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Take a seat at the LGC Future Thinking and Best Practice Summit.

Advance your learning, best practice, thought leadership and insight with innovators across local government - then watch the 2012 finalists make their presentations ‘live’ to the judges.*

The LGC Awards, the most attended event in local government, invite you to network 1200 local authority decision-makers; access fresh ideas and proven ways of delivering more for less - then reward your staff with a night of fantastic entertainment.

14 March 2012, Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London

Not just an awards...

LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2012 Local Government Chronicle 1

Sharing the very best practiceAs local government steers its way through challenging and uncertain times, councils and their staff are working harder than ever to provide the best services for residents. Entries to the LGC Awards 2012, in association with the LGA, reveal vibrant, ambitious and passionate teams and individuals.

At a time of change and challenge it is more important than ever to evolve and to meet new needs. So this year we have introduced new categories to reflect the changing priorities of local government, and an exciting new daytime event to complement the awards presentation dinner.

Our new corporate government category will highlight best practice at a time when councils are undergoing significant organisational change. And the new public sector partnerships category will recognise the impressive work done jointly between councils and other public sector partners, from health to police and beyond.

We want to share the ideas and best practice that our winners and finalists demonstrate, so this year LGC is launching the inaugural daytime LGC Future Thinking and Best Practice Summit before the awards dinner. The event, exclusive to awards table bookers, offers a unique opportunity to hear first-hand from the councils shortlisted for Council of the Year and Most Improved Council as they make their final presentations live to the judges. There will also be presentations from previous winners in the best practice zone; a series of big issue future thinking discussions; and organised networking sessions.

Congratulations to all of those who overcame tough competition to win a place on the shortlist. And a special thanks to the Local Government Group and our sponsors and judges. We are delighted to celebrate your achievements and hope to see you at the summit and awards ceremony in March.

EMMA MAIER, EDITOR, LGC

An inspiration to all of our colleagues in the public sector This year’s LGC Awards takes place against the backdrop of one of the most challenging periods for local government in a generation. Councils are having to take incredibly tough decisions on a daily basis, but it is right that we recognise the fantastic work that is going on up and down the country.

Innovations by individual town halls will provide the inspiration for fellow authorities as they look for ways to keep providing vital

services in such tough times. It is these pioneers of best practice and new approaches who are setting the foundations on which local government can reshape and build through the uncertain years ahead.

The LGC Awards capture the way councils are forever striving to improve the lives of their residents as well as ensuring their own workforce remains motivated and feels appreciated, as they rightly should be.

I would like to thank all councils that submitted applications. The range and depth of entries continues to grow and impress and this year’s shortlisted authorities should be congratulated for reaching this stage. These awards matter not only because of the strength of entries, but because people’s lives have been changed for the better by those who have transformed services in tough times.

CAROLYN DOWNS, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, LGA

Welcome

We’re with you every step of the way.

We’re proud to sponsor the

Council of the Year Award 2012Zurich Municipal is the leading provider of risk and insurance solutions to the

UK’s public sector organisations. We work with you to help protect your assets,

your people and most importantly your ability to achieve your objectives.

So, we’re delighted to sponsor the LGC awards for the 16th consecutive year.

These awards recognise excellence and those councils who take work beyond

the normal level of service provision.

www.zurichmunicipal.com

Zurich Municipal is a trading name of Zurich Insurance plc, a public limited company incorporated in Ireland Registration No. 13460. Registered Office: Zurich House, Ballsbridge Park, Dublin 4, Ireland. UK Branch registered in England and Wales, Registration No. BR7985. UK Branch Head Office: The Zurich Centre, 3000 Parkway, Whiteley, Fareham, Hampshire PO15 7JZ. Authorised by the Central Bank of Ireland and subject to limited regulation by the Financial Services Authority.

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JUDGESLeft to right:

Andrew Jepp, Zurich Municipal Stephen Baker, chief executive, Suffolk Coastal DC Nicola Bulbeck, chief executive, Teignbridge DC Graham Burgess, chief executive, Blackburn with Darwen BC Carolyn Downs, chief executive, LGA Sir Bob Kerslake, Department for Communities & Local Government Emma Maier, editor, LGC

A WORD FROM THE AWARD’S SPONSOR

Zurich Municipal is proud to sponsor the prestigious LGC Council of the Year Award 2012. It is especially important this year, given the challenges faced by both authorities and individuals. Zurich Municipal works with customers to help manage the risks in providing services in times of change and in the face of unprecedented budget cuts. It is uplifting to witness the commitment by councils to deliver superior services and help improve residents’ lives. It is even more heartening to see them rewarded.

BOURNEMOUTH BCBournemouth BC is a small unitary with a clear and ambitious vision for the future. Strong leadership and prudent forward planning has enabled it to meet the reduction in government grant with minimal impact on frontline services.

The council has transferred its world-class conference, entertainment and leisure facilities to a registered charity, reducing costs while improving performance. Meanwhile, the local asset-backed vehicle with Morgan Sindall Investments Ltd is enabling large-scale regeneration. Similarly, the partnership with Mouchel and programme of transformation will lead to a saving of up to 40% of the council’s revenue budget over its initial ten-year life. The council is also supporting Bournemouth 2026, the nationally recognised local strategic partnership, by investing about £1m as it establishes itself as a community development trust.

In the harsh economic climate, Bournemouth has been able to deliver to higher standards and with less financial resources. CHELMSFORD BCChelmsford BC has a foundation of excellent performance and high resident satisfaction, yet seeks to continually improve services and, having bid for city status in 2012, to push forward its ambitious Chelmsford Tomorrow vision.

Successful delivery of the council’s vision depends on good workforce management. The 2010 staff survey showed significantly improved employee engagement and a sustained improvement in sickness absence levels. More than 100 managers also completed an innovative leadership development programme. Achievements for 2010-11 have been wide-ranging, from award-winning parks to international recognition for community safety work. Development is key and this year the council made further strides towards a completed local development framework. Such achievements are all the more impressive against efficiency savings of £8.1m achieved over the past five years.

Chelmsford has no savings targets to achieve this year and a balanced budget for 2012-13 is already in place with a 0% council tax increase.

DURHAM CC In 2009, eight local authorities in County Durham were reorganised to create one unitary. Delayed planning meant that a newly formed cabinet and senior management team had to start from scratch. From a standing start, Durham has delivered real service improvements: ● Overall customer satisfaction up 37%, 5% higher than the national benchmark ● 25% increase in residents who feel that the council provides good value; and ● 15% increase in those who feel they can influence decisions.

The council has risen to the challenge of the spending cuts, and through strong political leadership and detailed project planning, has a detailed four-year plan to reduce spending by 30%, saving £125m. Proactive programme management means that the council is on track to achieve 100% of the £67m to be saved this year. Against the backdrop of reorganisation and the spending cuts, the council is delivering its commitment to improve services and improve community engagement.

Council of the Year Award

continued overleaf

Zurich Municipal is a trading name of Zurich Insurance plc, a public limited company incorporated in Ireland Registration No. 13460. Registered Office: Zurich House, Ballsbridge Park, Dublin 4, Ireland. UK Branch registered in England and Wales, Registration No. BR7985. UK Branch Head Office: The Zurich Centre, 3000 Parkway, Whiteley, Fareham, Hampshire PO15 7JZ. Authorised by the Central Bank of Ireland and subject to limited regulation by the Financial Services Authority.

Congratulations to all those who have been shortlisted for the 2012

LGC Awards

We would like to say a hearty ‘well done’ to all those who have been

shortlisted for the 2012 LGC Awards. Zurich Municipal is particularly proud

to support the ‘Council of the Year’ award as we know how much time,

effort and teamwork all the entrants have to put in. When local authorities

realise their vision for positive change, the benefits are felt by thousands,

if not millions, of people. This means everybody wins.

The stars of 2012

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HERTFORDSHIRE CCHertfordshire has used the challenge of a 26% reduction in its non-schools budget as the stimulus to re-examine the way it works. It saved £88m without compromising frontline services by: becoming the first council to reach collective agreement with trade unions and transforming terms and conditions for 24,000 staff; restructuring departments; and agreeing a ground-breaking contract to improve processes and deliver new ways of working, including referral management in adult social care.

It also leads the way on localism by helping deprived people engage with decision making through the Take Part programme and giving residents more influence over local services through the delegation of community and highways budgets.

Hertfordshire has also improved the lives of its most vulnerable residents by enabling more adults to stay at home; achieving an ‘excellent’ Care Quality Commission rating for adult care; establishing a pioneering child protection investigation team with Hertfordshire Constabulary; and transforming looked-after children’s services from ‘inadequate’ to ‘performing well’ in three years. SOUTHEND-ON-SEA BCDespite financial constraints and adapting to a new government agenda, Southend-on-Sea continues to serve its communities well, providing high-quality services that meet their changing needs. The council has made every effort to streamline back-office functions and drive efficiencies. This means that it has avoided stopping or closing any services this year.

Southend’s achievements have not gone unnoticed - several of its services and projects have garnered national recognition or been highlighted for best practice. Its huge ambitions for the town – to be recognised as the cultural capital of the East of England; to promote a thriving sustainable economy; and to have first-class services and flourishing, active communities - have not wavered in the face of challenges. Rather, the council has delivered a programme of capital investment projects that will make a real difference to its residents and businesses for years to come.

SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE AND VALE OF WHITE HORSE DCS South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse councils are at the forefront of improving quality of life for their residents, while offering excellent value for money. They have challenged themselves to see how far they can take shared working and found themselves at the leading edge, taking the possibilities further and faster than anyone else.

