Local Government Reorganisation: 1 County Durham Agenda Item 8
Outline • Introduction to County Durham • Background to LGR in County Durham • The change programme • Reflections 2
North East 3
County Durham Profile • 862 square miles (223,260 ha) • 510,800 residents • 219,000 households • 12 major settlements • 62 nd most deprived out of 4 326 authorities • 45.5% of population live in 30% most deprived areas • 49% of working age population on JSA • 9.1% population ESA or IB
Background to LGR 2009 1992-2002 Local government commission headed by Sir John Banham 1994 Government confirmed proposal for a Darlington unitary authority 1995 Structural Change Order for creation of Darlington unitary authority laid 1997 Darlington unitary authority created 2002 Soundings taken on appetite for referendum on regional assembly 2003 Local government review led by Boundary Committee 5 2004 North East regional assembly and contingent local government reorganisation vote October 2006 Local Government White Paper, ‘Strong and Prosperous Communities’ December 2007 Government confirmed their final decision on unitary proposals 2007/08 Legal challenges Feb 2008 Parliamentary approval for new unitary authority May 2008 Shadow unitary authority election Summer 2008 Chief Executive recruited Autumn 2008 Corporate Management Team recruited April 2009 Vesting day
County Durham pre-2009 • Eight separate authorities. • Variable service performance ranging from ‘excellent’ in some cases to ‘poor’ CPA ratings in others. • Some services, e.g. housing in ‘special measures’. • Variable performance in terms of running costs, 6 ranging from large economic units to some of the smallest district councils in the country. • Large number of elected Members involved in making decisions – more executive councillors in County Durham than Ministers in central government.
Bid vision for the new council “Our vision for local government in the County is of a new unitary council committed to developing a prosperous , safe and 7 sustainable future for County Durham, listening to and working with local people, leading and shaping our communities and working in partnership to ensure quality , cost effective services.” • However developed further after LGR
Key aims of the new council • Built around citizens and communities • Improved public services • Stronger community leadership • Clear accountability 8 • Cost effective and efficient • Simpler system
The Change Programme 9
Programme Structure Implementation Executive (Members) Joint Implementation Team (Officers) Children and Adults, Unitary Environment & Corporate Young People Wellbeing and Internal Challenge Place Shaping Outcomes Neighbourhoods Support Health High Level Adults, Environment & Children and Corporate Programme Wellbeing and Internal Challenge Place Shaping Neighbourhoods Young People Support Health Boards 10 Workstreams 5 identified (all 7 identified (6 3 identified 4 identified 9 identified 6 identified cross cutting) cross cutting) Corporate Service Outcomes Place / Organisational Shaping Support Programme Management / Programme Office
Programme governance structure DCLG 11
Workstream activity • Initiation – Production of PIDs identifying deliverables, milestones, risks and outlining plan of activities • Baselining – Gathering key data about existing services across the County • High-level options for change – Development of preferred future service delivery model, identification of business critical 12 functions • Detailed options for change – Development of detailed plans for ‘ must have ’ projects, detailed service design • Implementation – Organisation structure, policies and procedures, fees and charges, ‘must haves’, staffing issues, service harmonisation
Programme milestones Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Initiation Baseline & Design Build & Implement Transition Phase 1 Transition Phase 2 Financial Implication/Benefits Budget & MTFP Detailed Election Budget Set Workstream PIDs Timetable Produced 30 th Jun 08 Single Back Office/Shared Service 27 th Feb 09 1 st May 08 22 nd Feb 08 1 st Oct 08 Capital Budget Priorities Council Tax Bills 3 rd Nov 08 9 th Mar 09 Cabinet Vision, Values & Workstream Milestone Plans Strategic Principles MTFS Prepared 14th Mar 08 Vesting Day 31 st Oct 08 1 st Apr 09 Draft Programme Plan Senior Management Fees & Charges Strategy 31 st Mar 08 31 st Oct 08 Adopted Structure 13 Draft Constitution Corporate Plan New CEO 5 th May 08 Communities’ View on 2 nd Mar 09 Appointed Engagement known 1 st