borough Council are able to achieve high performance standards whilst keeping spend down, and illustrate how other authorities can adopt similar practice to reduce costs and improve performance. The observational case studies will not only discuss operational processes, but also investigate both corporate, managerial and member procedures. The case studies also aim to examine the attribution of overheads etc in the Local Authorities costs for waste collection.

On the 18th November the EM IEP will also be delivering a free regional event ‘Improving Efficiency in Waste Collection Services' for Directors of Environmental Services, Heads of Services and Operational Managers.

The event will be introduced by Cllr Neil Clarke leader of Rushcliffe Borough Council and include presentations on the ‘Implications of the Comprehensive Spending Review, ‘Understanding the New Legislation and Requirements', ‘Collaboration on Procurement County and Regional Level', ‘Waste Prevention', ‘Understanding Partnership Working' and examples of good practice from across the region. The event will also give you the opportunity discuss examples of good practice from across the region and network with other operational managers, heads of service and high profile speakers.

For more information about this project, useful links and websites and forthcoming events click on the link below:
http://www.eastmidlandsiep.gov.uk/waste/

Where Does All The Money Go? (Planning Advisory Committee)

24 Sep 2010

The Planning Advisory Service (PAS) have produced the early report on Managing Excellent Planning Services (MEPS): A Planning Advisory Service project on value for money in planning.

The report is based on data from 15 authorities (LPAs) and £22m of costs. It uses information derived from 130,000 planning applications, 19 development plan documents and the timesheets of over 600 staff. Although most of the data is in draft and still requires formal acceptance from the authorities themselves. This report is not intended to suggest that ‘cheapest is best' or that the performance achieved in one place is relevant elsewhere, but rather to provide useful comparable information about costs, performance and methods.

Buying Solutions Launches New e-Auctions Calendar

23 Sep 2010

A calendar of aggregated eAuctions up to March 2011 is now available on-line and can be viewed here.

The calendar includes events led by both Buying Solutions and OGC. All events use Buying Solutions framework agreements and give you the chance to participate in fully funded and managed eAuctions.

eAuctions taking place in October include mobiles (excluding central government), carbon offsetting, office supplies and facilities management services.

If you are interested in joining any of the eAuctions on the programme please visit the dedicated eAuction web pages and complete the Expression of Interest form.

The first events in this aggregated eAuction programme have already saved public sector organisations over £4 million.

- A Mobiles eAuction on 26 July delivered savings of 26%
- An Office Supplies eAuction on 12 August delivered savings of 42%
- A Vehicle Purchase eAuction on 19 August delivered additional whole life cost savings of 29%

On the website you will be able to see more eAuction results and read case studies from customers who have already benefitted from eAuctions.

These figures demonstrate why aggregated eAuctions have such an important role to play in delivering savings, and we hope you'll consider getting involved in the eAuction programme.

If you would like to see a live eAuction before getting involved you are welcome to attend a Viewing Room. You'll get to see exactly how an eAuction works and the savings that can be delivered through heightened competition. If you are interested in attending a Viewing Room please get in touch with Buying Solutions.

Please also feel free to contact Buying Solutions directly if you'd like to discuss joining the programme or if there is a category not currently on the programme that you are interested in.

Contact the eAuctions team on 0845 000 0286 or by e-mail to eauctions@buyingsolutions.gsi.gov.uk

ICT Negotiating Guide Launched

23 Sep 2010

Comprehensive guidance aimed at shortening negotiations based on OGC's ICT Services Model Agreement is now available.

The Office of Government Commerce (OGC), in conjunction with Intellect and Partnerships UK, has launched a new negotiating guide for the OGC's ICT Services Model Agreement.

For more information go to: http://data.ingenium-ids.org/igov_news/sept_16_2010_pfe/ict_negotiating_guide_launched.php  

Tougher times - 'Enterprising councils'

23 Sep 2010

'Tougher times' is a series of online guides developed specifically for councillors.

The guides are there to help councillors lead local communities through the much tougher times ahead when central funding for council services will reduce significantly.

This is intended to form part of the broader local productivity programme which the local government sector is developing.

The first guide, 'Enterprising councils' focuses on opportunities to generate income from trading and charging. Further resources will look at topics like procurement and new service delivery models.