The pair have proved beyond doubt that two district councils can achieve more for less by integrating service delivery. Successes in the past 12 months include achieving the best recycling rate nationally; being the driving force behind securing an enterprise zone for the area; signing development agreements for two major town centre regeneration schemes; transforming performance on benefits processing; and maintaining two of the lowest district council tax requirements nationally.

This was all achieved with a joint workforce of fewer than 450 staff. The councils are outward-looking, operating on a regional and national platform to learn and to influence and they embrace change. Their enthusiasm to be among the very earliest councils to benefit from the LGA’s peer challenge programme is testament to that.

…Council of the Year Award continued

We work with our clients to

transform services that

make a difference to millions

of people across the UK.

www.agilisys.co.uk

DELIVERING SUCCESS THROUGH INNOVATION

Agilisys is one of the UK's most innovative

IT and business services providers.

We are committed to working with

government and healthcare clients to deliver

signi�cant and lasting improvements in

performance levels and service delivery, and

we’re proud of the success we’ve achieved

with these long-term clients through our

�exible partnership approach.

Agilisys is proud to continue to sponsor the Most Improved Council award.

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CORNWALL COUNCIL Cornwall Council has, in just two years, turned around five failing areas - adult care and support, children’s services, housing needs and quality, fire and rescue and resources and performance management.

It has achieved this in a time of the biggest cuts to local government in living memory, in an area of the country that is already one of the most deprived and is challenging in terms of its rurality, travel infrastructure and geographical spread.

Eric Pickles picked Cornwall out as one of three ‘can do councils’ in England, acting to protect frontline services and local taxpayers. The council has consistently turned problems into opportunities.

Tim Smit, the chief executive of the Eden Project, sums it up: “You can always tell when a place is getting healthy because you see a net inflow of people who can see this as a place to make a career, not to end one and I think that’s a critical point for Cornwall … there are a lot of people who want to make careers here, want to get involved and can see in terms of lifestyle choice … and in terms of a can-do attitude, Cornwall has got what it takes.”

EAST LOTHIAN COUNCILSince publication of a critical best value report into East Lothian Council’s performance and leadership, the local authority has embarked on a long-term programme of transformational change of culture and performance.

During 2010-11, the scale of this change was highlighted through a range of improvement evidence including a dramatic increase in its customers’ perceptions of its services, innovative and cost-efficient service remodelling work across its services and by winning a number of national awards.

OLDHAM MBC Oldham has achieved success from a low base. Previously one of the lowest performing councils in the country, the council has achieved sector-leading performance in key service areas ranging from recycling to fostering, and it has done so in only three years. Remarkably, it has undertaken this transformational improvement while reducing its budget by £79m.

Even more impressive has been its capacity to innovate, to fundamentally redesign the way its business functions and to pioneer a renewed commitment to delivering what communities say matters most locally.

The council is leading pioneering pilots on behalf of the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities that will create better value for money and improved outcomes for some of its most vulnerable residents, and is repositioning its business towards cutting-edge forms of commissioning that generate opportunities for private enterprise and local communities alike. This is all underpinned by a co-operative ambition that empowers its communities through an unprecedented level of local devolution and engagement.

Far from simply managing decline in a context of financial challenges, Oldham is leading nationally by thinking innovatively and working collaboratively far beyond the confines of its own organisation.

Most Improved Council of the Year Award

JUDGESClockwise from top left:

Kay Andrews, Agilisys Katherine Kerswell Wes Lumley, chief executive, North East Derbyshire DC Kathryn Rossiter, managing director, Solace Nick Walkley, chief executive, Barnet LBC Nicola Yates, chief executive, Hull City Council

continued overleaf


As supporters of the LGC Awards for nearly a decade, Agilisys recognises the importance of highlighting and celebrating excellence. We are proud to sponsor the Most Improved Council Award again this year, and look forward to seeing the innovative and inspiring ways councils are meeting today’s challenges. The awards provide a fantastic opportunity for councils and their partners not only to recognise success but also to share knowledge and best practice, something we are delighted to be a part of.

The LGA is proud to be associated with the LGC Awards for 2012. In the last year local government has had some of the toughest challenges in a generation with deep cuts to budgets and periods of unprecedented disruption. And yet councils and individual staff members continue to deliver against the odds and show resilience and innovation when times are toughest. It is those organisations and people that deserve recognition and celebration, especially during these difficult times.

We congratulate all nominees.

LGC Awards 2012

The Local Government Association is committed to supporting, promoting, and improving local government.

For more information visit www.local.gov.uk

L12-16 LGC AWARDS AD_v1.indd 1 09/01/2012 13:27


ROCHDALE MBCDespite economic and local challenges, Rochdale’s partnership approach has made sure it has delivered on its priorities. ● The area has seen the biggest fall in crime in Greater Manchester, falling 40% in 2010-11. ● The council is bringing jobs to the borough and has attracted £115.5m of public and private investment, including four of the largest property deals in the North. ● Oldham was the first council in Greater Manchester to provide enterprise coaching. ● More children are leaving school with better qualifications. ● The new sixth-form college opened and earned its place in the top 10% nationally for AS Level performance. ● It has eight green flags for its parks and green spaces and one of the country’s first super-green ambassador schools. ● Street cleansing costs are lower than average. ● The council is improving life expectancy and narrowing the gap between the most affluent and most deprived neighbourhoods. ● Fantastic new facilities are encouraging more people to get fit. As recognised by its partners the council has transformed the way it does things and will continue its improvement journey for the benefit of residents.

SURREY CCSurrey has reached the end of the first phase in its development towards being genuinely world class. When it began, Surrey’s reputation had reached a very low point. It had had highly critical reports about key services and serious examples of corporate failure.

Surrey has now successfully dealt with these issues. It has mended the things that were broken and laid the foundations to achieve the outstanding levels of performance it is aiming for. The council is beginning to get a sense of how that will look and feel as it develops examples of innovative service delivery that are leading the way in local government. The scale of the improvement is immense, and it is right across its family of services.

WARRINGTON BC In 2009, Warrington received three red flags from the Audit Commission, reflecting inadequate progress in tackling employment prospects and reducing health inequalities for its deprived communities and for safeguarding children, following an Ofsted inspection. The council rated poorly for use of resources, including how it managed its finances and governed its business.

Warrington faced unprecedented challenges to transform services. The council has never been short on ambition or enthusiasm and it was with this vigour that it embarked on a significant improvement programme, delivering huge transformation to enable it to adapt to a rapidly changing economic landscape.

Through strong leadership and a clear vision Warrington took fast, decisive action to transform its safeguarding services and were taken out of special measures ahead of schedule.

The council worked to close the gaps in quality of life for its most disadvantaged communities, opening up a world of opportunities for healthy and active lifestyles and saw Warrington become one of the fastest-growing and most prosperous boroughs in the country.

Warrington has created an organisation that is sustainable, financially viable and fit for purpose.

…Most Improved Council of the Year Award continued

For more information, contact us at:

Tel: 020 7901 0068Email: [email protected]: www.capita.co.uk/consulting

We are proud to sponsor the LGC Children’s Services Award

Exceptional people delivering exceptional results

As the management consultancy business of Capita, we help Local Government organisations transform what they do and the outcomes they deliver for communities. We have a deep understanding of the Local Government market and combined with our experience across Healthand Central Government, we provide our clients with access to an unrivalled understanding of operational effectiveness, successful service improvement and transformation. This helps us to shapeand deliver cost effective pragmatic solutions that provide lasting results.

People have a right to great public services. Our mission isto help councils deliver them.

LGC Awards 2012 advert v4:Layout 1 05/01/2012 14:18 Page 1


BOURNEMOUTH BC Over the past year Bournemouth has transformed the services that support disabled children by increasing the number of commissioned providers from four to 14, as well as by developing a range of mainstream services. Bournemouth is using these newly developed services to break down the barriers that a disabled child can experience throughout life. These services range from adventure days for young people where they can experience activities such as wakeboarding, camping, speed boating and swimming to inclusive play settings where children who are disabled experience the joy of being with their non-disabled peers.

CITY OF YORK COUNCILThe York Transition Team has enabled disabled young people to fulfil their dreams through employment, with personal packages of learning and co-ordinated support. The focus has been on meeting the holistic needs of young people, empowering them to live as independently as possible and become active members of their communities. Working with families early has increased these young people’s hope for the future by providing more information, further work experiences in school, effective support for those with severe behavioural issues, and more social opportunities.

CORNWALL COUNCIL NewquaySafe is a unique project that addresses a range of alcohol-related antisocial behaviour issues. It has progressed from a short-term community safety initiative to a long-term programme regenerating Newquay and changing local and national culture. It has been heralded by James Brokenshire, the under secretary of state for crime prevention as a local response to a national alcohol issue. He said: “For those in doubt as to what Big Society can achieve, NewquaySafe is a shining example.”

DURHAM CC The Pathfinder Service works with the whole family to achieve long-term change through the provision of intensive family support for those with high levels of complex need. The provision of a key worker with the capacity to build high-quality trusting relationships with these ‘hard to reach’ families and to co-ordinate their support is a critical aspect of the model. There is good evidence from family self-reporting and external evaluation that the emotional wellbeing of both adults and children improves as a result of this intervention. There are also key tangible improvements relating to children’s educational outcomes, improved parenting and a reduction in family violence.

