Pathfinder Report: Project Update May/June 2008

The table below provides information on the developments within each theme of the Pathfinder Programme.

Theme / Current position / Previous Activity (captured since August 2007) / Lead
Back Office/
Support Services / Leaders have agreed that this theme remains a priority and that further work on exploring the sharing of back office arrangements is key to the progress of Pathfinder and to generating efficiencies.
Flagship Project
Watford, Three Rivers - Sharing Services
Watford and Three Rivers councils now have final approval to proceed with establishing a shared back office arrangement for HR, ICT finance and revenues and benefits. Other districts may be included at a later stage. The Project is now at final evaluation stage with detailed implementation about to commence. ICT infrastructure discussions are underway and staffing considerations are being worked through in detail. Regional Centre of Excellence and Building Capacity East funding is being used to develop a toolkit to share learning from the business case developmental phase. A couple of workshops to introduce the toolkit in the Region have been planned. Dates to be circulated (please Laxmi).
Watford and TRDC to report back to CECG as to progress/issues to share and are undertaking a range of East of England events.
The business case predicts £1.6m per annum savings across both councils.
A third council (possibly St Albans) is currently actively engaged in discussions regarding joining the arrangement.
HCC is involved at this stage in terms of working with the team to assess whether the project is “future proofed” in terms of ICT integration for future and (as yet) unknown needs. The project will be investigating the benefits of participating in the Govt. Connects secure network to provide options for future advanced service delivery as a Central Government portal.
Procurement
A presentation on Hertfordshire procurement collaboration and the online procurement forum was given to the Finance Officers’ Group (HCFO) on 7 February indicating that further work on joint procurement remains an important issue that needs to be progressed. It was indicated that 60% of the cashable savings target (“the 3%”) for each council is expected by CLG to be made through procurement. In Herts, there is the potential for £1.5 bn of procurement savings in 2008/09 and £3.2 bn in 2009/10 if further good practice is adopted. A good debate was had and HCC in particular was requested to support the initiative further by, for example, routing more HCC supplier arrangements through the online forum to lever greater buying power in the private sector - increase choices of suppliers/help to reduce prices and provide procurement leadership by example.
NNDR
A report from AKA has been submitted to the finance officers/CDs who have considered it in detail. Currently the officers have well thought through concerns regarding a number of aspects of the recommendations including: the need for a wholly owned company model for a relatively tightly scoped area of business activity; the business case that is currently predicated on a relatively low number of staff – yet with a key skills set that is often used in other areas of financial recovery in council tax and debt management teams in districts and, the abortive investment issues for councils that may need to migrate to different systems in order to participate in a new venture. Whilst discussions continue – “clusters” of councils with common systems will pursue more specific solutions in smaller groups and these are likely to be
- North Herts/Dacorum/Broxbourne on Northgate systems, - the other on Academy and - Stevenage are considering options as they are a single “Pereclese” site and may want to partner with one of the 2 groups rather than deal with standalone future investment issues. Needs further discussion and consideration of County’s input.
Workshops/events/meetings on support services
The Finance Officers’ Group and others are now considering how to continue to make progress on back office sharing ideas and support services generally and has agreed, as set out previously, that councils with common systems will continue more detailed discussions on NNDR (and perhaps Council Tax) and that in the meantime, a tightly focussed, facilitated workshop/s will be set up (date to be agreed) for the finance/ICT/HR officers to consider the issues that the NNDR exercise has highlighted - as these are all questions that will pervade any new joint venture and need an airing and an informed debate.
The finance officers/CDs will be asked to report back to CECG (likely to be June after their workshop).
4ps/PWC/Mouchels are being engaged to encourage progress and provide technical input to a range of events and meetings within the support services domain.
ICT (HITMAN) is also assisting in the discussions and will report more detail in June. Hertslink group has been flagged for further consultation ref ICT/joint working issues too.
Efficiencies
Finance officers/CDs have now discussed the need to generate savings of 3.5% (0.5% of which are to be found through Pathfinder joint working) and are currently being asked to complete some spreadsheet baselining work to understand the detailed current position of each of the councils in relation to the requirement for 3% cashable efficiencies. A draft spreadsheet is to be report to HCFOs 8 May. Current savings req (0.5%) are estimated at £4m annually tbc.