Contact and feedback
Please send feedback and your ideas for future resources to: Lee.Digings@local.gov.uk

Page published September 2010.

Buying Solutions Update

21 Sep 2010

Details listed below of Buying Solution's latest framework agreements which are now available for use, plus forthcoming procurement information:

New Facilities Management framework agreement unveiled
This flexible framework agreement offers a choice of procurement options - Total Facilities Management, bundled service or single service basis.  Read more...

Non-Permanent Staff framework now live
This new framework agreement offers an expanded range of non-permanent roles, including programme and project management as well as a one-stop-shop solution. Read more...

Assistive Technologies - Telecare, Telehealth and Telecoaching framework goes live
This framework agreement provides organisations with access to the purchase, installation, maintenance and management of devices to monitor and improve the health and safety of vulnerable members of society. Read More....

Postal Services - new framework launch
This next generation framework agreement incorporates new developments in the market such as Hybrid Mail and will continue to enable public sector organisations to achieve savings of up to 30%. Read More...

IT Managed Services - Launched!
The IT Managed Services framework agreement has been awarded and is now live. The framework agreement has been developed in consultation with customers, ensuring a structure which allows IT services to be efficiently procured, while standard terms and conditions provide important contractual safeguards. Read More....

New and improved Travel Management Services framework is now live
The framework agreement provides a comprehensive booking service for business travel and accommodation in the UK and overseas, with several innovative new features. Read More...

Next-generation Vehicle Hire framework agreement now available
Buying Solutions' Vehicle Hire framework agreement offers a 16% reduction against the most popular daily hire rate and access to a wide range of vehicles, from cars to commercial vehicles (up to 7.5 tonnes), with hire terms from daily to monthly (up to 12 months). Read more...

Collaboration with Firebuy results in new Legal Services catalogue
Working with Firebuy, the central procurement organisation for the fire and rescue service, we have produced a Legal Services catalogue. Read more...

Management & Leadership Lot extended
After consultation with stakeholders, we have decided to extend Lot 16: Management & Leadership on the Learning & Development and eLearning Solutions framework agreement for another year. Read more...

Vehicle Lease and Vehicle Purchase Procurements Underway
The new procurements covering Vehicle Lease and Vehicle Purchase will include new features giving customers more flexibility and a greater choice of vehicles. Read More...

Strategic Finacial Management in Councils

20 Sep 2010

In the Audit Commission's latest report, they reveal how organisations that manage their finances strategically are more adaptable and resilient when money is tight, and how other councils can learn from them.

Councils need to make some urgent and tough decisions. 'Strategic financial management in councils' is aimed at all council staff, especially those who hold the purse strings of local government. In it, we point out potential financial pitfalls, highlight successes, and feature a value for money self-assessment questionnaire that can be used locally.

The findings in the report are supported by a good-practice checklist that describes the key issues for improving financial management. Councillors and managers can use the checklist to evaluate their current approach to financial management.

The report can be downloaded from:
http://www.audit-commission.gov.uk/nationalstudies/localgov/Pages/strategic-financial-management.aspx

Draft Guidance for Transactions over £500

20 Sep 2010

Draft guidance for Local Authorities on how to comply with the Prime Minister's call to publish each financial transaction over £500 from January 2011.

This guidance has been produced by the Local Public Data Panel, and builds on the draft guidance published in June this year by the panel, on comments made on that guidance, the Treasury guidance to central government departments on releasing their spending data, and experience from publishing the data, and, crucially, using and analysing it.

It is designed to give councils clear standards for publishing their spending data, setting both minimums that should be achievable by all councils, and gold standards for those councils with the ability to publish to a richer standard.

Because this is a rapidly evolving area, the guidance is expected to be revised in 6 months' time based on experience, feedback, and at that point the minimum standards will be increased (as will probably the full, gold-standard ones). All councils should publish to the minimum standards within 6 months of the publication of the guidance.

Although this guidance specifically relates to the publishing by local authorities of spending data over £500, there is much to be gained by other local public bodies (health, police, waste authorities) publishing to the same standards where possible.