EALING LBC Ofsted gave Ealing children’s services an ‘outstanding’ score in eight key areas of leadership and management and praised its innovative approach. Underpinning the inspectors’ evaluation is success in safeguarding children and improving their life chances, reflected in outstanding schools, strong multi-agency partnerships, reducing numbers of children subject to a child protection plan, clear leadership and a focus on listening to both service users and staff.

LANCASHIRE CCOperation Freedom is a groundbreaking multi-agency team that deals directly with child sexual exploitation in an innovative, proactive and effective manner. New systems have been developed to help in the identification and targeting of children at risk, building on a commitment to offer early support and improving value for money. Referrals, warning notices and prosecutions have increased since the team was formed, alongside a significant reduction in the number of children being reported as missing from home. Public sector costs have reduced significantly as a result.

MERTON LBC Merton set up the Supporting Families Service to deliver targeted, integrated support to families in most need with children under five years of age, through its children’s centres. Having a single point of access provides better value for money as it cuts down on duplication and frees caseworkers’ time. A greater amount of early intervention reduces the likelihood of more costly and disruptive intervention later in a child’s life. As part of the pilot, the council developed information packs including advice, guidance and support to 1,300 children referred to the service.

OLDHAM MBC Oldham’s Behaviour and Attendance Partnership has a vision that the “health, happiness and success of every child is not just the responsibility of an individual school, but the collective responsibility of the whole local community, and all the children’s services operating within it”. Everyone in the partnership has had a role to play. The council believes that it is people and culture, rather than systems and policies, that delivers transformational change.


Capita believes that high-quality public services enrich people’s lives. We work with partners and clients to develop and implement new models of delivery, and appreciate how difficult this can be to achieve. The LGC Awards are an important way of encouraging and recognising the innovation of councils, their staff and their partners. Celebrating success highlights best practice and promotes service improvement creativity – we are delighted to be associated with these prestigious awards.

Children’s Services AwardJUDGESClockwise from top left:

Jonathan Green, director, Capita Consulting Kim Bromley-Derry, chief executive, Newham LBC Christine Davies, chief executive, C4EO Mark Rogers, chief executive, Solihull MBC

For over 160 years John Laing has been a specialist developer,investor and operator of public sector infrastructure assets.

For more information about John Laing contact Paul Kelly on0207 901 2300 or visit laing.com.

We pride ourselves on helping create and be part of successfulcommunities and are delighted to continue to sponsor theCommunity Involvement Award.

at the heart of the community


BRENT LBC Brent Youth Parliament is a parliament of 72 elected members aged 10 to 19 from the borough that feeds directly into the UK Youth Parliament. Representatives are from local schools, youth groups and targeted groups such as young people with disabilities and young people in care. The council helped to set the parliament up but its decisions and membership are independent. BYP has influenced a wide range of policy decisions, both in the council and increasingly in other organisations, some of which are from outside the borough. The young people themselves lead the decision making and set the agenda. All this has been achieved with the support of only a single full-time council officer and a small budget.

CAMBRIDGESHIRE CC Kick Ash Cambridgeshire aims to reduce the prevalence of smoking among young people by promoting a ‘proud to be smoke free’ message. The programme is supported by a partnership made up of the council, NHS Cambridgeshire, schools and young people. Members contribute their expertise to help shape and evaluate a programme where they all benefit equally from its success. It is the first multi-component programme in England to include prevention, cessation, enforcement and advocacy and to be led by young people for young people.

COVENTRY CITY COUNCIL Mossdale Close was an example of urban social degradation, with a high rate of crime and antisocial behaviour. Through a partnership approach, residents were consulted about what they wanted and joint action was taken to put this into practice. The challenge for 2010-11 was to improve estate cohesiveness and to open the doors for residents to access help from wider agencies. A residents’ association is being set up and trained, and many other agencies and individuals are now providing help to fellow residents.

EDEN DC A number of communities in the area have been selected as vanguards for the government’s Big Society agenda, and what lies behind their success has been a true partnership approach. The council has built up a habit of listening to and working with communities to achieve goals. It knows that communities have a clear sense of direction in what they want to achieve and its role is to help them overcome any barriers that stand in their way and to get projects delivered.

LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCIL The Beautiful North pilot brings together a wide range of public, private and voluntary sector organisations that want to deliver real change on the ground. The project has been able to bring together all partners to work collectively towards tackling issues across a geographically defined area. It has shared both the strategic planning and the delivery equally among the partners, focusing on partners’ skills and abilities rather than their perceived roles. The project has broken new ground and has increased both partner and public confidence in agencies charged with social management and change.

REDBRIDGE LBCYou Choose, the council’s interactive budget simulator, was originally developed to engage citizens in the difficult decisions arising from the public sector spending review, but has become an integral part of its business planning and budget deliberation processes. It has been delivered through an innovative partnership with the LGA and YouGov, which has enabled the council to offset the development costs. In 2010-11 the You Choose platform generated 4,396 responses in Redbridge and recorded 1,000 comments and suggestions, which were analysed, published and used to inform business planning.

NEWCASTLE CITY COUNCIL The proposal to create a new community trust specifically designed to manage and invest in the Grade II*-listed Byker estate was an innovative approach to solve the problems facing the estate and to give it a long-term sustainable future. A successful engagement and communications strategy led to tenants voting in favour of the trust’s creation. The quality of the formal offer to tenants has been cited by the Homes and Communities Agency as one of the best examples nationally.

ROCHDALE MBC The council has transformed lives using an innovative community champions model that has never been used in the borough before. Those who have been helped, and the champions themselves, powerfully demonstrate this collective success. Three years ago, Sandra was unemployed and became depressed. She was introduced to Rob, a community champion. She is now one herself. “I suppose we all need to be needed, don’t we? One lady said I was like an angel… I’ve my own evidence of what I can do now. If I’m feeling like an angel, being skint doesn’t matter so much!” she said.


At John Laing we pride ourselves on helping create and being part of successful communities. The hard work, dedication and commitment that the nominees for the Community Involvement Awards have been able to harness are leading examples of how the work of a few can transform the lives of many. Their efforts are delivering real improvements to the quality of life for local people that are not only delivering positive outcomes now but are also sustainable. We are delighted to continue to sponsor the award.

Community Involvement Award


Tim Grier, managing director, John Laing Integrated Services Ged Fitzgerald, chief executive, Liverpool City Council Dame Moira Gibb, former chief executive, Camden LBC Mary Harpley, chief executive, Hounslow LBC

© 2012 Grant Thornton UK LLP. All rights reserved. ‘Grant Thornton’ means Grant Thornton UK LLP, a limited liability partnership. Grant Thornton UK LLP is a member firm within Grant Thornton International Ltd (‘Grant Thornton International’). Grant Thornton International and the member firms are not a worldwide partnership. Services are delivered by the member firms independently.

www.grant-thornton.co.uk

These aren’t just nice words. Good governance delivers all of these things and is a fundamental building block for oversight, effective control and improvement in public sector organisations. That’s why Grant Thornton is proud to celebrate excellence through sponsorship of the LGC Corporate Governance Award.

Accountability.Transparency.Openness.

Paul DossettLondon, South East & AngliaT 020 7728 3180E [email protected]

Jon RobertsEast and West MidlandsT 0121 232 5410 E [email protected]

Barrie MorrisSouth West & WalesT 0117 305 7708E [email protected]

Phillip WoolleyNorth WestT 0161 953 6340E [email protected]

Mark BurkeYorkshire, Humber & North EastT 0113 200 1527E [email protected]

Gary DevlinScotlandT 0131 659 8554E [email protected]

If you would like to find out more, please contact:

Paul HughesLocal Government Corporate Governance LeadT 020 7728 2256E [email protected]


COPELAND BCCopeland’s change programme has included work to improve the authority’s corporate governance. By recognising at an early stage that corporate governance needed strengthening, the council has been able to fundamentally change and strengthen the way it works. In little over 12 months it has moved from a position where external support was needed to where the council is established as a case study of best practice within the regional improvement and efficiency partnership and with its partners.

CROYDON LBC Croydon’s strong track record of innovation through partnership working and shared services is evident with the groundbreaking public-private partnership that has revolutionised the provision of internal audit and anti-fraud services, as well as the pioneering approach to the London Insurance Consortium, which shares best practice to improve risk management and combine purchasing power. For Croydon, ‘Doing the Right Thing’ is more than just a programme name, it is its approach.

LEWISHAM LBCLewisham’s corporate governance (praised as best practice by the Audit Commission) has shown particular strengths, including: how its budget process was conducted; rigorous risk management, (using an independently chaired internal control board); exemplary member/officer development; a probing audit panel with strong private sector participation; and strong scrutiny arrangements focusing on policy formation and council and partner performance.

NORFOLK CC Facing a predicted three-year funding gap of £155m, Norfolk undertook its largest consultation in 2010-11 to transform the council’s role and services. The priorities agreed through the ‘Big Conversation’ consultation were built into a ‘Norfolk Forward’ change programme, which brought together management of all the council’s 120-plus transformation projects under a new corporate programme office. This now provides a consistent route for tracking progress, managing risk and realising benefits that has delivered significant savings and attracted national interest.

SHEFFIELD CITY COUNCILSheffield aimed to increase democracy and community involvement and to ensure the best modern governance arrangements. It adopted a programme approach to achieve this, which included external scrutiny. The programme features 65 workstreams, including a new comprehensive community involvement strategy and action plan; the overhaul of elections practice; the transformation of scrutiny, the constitution, legal services, and member support and development; embedding risk management in business planning; reviewing member and officer involvement in external partnerships; enhanced ethical practice, and reorganising its voluntary community and faith sector grants programme and its partnership working.