Further discussions and work will then be undertaken on the expected savings to be generated by future projects such as the Watford/TRDC project.
The workshop will also prompt further discussion on this issue.
Telecare
Joint procurement of equipment with district and borough councils is already realising savings and requires further development.
Aim to explore opportunities to combine public awareness raising about district and borough council community alarm services, with ACS funded Telecare add-on equipment. Explore shared responses to enquiries to any partner organisation regarding community alarms or Telecare.
Shared Posts
Discussions on shared posts are taking place where appropriate opportunities arise and this is becoming more mainstream as common skills sets emerge such as procurement and programme management. Shared officers also make links across councils in a seamless way helping to create shared arrangements. The case for efficiencies is also assisted by savings on salaries and staffing overheads though joint posts.
Work on HR related issues is to be reported to the Personnel Officers’ Group POG in June.
Government Connects
Discussions with CLG and relevant directors have been underway to ensure that all Herts councils are now signed up for secure Govt. Connects in the future. Herts. will be signed up as a two tier area which means that we will all have access to advanced secure coms. with Govt. depts in the future in order to inform and serve our customers/plans services more effectively. A good example is DWP direct input into housing benefits services that is currently a fraught arrangement at best. Govt. Connects also comes with an already funded 1 year support arrangement through Cable and Wireless. HCC ICT team are helping to facilitate and support making progress on this for our collective future two tier benefit. / Back office sharing
TRDC, WBC, DBC Back Office Project - Strategic business case accepted in February 2007. The joint Project Business Team is developing a detailed business case and implementation plan for January 2008. Member workshop held 10/9/07.
Financial costs and benefits to be calculated to feed into budget processes by January 2008. Detailed business case and implementation plan on track for consideration by all 3 councils in March 2008.
Procurement/HR - Various examples of staff sharing, e.g.
o  Joint NHDC/EHDC Procurement post;
o  TRDC, Dacorum, Watford procurement collaboration; Wel/Hat/Hertsmere);
o  Manpower contract for agency staff (EHDC, HCC);
o  Payroll arrangements (THDC, EHDC)
o  agreement on joint traineeships for planning staff (EHDC, HCC)
o  Audit partnerships – 2 coinciding DC partnerships (NHDC, Hertsmere, Wel/Hat, Stevenage; and St. Albans and Broxbourne)
o  Possible future activity through Herts Procurement Forum
Joint Standards Committee
Suggestion from Standards Board for England. To be discussed at next Monitoring Officers group meeting.
Scrutiny
Positive officer and member feedback on joint scrutiny event September 2007, but outputs of the meeting not yet established. BCE project will maintain contact should future facilitation/support be required.
NNDR
The Hertfordshire Chief Finance Officers group (HCFO) have appointed AKA public services as consultants to help launch the establishment of a county- wide Business rates service.
Revenue and Benefits
A joint approach to implementing the Local Housing Allowance (beginning April 2008) is being followed, including joint training to be delivered in Feb 2008. Amalgamated structures and systems are being investigated within the shared service project. / Tricia Taylor Watford CD/ Steven Halls/ Scott Crudgington CD Stevenage and Michel Saminaden CE Welwyn
Peter Maguire /Chris Sweeney
Scott Crudgington/
Chris Sweeney/
Michel Saminaden
John Alleyne
Scott/Chris Sweeney/Michel
Ted Maddex
Carole Grimwood
Stuart Campbell
Customer Access/Engagement / Leaders have agreed that this theme remains a priority and that further work on exploring how we can jointly improve customer access arrangements is key to the progress of Pathfinder and to improving services to the public.
Customer Access/Engagement
Communications have now agreed that they wish to pursue more joint shared arrangements in particular for telephone and website services to customers. It has been agreed that further information is required in relation to baselining and understanding the current arrangements in place in each of the councils.
There has also been discussion with CEs regarding improving arrangements for face to face responses to range of customers through our various outlets/offices at all council tiers.