For full details go to: http://data.gov.uk/blog/local-spending-data-guidance 

User Engagement Report

12 Sep 2010

This User Engagement Report maps the engagement structures in place to gather the views of 4 key groups of disadvantaged people across the East Midlands region.  The groups are:

• offenders
• people with mental health problems
• people with learning disabilities
• care leavers

The report is organised on a sub-regional basis and gives a snap-shot of structures in place in the summer of 2010.

Place Based Productivity - productive services, productive places

10 Sep 2010

Calling all Chief Executives and Directors - you are invited to attend the following LGA and RIEP event...

(Cost: £ Free)

The public sector faces major spending reductions. Councils have delivered improved efficiency, but the issue is how to take this forward in what will be much more difficult times.
Local government's offer to the new coalition government includes taking responsibility for delivering productivity improvements.

The LG Group proposal of Place Based Budgets creates opportunities for councils and partners to bring together budgets, reduce costs and deliver better outcomes for local people.

These joint Local Government Group and Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnerships events will set out how the Place Based Productivity programme will work.

The programme comprises nine work streams, each of which includes leading figures from the across the public, private and voluntary sectors. The work streams will identify new ways of working, develop practical tools for councils and challenge the barriers that stand in the way of improvement.

The work streams are:

- Procurement, capital and shared assets
- Shared services across areas, tiers and partnerships
- Data and transparency
- Adult social care
- Children's services
- Shaping markets and new models for service delivery
- Democratic Leadership
- Workforce and Skills
- Tackling Central Government Barriers and Burdens

For further information, contact: events@local.gov.uk  

Book online at: http://www.lga.gov.uk/lga/events/display-event.do?id=13457466

Mobile Phone e-Auction Opportunity

08 Sep 2010

Buying Solutions are undertaking a e-auction for mobile phones on 21 October.

The deadline to express an interest in participating is 20 September.

Contact Sheri Love, Buying Solutions by e mail: sheri.Love@buyingsolutions.gsi.gov.uk

Further information available at:
http://www.buyingsolutions.gov.uk/categories/eCommerce/eAuctions/aggregated/requirementforms/  

Lincolnshire's first Apprenticeship Training Agency launched

08 Sep 2010

Lincolnshire's first Apprenticeship Training Agency (ATA) was launched on Monday 6th September 2010.

An ATA is a way of bringing Apprentices into your organisation. The ATA directly employs and manages apprentices which simplifies the process for you. The ATA is being delivered by Mouchel Learning Partnership supported by the National Apprenticeship Service, East Midlands Improvement and Efficiency Partnership and Union Learn. The launch introduced Mouchel's ATA scheme and demonstrated how employing and apprentice through Lincolnshire's ATA could benefit organisations.

Lincolnshire's ATA provides:

- Simplicity
- Convenience
- Support
- Responsiveness
- Cost effective resourcing

The ATA provides a full service to cover the full life cycle of your APprentice, from initial application and assessment through to Framework completion. The ATA can:

- supply a shortlist of pre-assessed quality candidates
- take care of their HR, pay and contractual needs
- support both you and them throughout their Apprenticeship Framework.

EMLAAA
The East Midlands Local Authority Apprenticeship Agency (EMLAAA) is another region-wide initiative that has also been launched this year to encourage local authorities to recruit apprentices, find out more by clicking here.

We have also identified three existing local authorities who provide excellent examples of apprenticeship initiatives click on each one below to find out more and watch a short video case study:

- Leicester City Council - Women in Construction
- Nottingham City Homes - One in a Million
- City of Lincoln Apprenticeship Scheme

Kerbside dry recycling performance benchmarks 2008/09

07 Sep 2010

WRAP has produced performance benchmark tables based on analysis of 2008/09 WasteDataFlow data for all UK authorities. These benchmarks allow local authorities to compare their kerbside dry performance against the UK as a whole and against authorities with similar demographics (Office of National Statistics Area Classification and Nearest Neighbour authorities).

Click here to access tool

Councils Get Power to Decide How Best to Support Service Improvements

03 Sep 2010

A major new 'localism' proposal to cut red tape and hand over financial control of council service improvements and training to local government leaders was announced today by Communities and Local Government Minister Bob Neill.