SOUTHEND-ON-SEA BC The initial reason for Southend’s Using Lessons from Complaints to Improve Services programme was to capture and record stage one complaints in a standardised way. The benefits of the new approach include providing a range of ways for customers to give feedback; the routine capture of comments and compliments about services; and learning lessons from the various kinds and forms of feedback, which helps to improve the way services are planned and delivered. This process continues to encourage customer-focused services.

STAFFORDSHIRE CC The council has recognised that its governance has to be aligned to what it is trying to achieve, and the degree of risk it is willing to shoulder to get there. It has: ensured that governance is led and owned both at the leadership level and throughout the organisation as appropriate; aligned its approach to governance with its approach to risk so that governance can support and drive its transformation process and is not a barrier to change; and communicated what it is doing and how it is doing it. It is monitoring and managing the process to ensure that it is effective.

TRAFFORD MBC The council’s business planning framework enabled a structured and consultative approach to providing a robust budget while ensuring sustainable service delivery in line with the priorities and future needs of Trafford’s customers. Service review/challenge allowed directors to objectively review service delivery and identify opportunities for improvement and/or efficiency savings, ensuring the council’s ongoing financial viability, and service area engagement promoted ownership and accountability for all proposals.

A WORD FROM THE AWARD’S SPONSORGrant Thornton is delighted to sponsor LGC’s new Corporate Governance Award. Good governance has always been key to local authority success. As authorities face the challenges and opportunities ahead, strong corporate governance will become even more critical to making effective decisions in an open, transparent and accountable way, delivering long-term financial stability and excellent public services. Congratulations to the short-listed authorities for their contributions and support for this new and exciting award.Sarah Howard Head of local government T 0113 2002530 E [email protected]

Corporate Governance Award


Simon Lowe, partner, governance, Grant Thornton Jessica Crowe, executive director, Centre for Public Scrutiny Trevor Holden, chief executive, Luton BC Andrew Smith, chief executive, Hampshire CC

For more information, please contact Caroline Hopkins on 01472 326678 or [email protected]

www.bblivingplaces.com

We target long-term business, where contracts range from five to 30 years, and is a significant growth area for us. The key to success is the quality of customer relationships and the ability to provide continuous improvement for customers, to build partnerships that broaden the scope of contracts and extend them through renewals.

Balfour Beatty Living Places provides managed services to Local Authorities and associated public sector bodies. The company exists to provide focus to the challenge of supporting local public sector organisations in continuing to serve their local customers.

Balfour Beatty Living Places is now one of the largest providers of highways services in the country and are now helping clients with a broad range of integrated services. We have just entered the 2nd year of a Regeneration partnership with North East Lincolnshire Council where we have had several significant successes.

We build upon the delivery credentials of Balfour Beatty Group, which has seen the implementation of complex multi-discipline projects to Local Authorities, Health Trusts and Educational establishments.

This experience is invaluable as outsourcing with Local Authorities becomes more transformational in nature and the financial demands become much more onerous.

Balfour Beatty Living Places are now delivering and bidding for projects which include:

• Environmental Services• Highways Services• Corporate Services• Community Services

In the current climate, there is a real need for an innovative and flexible approach which rises to the challenges created by today’s economy.

Balfour Beatty Living Places offers that opportunity for Local Authority partners to develop such a unique approach.

Balfour Beatty is a world-class infrastructure services business. We have four market leading businesses in professional services, construction services, support services and infrastructure investments.

Balfour Beatty Living Places creates part of the support services business which provides ongoing operation and maintenance of assets, together with business services outsourcing and integrated delivery.

LGC Awards Shortlist Supplement-v2.indd 1 06/01/2012 07:56:06


BASILDON BCBasildon Sporting Village is a first-class, state-of-the-art regional sporting and community facility – and a training base for the London 2012 Olympics. It is a catalyst for stimulating local pride and assisting the local economy. The sporting centre is led by a 25-year partnership contract between the council and private sector operator Community Solutions for Leisure. The jointly funded £38m project demonstrates effective partnership working and customer commitment.

BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCILManagement consultants Deloitte are working with the council to deliver Enterprise City High Growth, a programme that encourages business innovation and accelerates the transfer of business knowledge. Participants have increased turnover, entered new markets, developed new products and created jobs. Independent evaluation confirms the programme offers high-quality support that has delivered £4.57 of additional benefits for every £1 of spend and total gross value added of about £2.25m.

BOLSOVER DCBolsover is generating a change in attitude towards entrepreneurship by providing business support and advice, particularly in disadvantaged neighbourhoods. It has led to innovative and collaborative ways of working being developed with neighbouring authorities and other public sector agencies. This way of networking has been an inspiration to the participants, with individuals learning, from their peers, the benefits and possibilities that can be gained through enterprise.

ESSEX CCThe Essex Apprenticeships programme has enabled the creation of 1,250 new and additional places, with 861 businesses taking on apprentices. It has increased the volume of apprenticeships without reducing quality. The programme has attracted more than £3.5m of new private sector investment into the skills development of young people in Essex. It has also developed successful partnerships with a host of local stakeholders, including training providers, government agencies and across the local public sector.

GLASGOW CITY COUNCILGlasgow is working to use 2014 Commonwealth Games investment to achieve sustainable change through its Community Benefit Programme. This focuses on increasing the opportunities for employment and training for key target groups, helps business growth among small and medium-sized enterprises and offers openings for social enterprises. Successes to date include the registration of 15,587 users on Glasgow’s Business Portal, where they are able to access £258m worth of Commonwealth Games-related business opportunities.

MANSFIELD DCMansfield has managed an innovative and unique project over the past six months to combat rising youth unemployment through its Summer Job Shop, which supported 58 young people through employability and vocational training over a three-week period in the summer holidays. The project raised the aspirations of these young people and to date has resulted in 31 apprenticeships, with other candidates choosing to continue with full-time education.

ROCHDALE MBCRochdale’s partnership approach has resulted in significant inward investment of £115.5m and the promise of 1,822 new jobs. It has the highest number of major planning applications in Greater Manchester from April 2011 to date, and the second-highest planning application fee income. The investment environment and support services enable the private sector to invest with confidence.

SHEFFIELD CITY COUNCIL The council’s business transformation team has been instrumental in unlocking business growth. The support of local partners, intermediaries and businesses has been essential in shaping this initiative. Combining their skills and employing them through partners has meant that for a relatively modest investment, the council has been able to support a significant number of employers who are essential to the area’s future economic fortunes.

WIRRAL MBC Wirral’s investment strategy has created opportunities for sustainable growth over the next 30 years. The high-profile focus on apprenticeships and targeted recruitment and training has rejuvenated the commitment of local businesses to developing the potential of local people. By placing the business community and voluntary/community sector at the heart of the borough’s economic development decisions and delivery, there is a reinvigorated confidence in Wirral’s future.

Economic Development Award


Caroline Hopkins, regional director, Balfour Beatty Richard Flinton, chief executive, North Yorkshire CC Joanne Roney, chief executive, Wakefield MDC David White, chief executive, Norfolk CC


Balfour Beatty is delighted to support the LGC Awards. In its contract with North East Lincolnshire Council, Balfour Beatty is active in the economic development field and fully understands the challenges faced by local government in this challenging economic climate. As such, as a leading supplier of infrastructure projects and a key player in the local government market, Balfour Beatty is pleased to recognise the good practice that exists within local government.

Fluctuating economies and government changes have played a significant role in transforming the work environment, challenging organisations to achieve more but with lower costs and fewer resources.

Right now Mace is working within the public sector helping to reduce costs, lower estates’ carbon footprint and improving the working environment of thousands of employees.

Whether delivering a single office building or a strategic rationalisation of a property portfolio Mace’s experience of the whole project lifecycle from project and programme management through cost consultancy, construction delivery and facilities management can help make your space work harder.

For further information please contact:

Phil Worleyt +44 (0)7734 081503e [email protected]

Terry Spraggettt +44 (0)207 383 8503e [email protected]

Rob Ewent +44 (0)121 212 6120e [email protected]

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Hampshire County Council, Queen Elizabeth II Court

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DURHAM CC The new management team in neighbourhood services faced quite a challenge – managing a net revenue budget of £100m and a capital programme of £30m, with responsibility for 3,800 staff. Strong leadership, energy, pace and a ‘can-do’ culture have been crucial. The management team has led by example, transforming services and establishing trust and confidence in its ability to deliver through two-way communication with staff, customers and stakeholders.

LICHFIELD DC AND TAMWORTH BC The councils joined forces to cut costs, recycle more and reduce carbon emissions. Lichfield needed to cut the cost of providing its waste and recycling service, while maintaining high standards. Tamworth was preparing to tender for its outsourced service. This presented an opportunity to save both councils money and deliver an improved service. The new service aimed to deliver £750,000 yearly joint savings. This has now risen to £1m a year. The new robust service has improved customer satisfaction, reduced carbon emissions by 20% and increased recycling rates to 49% for Tamworth and 58% for Lichfield.

MERTON LBC Merton has radically transformed its library service through a five-point programme of improvements. In the past five years it has improved customer satisfaction by 17% and increased usage figures while making reductions in its controllable budget of 40%. Between 2010 and 2011 it has delivered £199,000 of cashable savings while extending opening hours by 28.5 hours per week and retaining all existing sites.

TOWER HAMLETS LBC Three and half years ago the council refreshed its governance. It unlocked the habit of efficiency and in the first year of its three-year transformation programme the council has demonstrated just what can be achieved: cashable savings of £17.7m; a more equal workforce; customer satisfaction on the rise; a fair wage for employees; and a greater utilisation of local suppliers. But above all it is proud of the services it has protected and the jobs that have been saved.

