Methodology

• Approval given at Policy, Finance and Asset management Committee, June 2009

• Cross party with Trade union representatives steering group oversaw the process

• There were 11 drop in sessions to an exhibition at venues across Fife (181 participants)

• These events were staffed by a range of employees including senior management

• A booklet was produced with information about the six approaches being taken with a range of questions with options to agree/ disagree. A comments box for any other suggestions was also included

• Publicity included press advertisements, direct letters to community and voluntary groups, payslip messages to employees, local radio

Responses to the 6 "top line" questions - 853 respondents

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Do you agree or disagree that weshould cut back on the scale of

services we provide?

Do you agree or disagree that weshould increase our income from

service charges?

Do you agree or disagree that weshould find other ways of delivering

our services?

Do you agree or disagree that weshould target services to those

most in need?

Do you think we should reduce thenumber of buildings we occupy?

Do you agree or disagree that weshould change how we work to

improve efficiency?

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

No answer

How should we change the way we work to improve efficiency?

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Limit the way some services aredelivered to phone or internet only

Set up personal customeraccounts to track the servicespeople receive and build up a

profile of customers’ needs andpreferences

Provide more information andadvice through self-service

Direct service requests via themost efficient route

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

No answer

• Amalgamate services to avoid duplication• Share information across services• Cut back on excess paperwork • Better staff training on customer care• Reduce the number of vehicles that arrive at jobs• Improve website and provide face to face as a back up

But remember:• New technology discriminates against the elderly and those without internet• E forms need to be simple – provide phone number for more complex

requirements• Some face to face will always be needed

Other ways we could change the way we work to improve efficiency

How should we reduce the number of buildings we occupy?

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Schools where there is anotherone nearby that has spare

capacity

Halls and community centres thatare rarely used

Use mobile units for deliveringservices

Use a location closer to where youshop, eat or spend leisure time

Buildings that aren’t adaptable forother purposes or uses

Offices which aren’t fully occupied

Depots with unused space

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

No answer

• Greater use of schools as community facilities• More use of schools, communities and libraries for office space and

for delivering services• Co-locate with other agencies, e.g. doctors’ surgeries, fire stations,

banks, post offices• Greater flexibility: mobile units, home working, hot desking • Partnership working with services and other agencies• Use only council owned buildings• Improve maintenance of buildings to cut down on energy costs• Rent out unused office or depot space to industry or small

businesses

But remember:• Buildings are core to a community well being – each village or settlement

needs a hub• Preserve the important historic buildings • Property is an asset, think carefully before selling

Other suggestions for reducing building costs

How should we target services to those most in need?

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Targeting based on age

Targeting based on income andreceipt of benefit

People who are seekingemployment

People who do not have family thatcan provide help

People who require assistance tolive their lives

People who are unable to care forthemselves

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

No answer

• Reduce duplication by agencies supporting vulnerable people• Focus on early intervention which prevents escalation to

‘needy’• Stop automatic entitlement to services• Make sure need is genuine• Target deprived areas• Strong community and voluntary involvement builds self

reliance

But remember:• Age/ income is not always a ‘need’ factor• Council services should be a safety net, not a lifestyle choice• People have complex needs – must pay attention to the individual

Other suggestions for targeting services

How should we be delivering our services differently?

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Private sector

Franchises

Trusts

Social enterprise companies

Voluntary sector

Online

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

No answer

• Restrict use of external consultants, use skilled staff• Increase use of call centre especially for volume

transactions • Reduce duplication of tasks performed by staff e.g.

squads• Better partnership working with other agencies

particularly NHS • More efficient on-line transactions

• But remember:• Be cautious about outsourcing and using the private sector: need must

come before profit• ‘You are the local council – be proud to serve your area’

Other suggestions for delivering services differently

How should we increase income from service charges?

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Pass on the full cost of runningservices to customers

Start charging for services that inthe past were free

Introduce a voucher scheme forsome services, and once the value

of vouchers is used up, make acharge

Introduce subscription schemes forsome services

Provide a basic level of service &charge for anything above this level

Standardise concessionarycharging

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

No answer

• Charges should be per journey travelled not as a lump sum to transport companies

• Charge private companies the full cost of professional advice from staff

• Introduce charges for staff car parking• Charge more for non-essential services, e.g. planning

applications, harbour fees• Review charges on a service by service basis• It’s better to pay something than lose the service

But remember• Charges should be for those that can afford it• Vital services should be free

Other suggestions for increasing income from service charges

How should we reduce the scale of council services?

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Provide only minimum standards ofservice where there is limited

demand

Provide for the most needy insociety based on national

standards

Provide for the most needy insociety based on standards set in

Fife

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

No answer

• Focus on forward planning and preventative services• Prioritise essential front-line services, scale back on under-

used services• Find ways to encourage self-help• “Seek out ‘best of breed’ practices and shed the ‘not invented

here’ syndrome” • Reduce grass cutting especially on road verges • Reduce the range of free transport• Reduce managers’ and councillors’ expenses

But remember:• Any withdrawal or reduction of services has to be sensitive to complexities

of individuals’ needs • Reduction in services has resulted in a poorer physical environment

Other suggestions for reducing the scale of Council services

• Savings versus forward planning• Employee costs 56% of budget so obvious target• Level of support for council services• Efficiency and bureaucracy• Staff skills, numbers, wages and absenteeism• Assets, buildings, vehicles, energy• FifeDirect improvements• Better management of all services and projects

Overall impressions

General comments (in relation to staff)

• Move all wages to monthly• Protect frontline and low paid staff• Too many unproductive meetings, training courses and conferences• Reduce staff hours to reduce wages• Organise car sharing for meetings• Ensure Council vehicles are used appropriately• Should be able to order cheapest options – stationery, etc• Stop sending information by Royal Mail – use internal or e mail• Stop printing glossy brochures• Ensure all managers are looking continually for efficiencies• Compare Fife Council’s staff costs to other local authorities• Save on travel costs, don’t relocate staff further away from home• Review all support staff roles and outcomes from their work

General comments

• Improve Council Tax collection• Don’t have internal re-charging for services• Encourage use of land for private housing developments but make

sure there is planning gain• Look to other authorities for savings ideas• Devolve budgets to local level where better knowledge of priorities• Improve joint working with services and other agencies• More care should be taken by refuse lorries not to create litter• Evidence that traffic accidents are reduced by speed bumps• Always use low energy light bulbs• Encourage self help and self-reliance• Review services by thinking “out of the box”• Encourage communities to apply externally for grants• Promote community owned renewable energy schemes; they can

generate £millions in income for communities to spend on improvements

Next steps

• A thank you letter was sent to all participants at drop in sessions, giving feedback on the key messages

• Findings will be distributed to all councillors and Council Management team for consideration during budget discussions

• Budget will be set on 11th February 2010• Feedback with details of where the consultation has

influenced decisions will be widely distributed in March 2010

For further information and discussion

• Please contact

Susan Muir

Policy Co ordinator

Fife Council

e mail: susan.muir@fife.gov.uk

telephone: 08451 555555 ext 471689