Under new proposals, the Local Government Association (LGA) or a similar body will take control over how to use funding that gets redirected, or 'top-sliced', by Whitehall from the Revenue Support Grant (RSG) councils receive each year.

The LGA is to deliver greater openness and transparency. The LGA has from the 1st September committed to publish details of all future expenditure over £500. The LGA already seeks to abide by the principles of the Freedom of Information Act and the Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles recently called for them to be formally subject to the same FOI rules as central and local government.

At present Central Government directs the funding to be received by each of nine local government improvement organisations. In 2009-10 this 'top-slice' amounted to £45m.

In future, the total grant would be unringfenced and delegated to the designated local government body to allocate to funding programmes in the best way to improve council services, build strong local leadership, meet learning and development needs, and nurture robust local economies.

Ministers believe that removing the centrally-imposed restrictions on how funding is used will help to reduce overhead costs, red tape and waste in local improvement support, promoting better use of resources, better productivity and stronger local leadership.

Communities and Local Government Minister Bob Neill said:

"Councils know best what they need to improve services and become more efficient - many are already leading the way in sharing backroom services and management structures, and improving procurement.

"The LGA have called for this change, and have rightly taken steps to make their organisation more transparent so we can look at how to devolve this funding with confidence. By cutting the red tape around improvement funding councils can push even harder to make sure they have the tools and expertise to be fully focused on delivering frontline services that matter to people most and getting the best value for taxpayers' money."

Baroness Margaret Eaton, Chairman of the Local Government Association, said:

"The purpose of the Local Government Group is to help councils serve local residents more effectively by carrying out national tasks on behalf of the whole sector. This very welcome localism initiative will focus effort on the achievement of key national outcomes, save money and ensure that resources are used in the most effective way possible. We are delighted that the government has responded so positively and creatively to this initiative".

(CLG Press Release, published 25 August 2010)

IDeA Efficiency Exchange

03 Sep 2010

Efficiency Exchange
Imagine running a web-based supermarket price check on local council suppliers simply by clicking your mouse. How about using an online calculator to work out if contractors are giving you a better or worse deal than they do with other councils? And what if you could automatically get the best new ideas and problem-solving tips, together with news, targeted at your profession, just by logging onto your computer?

This, and more, is what the new Efficiency Exchange offers.

What is the Efficiency Exchange?
The Efficiency Exchange is a web-based professional social network, launched by the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) in 2010. It has over 800 members - including some from as far afield as Australia and Canada - who share their working knowledge with the very specific aim of boosting efficiency and collaborative working for their sector.

Rob Whiteman, Managing Director of the IDeA, explains:

"The public sector is under pressure to deliver better services for less money, and the Efficiency Exchange is a tool that will help achieve that aim. Not only can the Exchange help you figure out if you're getting good value for money when dealing with suppliers, but you've got a raft of experts, best practice and suggestions for improvements at your fingertips."

Even if you contribute one sentence to an online conversation, adds Efficiency Exchange Programme Manager Gordon Murray, that information could be what someone else needs to solve a problem. Murray says:

"There's something you can get out of it and something you can contribute. It's no longer about an individual in a local authority thinking ‘if I do this, will it work?' but about someone else joining in saying ‘I've done almost that and here's what I learned'. It's a creative lab where people can prove what's worked or put forward ideas and test them."

The Exchange uses the principles of the IDeA's Communities of Practice, but goes a step further. Like other networking sites, it offers Facebook-style contact with hundreds of public sector experts, who can exchange information. And the exchange acts as a library of innovative work.

However, what will set it apart is a planned benchmarking standard, allowing users to compare costs and performance on a whole range of services both regionally and nationally, which will be available from September. It also casts its net more widely to refer to the most interesting work from the private sector and involves online conversations from other interested parties, such as academics. The aim is to share learning, stimulate innovation and support efficiency within local government using web-based technology.

To find out more go and watch a short film about the Efficiency Exchange go to the IDeA website at: http://www.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/page.do?pageId=19230976

WIN launches new case study library!

23 Aug 2010

Discovering what other authorities have done and what has been successful continues to be a top request from WIN users - WIN have now brought all thier case studies together to help you find what you need. Visit WINs new area to search for case studies by category and find ideas and inspiration to help you More