NORTH SOMERSET COUNCIL North Somerset Council is delivering a property cost-reduction programme to transform its property portfolio into an organisational asset, generating income and improving the way it works. The aim is to consolidate council operations from 18 separate buildings into two main office hubs. This will also enable the council to co-locate with its key partners. The council seized the opportunity to purchase a substantial office building in the north of the district and used the open-plan environment to maximise space efficiency and enable inter-organisational working. As well as the benefits of joint working, these partners also bring with them a significant rental income.

RUSHCLIFFE BC The council’s pruning costs scheme, in which it charges for collecting green waste, is blooming, with 25,000 homes signing up for year-round collection. In only six months the scheme is a quarter of the way to saving £2.8m. The council plans to radically redesign its recycling2go campaign to realise further efficiencies and economies. Recycling2go is very successful on all counts – efficient, effective, excellent. Rushcliffe is a beacon council, with high customer satisfaction and engagement and high recycling rates. Staff have mentored other councils already on many occasions and would love to show others how they can increase income.

SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNCIL The council has successfully achieved significant efficiency savings through an extensive service review and transformation programme. Its priority has been to deliver value for money and efficiency, while protecting frontline services and improving customer service. It has achieved £17m savings this year, and will have delivered £39m by 2014. What is all the more remarkable is that this has been achieved despite the council being one of the lowest-funded unitary authorities in the country.

STOCKPORT MBC Stockport has transformed the way claims for housing and council tax benefit are made. By working successfully with IEG4, the council has implemented a paperless online system that streamlines the entire claims process. All benefit claims are now made online, with the data automatically populating the back-office system. This has resulted in significant savings that will be achieved year-on-year. The transformation has resulted in: a faster service for customers; savings of £62,000 in the first year; reduced paper and printing needs; and a reduction in unnecessary journeys in the borough. In 2009-10 1,560 claims were processed in one day, rising by 2010-11 to 2,985, a 91% increase.


Mace is proud to be supporting the LGC Awards efficiency category for the second year. Working closely with more than 50 public sector clients, Mace is helping to drive efficiencies throughout the full property life cycle, providing services from project and programme management, through cost consultancy and construction to facilities management. In this challenging climate we help to deliver intelligent, managed decisions to meet government targets, and creating more efficient working environments.

Efficiency AwardJUDGESClockwise from top left:

Rob Ewen, director, UK regions, Mace Huw Bowen, chief executive, Chesterfield BC David Hunter, chief executive, Bassetlaw DC Barry Keel, chief executive, Plymouth City Council

LGCplus.com20 Local Government Chronicle Awards Shortlist 2012

DACORUM BC Between October 2010 and September 2011 Dacorum achieved some major milestones on a three-year journey of improvement. Its Financial Services Team has enabled the release of efficiencies of more than £2m in the past financial year and has built the capacity to meet future grant reductions by the creation of earmarked reserves. This has been achieved by far-sighted financial planning and decision-making and by close co-operation between service managers and financial services to ensure that efficiencies have been captured and recycled into future plans.

HERTSMERE BC By using the latest technology and by investing in its staff, Hertsmere Finance has helped the council to transform service delivery. It has achieved departmental on-going cashable savings of £250,000 and the identification of more than £2.1m cashable savings in the council’s revenue budget. Changes to business processes has led to more efficient and effective ways of working, and the implementation of a new financial information system provides accurate and intelligent management information. Improved document management and digital workflow also cuts down on processing time and paperwork.

HOUNSLOW LBC The finance team successfully set the council’s most difficult budget, helping to identify a savings package of £18m and freeze council tax to ensure that provision was made to protect Hounslow’s most vulnerable services. This is in the context of £49m savings in the previous three financial years and the fifth consecutive 0% increase in council tax. The finance department’s aims and objectives are linked with that of the wider organisation and it works in partnership with the frontline departments to ensure that Hounslow residents are at the forefront of all that is done.

ISLINGTON LBC Trying to find savings of £100m over four years – with £52m in year one – was a daunting prospect. But the council has risen to the challenge. Not only have these savings been identified in its 2011-12 budget, £31m of these are efficiencies, meaning that it can protect and invest in services that matter to our residents. The finance team has already found another £28m of future savings. The finance team has also just recorded its fastest-ever benefits processing time and council tax collection rate, introduced new technology to improve its processing of payments and installed a new debt management system to give a joined-up approach to all customer debts.

SOUTH NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNCIL The council’s finance division operates as a strong and cohesive team that delivers continual improvements in all services. Council tax collection is the third best in the country, changes to benefits are carried out within five days, creditor and debtor invoices are turned around quickly and the accountancy section took a lead on International Financial Reporting Standards. This has all led to improved services to the public, delivery of council objectives and a number of innovative efficiency proposals all delivered by staff who proud to work for such a high-achieving section.

UTTLESFORD DC In 2007 the council’s accounts were qualified and it was deemed to have a failed budget. A new finance team has been in place since 2008. Year-on-year improvements in accounting, budgeting and financial planning have been achieved. By 2011 this culminated in a fourth successive unqualified opinion on the accounts, and for the first time in several years, an unqualified value-for-money opinion. The finance team has been instrumental in restoring the financial stability of the organisation and ensuring that it has a reliable budget and a robust medium-term financial strategy.

WAVERLEY BC As well as delivering efficiencies in its own operation, Waverley’s finance team has helped achieve £7.6m of savings across the council while protecting essential services. The team listens to residents on where they think the council should prioritise its spending, and this consultative approach has been adopted across the council. This collaborative approach has benefited residents and has achieved savings and improved services.

WEST LOTHIAN COUNCIL The council’s overarching aim has been to deliver balanced budgets while maintaining excellent services that deliver positive outcomes. The team’s achievements have been wide-ranging, with the theme of continuous improvement running throughout. The council’s performance statistics show year-on-year improvement, customer satisfaction remains high and the cost of providing its service compares favourably with others.

Finance Team AwardJUDGESLeft to right:

Paul Blantern, chief executive, Northamptonshire CC Tim Shields, chief executive, Hackney LBC Frances Foster, acting director, finance and property, Barnsley MBC


BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL The StaR service is Birmingham’s innovative and creative way of offering mental health services. There has been a fundamental shift away from offering traditional ‘in-house’ mental health services over the past five years. Services have been modernised in response to a government agenda of personalisation and as well as reduced budgets. The new way of working encourages people to help themselves and buy services using individual budgets, giving them more choice and control. Services are tailor made to individuals, based on recovery and mutual support. The service also supports and empowers people with mental health difficulties to develop and run activities across Birmingham as volunteers.

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE CC The Community Elderly Care Service became operational in December 2010. The service combines the expertise of health and social care workers, and the aim is to work collaboratively to meet the needs of individuals in alternative settings to hospital where equal or more positive clinical and personal outcomes can be achieved. Nene Commissioning is the lead agency on the Northamptonshire Integrated Care Partnership Board, providing a platform to further develop the council’s shared vision. Working in partnership, the intention is to continue to expand the range of community-based initiatives designed to deliver more choice and control for vulnerable older citizens in the county.

SUTTON LBC The Orchard Hill and Campus Homes resettlement programme is a flagship example of how an organisation’s core aims can be translated into a reality that transforms people’s quality of life and saves money. An independent report said that the people in the programme were happier, fitter and have greater independence, dignity and control over their lives. The programme was achieved through joint working across a number of statutory organisations, 11 local authorities and 10 primary care trusts. Support from the Department of Health Valuing People team and NHS London partners were critical to the delivery of the innovative resettlement approach.

DURHAM CC Support & Recovery, Durham’s in-house mental health provider service, helps to support people to recover from mental health issues. A team restructure and changes in management has led to an improvement in the service as more than 170 people with mental health problems were supported into recovery by moving into employment, voluntary work, training, education or through taking part in community activities. A key ingredient of the service’s success is its service-user involvement; consulting them in the development of the service, identifying areas of improvement and empowering individuals to develop mutual support groups in local communities. A more holistic social care approach to supporting service users has helped increase service user self-esteem.

ISLINGTON LBC Whittington Health is the only comprehensive integrated care organisation in London and one of only two in the country. It is a partnership between Islington (with strong links to neighbouring Haringey LBC), Whittington Hospital (with strong links to University College London Hospital) and Pentonville Prison. It employs some 250 social services staff who, through a Section 75 agreement, are both part of Islington LBC and Whittington Health. It has an integrated management structure, and has been brought about through the commitment and shared vision of the various partner organisations who have worked together to create a more patient-centred service. This has, in turn, delivered mutual organisational and staff benefits.

STAFFORDSHIRE CC The council’s reablement and rehabilitation project is a trailblazing example of innovation and excellence in integrating health and social care. It targets those who need to access health or social care to support discharge from hospital, or to avoid admission to hospital or residential/nursing care. It demonstrates excellent cross-organisational working between NHS North Staffordshire and Staffordshire CC, clinical and non-clinical staff and, ultimately, with service users and residents. By forging a cross-organisational partnership, the project is delivering better outcomes for people and carers. GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL In a partnership including 10 organisations, the Long-Term Conditions & Macmillan project delivers – from one point of contact – a targeted intervention service. The aim is to provide a co-ordinated financial advice and support service for customers with long-term heath conditions at the point of diagnosis, to help cope with the stress and any additional financial hardship that may result from their illness. The project is an excellent example of key partners across the public and voluntary sector coming together to tackle health inequalities in Glasgow.