July 08 Approval to Engagement Process Key Dependencies 31 st Mar 08 Customer Charter Senior Management Appointments 1 st Jan 09 Initial Risk Assessment 07/08 Performance 4 th Apr 08 Staff Appointments Oct 08 – Apr 09 Data Report 1 st Aug 08 Councillor Induction Communications 6 th – 22 nd May 08 Strategy 31 st Oct 08 Planning & Performance Framework 1 st Aug 08 Detailed Options from Bid Savings Base- Process agreed Agreed Programme Programme Boards 6 th Aug 08 lined / Circulated of Improvement 30 th Apr 08 Reviews 2 nd Jan 09 Access Strategy Customer Services 1 st Aug 08 Engagement – Agreed Strategy 6 th Nov 08 Employee Engagement / Terms of Reference HR Transitional 31 st Dec 08 Communication Framework Framework 30 th Apr 08 New Executive 1 st Aug 08 arrangements 31 st Dec HR Delivery Plan Established 29 th Aug 08 08 AGM 23rd May 08 Employee Information Base-lined Asset 31 st Jul 08 Management Plan Priorities Established High Level Options 31 st Dec 08 30 th Sept 08 from Programme Boards 30 th May 08 Service Integration Options October 08 – March 09 Reporting Date
Place Shaping Challenge Programme Design Responsibilities Programme Board Board Implementation Executive Corporate Policy and Performance Economic policy, Spatial Planning, Management, HR, Communications, Transport strategy, Strategic housing, Customer Service and Access, Equality Regeneration, Social Housing Policy, Joint Implementation Team & Diversity and Community Cohesion, Homelessness, Asylum Seekers and Community Engagement, Capacity Disabled Facilities Grants, Building Building and Area Coordination Control Policy & Partnerships, HR / OD, Communications, Equalities & Cohesion, Customers & Access, Areas & Participation Workstreams Children & Environment & Corporate Adult, Well-being & Young People’s Neighbourhood Resources Health Services Services Services Programme Board Programme Board Programme Board Programme Board Strategic Commissioning Strategic Commissioning Waste Disposal Financial Management Social Care Planning Education Policy and Planning Conservation / Archaeology Information and 14 Residential Care Children in Need Traffic Management Communication Domiciliary Care Children Looked After Business Regulation Technology Carers Support Access and Inclusion Trading Standards Estates and Property Learning Disability Learning Support Environmental Health Legal Mental Health Support Educational Psychology Licensing Corporate Procurement Substance Misuse Special Educational Needs Neighbourhood Services Democratic Services Health Promotion Educational Welfare Highway Maintenance Members’ Services Tackling Health and Social School Transport Street Cleansing Overview and scrutiny Inequalities Admissions Waste Collection Council Tax Collection Travellers’ Liaison Education Standards Public Realm / Maintenance and Housing Benefits Welfare Rights School and Governor Support Parking Control (Revs and Bens) Supporting People Secure Services Parks, Landscape and Electoral Services Adult Protection Youth Engagement Service Countryside Registration of Births, Adult Learning Sure Start/Early Years Family Service Direct & District DSOs Deaths and Marriages Culture and Arts Learning Housing landlord Archives and Records Tourism Family Learning Leisure Coroners Libraries Connexions Emergency Planning Finance, Assets & Property, Procurement, I.T, Legal & Democracy Workstreams Programme Office
Key activity: May 2008 Elections • Unprecedented number of candidates • Female representation doubled from 15.9% to 30.2% • New Council made up of 35 ex-County Councillors, 71 ex-District Councillors and 20 new Councillors 15 • 10 strong Cabinet selected following confirmation of newly elected County Councillor Simon Henig as Leader • IDe&A commissioned to work with new Cabinet on strategy development
Key activity: Executive Appointments • Appointed Chief Executive in July 2008. Took up post in September 2008 • Immediately presented proposal to Council on design of the senior team for approval 16 • Appointment of 5 Directors and an Assistant Chief Executive in October 2008 which completed the line up of a 7 strong Corporate Management Team
Key activity: HR • Transition planning team managing restructure of staff • Parallel ER/VR ‘trawl’ • HR developments • Manager’s handbook 17 • Pay protection • ER/VR scheme • Induction- Vesting Day welcome pack for all staff • Member Training strategy • Positive trade union engagement model • Consultation with staff • Career transition support through SOLACE
Recommend
More recommend