In order to proceed, a specification/brief is being prepared for baselining and analysis of what is taking place in relation to resolving customer queries across Hertfordshire. It is already agreed that progress on this issue will not mean a one size fits all approach and that Pathfinder is about trying out different approaches that suites the needs of our communities and customers.
Specification is being drafted for a BCE funded research to inform the development of the project that may fall into 2 phases.
Community Engagement
Joint work is also underway on two tier arrangements for research and customer engagement through new arrangements with ORS (Opinion Research Services). Further discussions are underway concerning new ideas for joint work in this area, to possibly include pilot work in key parishes/town councils and to inform innovative work on the Place Survey.
“50 Plus” and the “Engage” work is also informing ideas and providing exemplar case study material for CLG for Pathfinders on community engagement.
Community Information Unit - is also flagged as a potential area to extend two tier work on research and core information gathering to inform our policy making across Herts.
Further work is needed in relation to Libraries on Pathfinder (to action).
Hemel 20:20 and Stevenage - Offering possibilities for innovative joint front end arrangements/other possibilities for infrastructure solutions as major physical redevelopments take place. / Meeting between Communication Directors in January 2008 in order to discuss potential approaches on customer experience/contact. / John Sellgren CDs in all districts
Alison Adams and Bryony Whittle/Anne Bretherton/Mark Lobban
Natalie Webb
Bernard Thirkettle
Daniel Zammit/Peter Ollis
Children’s Services / DCTPs well-established in all ten Districts, demonstrating effective joined-up approaches between county, Districts, and wider partners in relation to children’s services. The Fit for purpose review has been completed, and action plans at District and County level agreed and signed off by HCTP to ensure continued progress and development. CSF has identified a Partnership Lead Officer for each DCTP at a senior management level.
Nine district councils are actively engaged at a senior level in the local DCTP – in line with the place-shaping and championing role for local authorities as set out in the DCSF Children’s Trust Guidance to underpin the Children’s Plan. This will contribute evidence in support of the Comprehensive Area Assessments.
District Children and Young People’s Plans are now in place for 08/09 in all ten districts based on a local needs analysis, and reflecting the countywide priorities.
Following the pilot commissioning processes, a mechanism has been developed to ensure local decision-making via the DCTPs, supported by the infrastructure of the strategic commissioning team (joined up back office services, rather than establishing ten commissioning teams). The new Prevention 513 fund has been launched and will allocate £1.6million via DCTPs to meet priorities in the District Plans, supporting service delivery from September 08.
The development of a multi-agency framework supporting children with additional needs (Integrated Practice) is now established across the county, and there is early evidence of innovative practice through partnership working to better meet the needs of children, young people and families – by using the same resources differently and more effectively. This will be managed and monitored via the DCTPs. / Links have been established between the BCE project and current activities in the HCTP and District Children’s Trust Partnerships, such as the Fit for Purpose Review and District Commissioning Pilots to track learning from recent partnership working. Future activity will include an investigation of whether BCE funding can be used to support new partnership working innovations within HCTP/DCTP.
DCs delivering a number of phase 2 Children Centres (e.g. Stevenage currently delivering 4 centres; 3 Hertsmere).
Systems for devolved DC Children's Trusts to be in place by April 2008 (pilots undertaken during 2007 to test processes).
Review of youth support services implementation of recommendations from consultation exercise begun in September 2007. New service configuration will be in place by April 2008. / Alan Dinning /Gill Gibson/Steven Halls
Safer Clean Green
To be updated/meeting with Jon Harvey being arranged / Safer
Joint working has seen agreement to develop strategic assessment templates at both district and county levels which in turn will inform CDRP plans and LAA2 from 2008.
A review of membership across all LAA Stronger blocks to ensure all partners are suitably represented.
All CDRPs now have functioning Joint Action Groups (JAGs) which following the introduction of CDRP plans will be pivotal in their delivery.
Work has begun to develop improved links between agencies at a practitioner level – recent examples include Probation staff linking directly with local Policing managers in relation to unpaid fines etc.