Health & Social Care Award


Peter Hay, strategic director, adults & communities, Birmingham City Council Jeff Jerome, specialist social care adviser Sarah Pickup, director of adult care services, Hertfordshire CC

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Take a seat at the LGC Future Thinking and Best Practice Summit.

Advance your learning, best practice, thought leadership and insight with innovators across local government - then watch the 2012 finalists make their presentations ‘live’ to the judges.*

The LGC Awards, the most attended event in local government, invite you to network 1200 local authority decision-makers; access fresh ideas and proven ways of delivering more for less - then reward your staff with a night of fantastic entertainment.

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BRENT LBCBrent Client Index is a centralised system that has replaced the fragmentation of data across many different systems and transformed the way the council manages information. Officers now have access to better information to allow them to plan and provide better services. The index is helping to reduce administration and costs and achieve savings for the council in a tough financial environment. It also harmonises well with the local authority’s own One Council programme, which is reducing waste, inefficiency and duplication across the council.

DERBY CITY COUNCILDerby City Council has transformed its ICT service through the development of the ‘Derby Cloud’, providing citizens, partners and staff with a flexible, resilient and cost-effective platform. The cloud delivery model offers virtual storage, a virtualised server farm and a virtual database. It also offers a new graphical information system, electronic document records management, customer relationship management, a new website for Derby and many other transformational initiatives. Core objectives were scalability, resilience, reduced costs, an enhanced user experience, improved quality of service, a reduced carbon footprint and greater access and availability of services to customers.

HAMPSHIRE CCHPSN2 is a modern, high-quality, cost-effective IT network providing secure data, voice, text and video services to public sector organisations and schools in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. HPSN2, developed by an innovative IT project team at the council, connects more than 1,000 sites, including 15 local authorities, the fire service, 800 schools, colleges and voluntary organisations. About 20,000 council staff and public sector workers can connect to shared services from any site, and at any time from mobile devices. HPSN2 allows public sector partners to share services and collaborate on joint projects, driving down costs and delivering value for money.

REDBRIDGE LBC DataShare is the council’s public platform for the transparent publication of all local authority data, which it intends to make available to other public sector organisations. The council is committed to the total and transparent release of the information it holds to enhance public engagement with citizens, and is well placed to meet the government’s ‘right to data’ policy and increasingly prescriptive approach to the publication of datasets. It is able to meet the highest standards of data publication in respect of many areas, from staffing and salary information and service expenditure of more than £500 to dealing with Freedom of Information requests.

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE CCEach week 62,000 people walk through the door at 36 libraries across Northamptonshire. The council knows from surveys that 25% of people seek information and 27% enjoy work and business support. Many use computers for a range of things – from exploring the county council’s website and services to checking their mailbox and working on online job applications. Refreshing the network of more than 400 PCs has been a shared achievement involving determination and resilience. The council has used limited resources to deliver a technically innovative solution, while maintaining a consistent, dedicated focus on providing the best possible service to library users in Northamptonshire.

SANDWELL MBCSandwell, through its award-winning finditinsandwell network, created an online system to make the tendering process easier, cheaper, environmentally friendly and more transparent for council buyers and principal contractors, and the small and medium-sized businesses that aspire to work with them. To ensure the region’s SMEs are capable of winning this work, Sandwell collaborated with procurement experts in creating the Skills Development Recognition training scheme. Once SMEs have passed the training, they are independently audited before appearing on finditinsandwell’s database of ‘listed’ suppliers. To date, 227 have passed. The scheme has the backing of many principal contractors, who view it as at least as robust as their own pre-approval systems, and who are using it to source new suppliers.

STOCKPORT MBCStockport has transformed the way claims for housing and council tax benefit are made. By working successfully with IEG4, the council has implemented a paperless online system that streamlines the entire claims process. All benefit claims are now made online, with the data automatically populating the back-office system. This has resulted in significant savings that will be achieved year-on-year. The transformation has resulted in: a faster service for customers; savings of £62,000 in the first year; reduced paper and printing needs; and a reduction in unnecessary journeys in the borough. In 2009-10 1,560 claims were processed in one day, rising by 2010-11 to 2,985, a 91% increase.

IT Initiative of the Year Award


Phil Coppard, chief executive, Barnsley MBC Glyn Evans, president, Society of Information Technology Management Dave Smith, chief executive, Sunderland City Council

Enterpriseis proud to sponsor the LGC AwardsInnovationCategory for 2012Enterprise has been working with public sector organisations for over 25 years and currently delivers services to over 60 local authorities, central government organisations and utility companies. Our services are tailored to the needs of our customers and the communities they serve.

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We are proud to sponsor the LGC Awards and look forward to being part of these prestigious awards.

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BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCILBigger Homes, Brighter Futures is a cross-sector scheme to address a lack of larger family housing. This lack of suitable homes has led to overcrowding and to families experiencing long stays in temporary accommodation. Match-funding and innovative funding sources were used so that the £1.5m of Working Neighbourhoods Fund generated an additional £2.5m of investment. A flexible partnering approach included increasing the size of houses under development, bringing empty properties back into use, and de-converting flats. As a result of this scheme, more than 300 residents were rehoused into permanent, affordable accommodation and so were offered a greater quality of life.

CHERWELL DCIt is important for the hopes and ambitions of young people to be realised. At a time when young people have faced such negative publicity in the press, the Miller Road Project gives a positive example of how young people are turning their lives around. As little as a year ago, a group of young people in Banbury had no employment, education or training opportunities. Working with these young people and securing and maintaining their interest involves challenging normal ways of doing things and working in truly innovative ways. The project has become a model example of the role local government can play in holding together an innovative partnership of organisations.

HAMMERSMITH & FULHAM LBC The council’s MyAccount portal went live at the end of 2010 with five major services delivered through a secure, single sign-on account. Since then, there have been 43,800 unique registrations, representing one registration for every second dwelling in the borough. The success is down to the innovative design that draws residents through ‘demand’ services such as parking permit renewals on to other services. A number of unique features drive value for the resident in simplifying access to services, and for the council in driving cost savings. The council is leading the way in response to the government’s ‘Digital by Default’ agenda by taking a full ‘e-services’ approach, with ongoing projects that will deliver the majority of transactional services via a digital channel by 2012-13.

NORTH SOMERSET COUNCILThe Carelink customer insight campaign allowed an additional 323 residents to live independently in their own homes for longer, and generated millions of pounds of savings for the council. The target number of 50 ‘sales’ was achieved within the first six months. The campaign cost the council £80,000 and it is estimated that it saved the authority more than £4m in residential care costs. Through innovative use of customer insight tools, North Somerset was able to target its communications actively and effectively, limiting wastage and making best use of its budget.

READING BCReading worked with the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts, the Innovation Unit and a wide range of partners to look at radical innovation in the provision of early years services and deliver better outcomes at less cost. The approach was to completely re-think the model for children’s centres so that they became genuine community-led hubs providing services that met needs more effectively and engaged with parents and the wider community. This approach also ensured that the services developed were delivered with, and by, local people.

STAFFORDSHIRE CCThe CareMatch service encompasses a range of projects, including an innovative website that allows social care employers to advertise their vacancies. It also offers sector-specific advice and guidance for individuals seeking work in the sector. In June 2011, CareMatch launched an online personal assistant register to allow employers to browse CVs of jobseekers interested in working as PAs/carers. CareMatch also runs jobs and information fairs. Care is currently one of the only growing work sectors because of the ageing population and the drive to enable more individuals to stay in their own homes for longer, so it is vital to highlight and promote the sustainable job opportunities available within this sector.

SWINDON BCThe innovative Swindon Family LIFE Programme aims to improve help for families in long-term crisis. For some of the families who need most help, despite multiple interventions from multiple agencies, nothing changes. The focus of the Swindon programme has been to build a new set of relationships between public services and families and to concentrate on developing capabilities, networks and resilience, using government resources so that they become an investment in people’s lives. The council recognises that families themselves are the most informed about their own lives, and should therefore be at the centre of any efforts to help them. The families interviewed and picked their own multi-agency team, from housing, the police, children’s services and health to work with them.

Innovation AwardJUDGESClockwise from top left:

John Evans, government strategic development director, Enterprise Nick Bell, chief executive, Staffordshire CC Daniel Goodwin, chief executive, St Albans City & DC Phil Halsall, chief executive, Lancashire CC


Enterprise is proud to sponsor the innovation category for the 2012 LGC Awards. As a provider of frontline services for local authorities, we recognise the importance of innovation. Providers and councils must work together to achieve continuous improvement and this can be achieved through the development of innovative working practices. Our sponsorship of the LGC Awards is based on our commitment to promoting the importance of innovation and recognising those who embrace this approach.

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CALDERDALE MBC ON BEHALF OF WYLAW (CALDERDALE, BRADFORD CITY MDC, KIRKLEES METROPOLITAN COUNCIL, WAKEFIELD MDC AND LEEDS CITY COUNCIL)The Wylaw Collaboration is a groundbreaking agreement that provides legal services to the five west Yorkshire councils, ensuring that vulnerable and disadvantaged groups are protected and authorities are able to support economic growth and regeneration. As a genuine approach to collaborative working, it makes the most of in-house expertise and is helping to develop centres of excellence for key activities while strengthening and safeguarding staff skills. This approach includes the joint procurement of external, expert legal services to ensure the best possible value for money, not only for the benefit of taxpayers, but to maximise the quality of its advice and support.

CHESHIRE WEST AND CHESTER COUNCIL The council’s legal department has made localism a priority. To this end, it has designed and implemented an innovative scheme of delegation and of finance and contract procedure rules that is based on the clients’ requirements. It has also made a shift from providing services to commissioning them. It has taken on projects that meet customer needs through innovative methods of service delivery, such as the establishment of the first leisure community interest company and the procurement of a new waste provider, which have saved the council millions of pounds.

HARROW LBCHarrow’s Legal Practice has aimed to be innovative, forward looking and outward focused. It is a founding member of the innovative London Boroughs Legal Alliance partnership (which has increased to 10 London boroughs), and delivers excellent legal services to Harrow schools ensuring they are at the heart of the community. It also offers support to voluntary agencies in Harrow. The practice works with suppliers to drive down costs and develop solutions for the future and invests in staff development and wellbeing to ensure quality performance. KENT CC Kent Legal Services have advised on a range of complex and high-value work and on a string of leading cases, including: the successful challenge of the government decision to cancel the Building Schools for the Future programme; advising on the complex Victoria Way project; and groundbreaking defence of complex and politically emotive judicial review litigation on immigration. Kent Legal Services also contributed directly to the broader health of public sector and local government legal services through bringing high-quality innovative and bespoke training at little or no cost.

PUBLIC LAW PARTNERSHIP (22 – AND RISING – AUTHORITIES) The partnership has saved more than £1m in the past year and is on track to improve on that. It has put in place a co-located business development hub to provide practice management and business development activities on behalf of partner authorities. The smaller councils have access to legal services that would formerly have been out of reach, while retaining client knowledge and understanding. All the authorities benefit from joint training and some mentoring. The business model ensures it can develop further income from the supply of services to others in the public sector, but avoids expensive overheads.

ROCHDALE MBCThe chief legal and monitoring officer led a project that delivered £64m in savings by February 2011. The savings project was delivered on time and during a period of major local political re-alignment, with overall control of the council changing unexpectedly and within a short space of time. This success was down to strong project management, leadership and hard work. The project was successfully achieved alongside a number of other key initiatives, and at a time of significant budget reduction for the service.

SCARBOROUGH BC The council’s legal team has achieved a transformation and become integral to every council project. It is innovative and forward-thinking, and ensures it is constantly improving. This includes driving a shared services agenda, getting involved in community projects, seeking value for money in everything it does and providing the best possible service. It is an award-winning team that is respected by other district authorities and its practice management has been formally recognised by the legal industry.

WEST SUSSEX CCThe procurement and contracts team has sought to benefit the council and the community in a number of ways, including: by reducing reliance on legal services by empowering and enabling clients to navigate the legal hurdles to find the best solutions; by ensuring that the council’s legal position is always clear; by constantly and continuously reviewing and revising processes; by empowering other public bodies through training and training materials; and by generating income through work for external bodies.

Legal AwardJUDGESClockwise from top left:

Nick Colyer, Risk Management Partners Kirsty Cole, deputy chief executive, Newark & Sherwood DC Gifty Edila, corporate director, legal, human resources and regulatory services, Hackney LBC Lesley Seary, chief executive, Islington LBC


Risk Management Partners is delighted to be able to continue its association with the LGC Awards. The public sector operates within challenging financial and economic restraints and RMP firmly believes that the Awards offer the opportunity to demonstrate truly first-class examples of innovation, efficiency and effectiveness that enable the public sector to meet its service delivery standards. RMP is excited to be able to continue to partner with LGC to sponsor the category of Legal Team of the Year.

INNOVATION FLEXIBILITY SUSTAINABILITY

At Shell Gas Direct we’re committed to investing in a low carbon future and supporting our public sector clients in meeting their environmental targets. We will work closely with you to monitor, understand and reduce your gas usage – so your energy costs and environmental impact are as low as possible. Our fl exible and innovative approach is why we’ve been named No.1 for customer service by Datamonitor for a record-breaking seventh consecutive time. Shell Gas Direct is proud to sponsor the Low Carbon Council award, celebrating the best practice in energy management.

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DURHAM CC Durham, a new unitary authority, is the fourth largest in the country, with 238,000 homes. With areas of significant deprivation, 63,000 households are classified as living in fuel poverty. Targeting energy-inefficient homes and emission reduction are at the heart of the council’s strategies. Its target is to reduce emissions by 750,000 tonnes by 2020. Interventions, both to council and commercial buildings, have been made. In 2010-11 about 7,500 homes have been improved through its own investment. The council estimates that through direct actions for 2010-11 savings in energy costs of about £2.4m have been made, with a total carbon saving of 30,000 tonnes per annum.

NEWPORT CITY COUNCIL Newport has aimed to reduce carbon while improving the prosperity and health of its residents. Newport faces many challenges in this respect - decoupling the area from its industrial heritage and addressing long-standing issues of deprivation in its communities is complex. Through high-level projects it has delivered the first stages of an ambitious programme. The council has addressed energy efficiency in poor-condition homes through its award-winning fuel poverty scheme. It has invested nearly £2m this year in sustainable transport networks, and has achieved significant reductions through the deployment of new technologies across its own estate and activities.

NORTHUMBERLAND CC Northumberland has committed to achieving at least a 20.5% reduction in CO2 emissions in the county by 2020. Projects are being implemented to rationalise the council’s building stock and fleet, and to use energy for heating and lighting more efficiently when delivering council services. Innovative programmes are also being introduced to exploit opportunities to generate renewable power from council-controlled assets – in particular a large-scale project to install photovoltaics on council buildings, schools and social housing. The councils is also working closely with national, regional and local partners to deliver projects to deliver wider savings within a framework set out in the county-wide ‘The Heat in On’ strategy.

OXFORD CITY COUNCIL As well as reducing its energy usage and carbon footprint, Oxford City Council is also leading a collaboration of public and private sector and not-for-profit community organisations with the goal of reducing Oxford’s overall carbon footprint by 40% by 2020. In March 2011 it became the first UK local authority to achieve the new British Standards benchmark for energy reduction verification. Since October 2010 the council has launched several city-wide initiatives aimed at partnership working to reduce carbon emissions in Oxford and support low-carbon communities, as well as a major programme of office rationalisation and modern workstyles that will significantly reduce energy use in its buildings and from transport emissions.

PETERBOROUGH CITY COUNCILPeterborough has taken significant steps to become a low carbon council over the past two years. It seeks to become a low-carbon council by engaging people at all levels within the organisation, from ‘green champions’ to the climate change team and the leadership team, allowing new ideas to be brought forward. Peterborough is addressing the problems of climate change on a city-wide basis through a variety of projects, for example its extensive fuel poverty programme and community energy challenges and projects. Its achievement is demonstrated by an actual carbon reduction of 3,251 tonnes of CO2 and a reduction in energy expenditure of about £235,000.

STROUD DCStroud understands the need to lead by example to demonstrate and encourage economic, environmental and health benefits for its community. Stroud’s Target 2050 programme has delivered substantial energy and financial savings in the domestic, small business and community sectors and this work has enabled the council to run the national Pay As You Save pilot in 2010. The council has road-tested a model for providing communities with the exemplars, installers and finance needed to take action. Reports and case studies can be found at www.target2050.org.uk. The council’s carbon management programme has saved approximately £68,000 and 517 tonnes of carbon over four years.

YORKSHIRE DALES NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY The authority is a small one in a remote upland area. Fundamental to its remit is the conservation of the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Since 2006 the authority has reduced its CO2 emissions by 45% - reflecting a sustained commitment to reducing emissions from all areas of its operations. In 2010-11 it recorded its biggest annual emissions reduction (17%); cumulatively, the savings translate to about £60,000 per annum. The authority also provides direct financial support to local carbon reduction projects.

Low Carbon Council Award


Steve Elmhirst, multi-sites manager (sales) Shell Stephen Cirell, consultant, Stephen Cirell Consultancy Ltd Warren Hatter, local improvement adviser, climate change Ruth Marlow, managing director, Mansfield DC


At Shell Gas Direct, we’re committed to investing in a low-carbon future. We’re working closely with our clients to help them understand their energy needs, and through the use of monitoring and targeting technologies, enabling them to reduce their energy consumption. Shell Gas Direct is proud to sponsor the Low Carbon Council category, celebrating the best, most innovative practice in energy efficiency and recognising those who made a real difference in their authorities.

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CAMDEN LBCCamden’s culture and environment directorate management team makes the claim for ‘best management team’ as it has found savings – £11m in a year – at the same time as taking on significant new responsibilities and delivering key initiatives for the council. The downsized team promotes a management environment to encourage innovation, and coach and develop its people. This combination of factors means it is genuinely doing more for less.

CROYDON LBCBy investing in staff and promoting accountability through strong performance management, Croydon’s income, exchequer and benefits management team continues to deliver results at the highest level. The team ethos is built on clear values and objectives that directly link to corporate vision and staff engagement to strengthen their involvement in the delivery of service improvements. This is supported by a true commitment to internal development, its own leadership programme and succession planning.

DERBY CITY COUNCIL A key part of recent changes at Derby has been the restructuring of its three tiers of management. In addition to delivering £1.4m in savings, the council has introduced a new set of skills and competencies for all of its managers. Communicating and engaging with staff has been a key task for the management team as it transforms the organisation. Using a range of communication tools the council has involved as many staff as possible in the transformation process, while delivering £25m in savings.

DURHAM CCThe new management team in neighbourhood services faced quite a challenge – managing a net revenue budget of £100m and a capital programme of £30m, with responsibility for 3,800 staff. Strong leadership, energy, pace and a ‘can-do’ culture have been crucial. The management team has led by example, transforming services and establishing trust and confidence in its ability to deliver through two-way communication with staff, customers and stakeholders.

EAST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE COUNCIL East Riding won the Association for Public Service Excellence leisure, sport and cultural team of the year award in 2009 and 2011. By taking a customer-centric approach, targets have been smashed, despite the current economic environment. Key achievements include a reduction in the net operational subsidy of the service from £1.048m in 2008-09 to £350,000 in 2010-11, and an increase in the number of users from 3.5m to 4.3m.

ELMBRIDGE BCThe corporate management board has navigated the reductions in income but has maintained the confidence of members, staff and residents by protecting frontline services and driving value-for-money efficiencies. Its 2011 staff survey showed the highest-ever scores for pride (91%) and trust in the corporate management board (89%). The council has devised a new peer review methodology for further service improvement and has partnered with other high-performing councils.

LINCOLNSHIRE CCLincolnshire’s fostering service is ranked ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted. The team has hands-on management that is in touch with its workforce. This is reflected by results. Numbers in care have reduced, savings have been achieved, new, quality carers have been recruited and innovative schemes introduced. Children and young people are listened to and their carers’ efforts are recognised through excellent, individual support packages that are implemented by a workforce inspired by its management.

THURROCK COUNCIL Only two years ago Thurrock was judged as not improving adequately. Today, the council is leading the biggest regeneration programme in the country. The leadership team came together with a renewed sense of pride and self-belief and has now raised its game to ensure the council is confident, well managed and influential. Thurrock is recognised nationally for many aspects of its work – it is achieving improvements in school results, the environment is cleaner and the local communities are more engaged.

TOWER HAMLETS LBCThe communities, localities and culture directorate management team combines ambition, entrepreneurial skills and a practical approach to ensure that it effectively plans for change, monitors progress and makes adjustments where needed to achieve targets and delivers demonstrable outcomes for its community. Working in a community that has some of the most challenging needs in the country, the team encourages innovation while ensuring that the needs of its community are identified and met.

Management Team AwardJUDGESClockwise from top left:

Simon McDonald, partner and head, government practice, Odgers Berndtson John Barradell, chief executive, Brighton & Hove City Council Karen Satterford, chief executive, Wycombe DC Bernie Topham, chief executive, Eastleigh BC


Odgers Berndtson is the UK’s leading executive search company. We have the capability to source experienced, diverse candidates that others simply cannot find. We offer full executive search, assessment and interim management support. As the public sector landscape shifts and the demands on local authorities change, we bring flexibility and creativity to the search and recruitment process for the best talent. We have an enviable track record in attracting candidates who stay and perform.

Local Partnerships is proud toendorse The LGC PPP AwardLocal Partnerships (LP) is jointly owned by HM Treasury and The Local Government Association. We exist to provide commercial and delivery expertise for the public sector, which includes: translating policy into delivery; supporting the effective design and efficient implementation of infrastructure projects and programmes, and working to fuel local economic growth by innovative and collaborative partnerships.

We do this by being at the leading edge of commercial practice, by being innovative with the solutions we recommend, by sharing intellectual capital freely and by building capacity within the sector. Being “in house” to the public sector makes LP easy to engage.

LP also delivers a range of high profile national programmes and is commissioned by sponsoring government departments.

If you would like more information about Local Partnerships, or need support and advice with a programme or project please contact:

Helen Bailey or any member of the team: [email protected] Tel: 0207 187 7379 www.localpartnerships.org.uk

Local Partnerships is jointly owned by


BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL & AMEY The Birmingham Highways Maintenance and Management Service is the largest and most complex local government highways maintenance and management private finance initiative. This project demonstrates excellence in partnership and collaborative working. Through partnership with Amey, the council has significantly expanded its capacity for highway services and expertise. This delivers the benefits of a public service ethos together with access to expertise and additional capacity that working with a private sector partner brings.

CHESTERFIELD BC & ARVATO UK & IRELANDChesterfield’s partnership is truly collaborative. Through strong joint working, a smooth transition was achieved with 100% staff retention, no loss of services and a highly praised Tupe process. From the outset, all partners collaborated on contract development and strategy, and also on good governance and performance target setting. By selecting partners with shared values, the council is reaping additional benefits, such as joint charity fundraising activities and a commitment to public service.

CORNWALL COUNCIL The most ambitious deployment of superfast broadband in the UK is being delivered in partnership with BT. By the end of 2014, at least 80% of homes and businesses across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly will have access to superfast fibre-optic broadband. Services to everyone else will be improved using alternative technologies such as wireless, which will have a significant impact on the local economy. Businesses will find it easier to innovate, improve their productivity and efficiency, provide better service to customers and compete more effectively as a result. This will drive growth and economic regeneration across the region, creating 4,000 new jobs and safeguarding 2,000 more.

DERBY CITY COUNCIL & BAM NUTTALL LTDThe delivery of Connecting Derby, a £36.2m major transport infrastructure project for the city centre, was finally completed in March 2011. The scheme was delivered following the successful public/private partnership between the council and Bam Nuttall. The overall objective of the project was to improve the accessibility in and around the city centre by the completion of the inner ring road. A key element of this successful public/private partnership was the open, honest and transparent way in which the council and contractor worked together and approached problems jointly, rather than in competition or in an adversarial manner.

HULL CITY COUNCIL The BSF Hull programme gives Hull a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform education by creating learning centres available to all members in a local community. This has the potential to change the attitudes of learning among all of Hull’s citizens. To realise this potential Hull has embraced the opportunity of working with private sector partners who are fully committed to the same vision. This was only possible because all partners collaborated with unity.

NORTH EAST LINCOLNSHIRE COUNCIL The partnership between North East Lincolnshire Council and Balfour Beatty was established during a period of extraordinary challenge and change. From day one the focus has been on improving the pace at which services are delivered. The partnership seamlessly mobilised a contract of unprecedented scale and complexity in under three months, and has worked hard to accelerate the transformation of change and to deliver improved services to local residents.

SUFFOLK CC Suffolk selected SITA UK to provide an energy from waste facility, which puts waste to good use as a fuel to generate electricity. Over 25 years, it will be at least £350m cheaper than landfilling and CO2 equivalent emissions will be reduced by about 75,000 tonnes a year. But energy from waste can be controversial, so the priority was to be open and honest and to address any concerns. Using this strategy the early stages of the project were completed in record time. Planning permission has been granted, we have an environmental permit and are ahead of schedule for opening the facility by December 2014.

WEST YORKSHIRE JOINT SERVICES The Financial Capability Programme is a pioneering partnership between the public and private sectors, bringing together Trading Standards, the ‘watchdog’ of the consumer credit market place, with Barclays, one of the biggest banks in the UK. Together, they have been able to bring about real, meaningful outcomes for communities, empowering disadvantaged young people with the skills and knowledge to be more capable and informed consumers, who are able to take greater responsibility for their financial affairs and play a more active role in the financial services market.


Local Partnerships provides commercial and delivery expertise to the public sector and is proud to sponsor the LGC Awards. We would like to congratulate all of the finalists. The category highlights the advancement of public and private partnerships as well as their ability to deliver real solutions in challenging times. Local Partnerships is keen to promote innovative solutions, capacity building and best practice across the local public sector – and the shortlisted councils accomplish this.

Public/Private Partnership Award


Helen Bailey, Local Partnerships Pam Donnellan, chief executive, Bournemouth BC Julian Wain, chief executive, Gloucester City Council

The LGC Awards recognise the success of local councils over the past year, and highlight the innovation, partnerships and leadership they are bringing to local government.

In these times, never has advancement and integration between health and social care been of such paramount importance. We are proud to be sponsoring the Public Sector Partnerships Award and applaud the huge effort of the councils involved. We would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate all those who have been shortlisted for an award.

Capsticks’ health and social care team has experience of both the health and local government sector and can help you to deliver the groundbreaking solutions that now need to be delivered. Find out more about how we can work with you at www.capsticks.com/partnership-social-care or email [email protected]

www.capsticks.com

Capsticks is pleased to support the Public Sector Partnerships Award 2012


CAMBRIDGESHIRE CC Kick Ash Cambridgeshire aims to reduce the prevalence of smoking among young people by promoting a ‘proud to be smoke free’ message. The programme is supported by a partnership made up of the council, NHS Cambridgeshire, schools and young people. Members contribute their expertise to help shape and evaluate the programme where they all benefit equally from its success. It is the first multi-component programme in England to include prevention, cessation, enforcement and advocacy and be led by young people for young people.

CORNWALL COUNCIL NewquaySafe is a unique project uniting a community to address a range of issues – transforming a short-term community safety initiative to a long-term programme regenerating Newquay and changing local and national culture. It has been heralded by James Brokenshire, the under secretary of state for crime prevention, as a local response to a national alcohol issue. He said: “For those in doubt as to what Big Society can achieve, NewquaySafe is a shining example.”

DURHAM CCThe North East Improvement and Efficiency Partnership-funded Total Home Safety Initiative is a multi-agency project providing vulnerable homes in County Durham with safety/security equipment and signposting at-risk occupants to other relevant services. As part of an evidence-led approach, the most vulnerable homes were identified in certain areas, highlighting low income homes, previous victims of burglaries or fire, the elderly and disabled residents as the most susceptible to risk. The initiative has achieved cashable savings of £832,090; 4,563 homes have been ‘target-hardened’; burglaries are down by 500; and there have been 26 fewer fires in targeted areas. Of the audience surveyed, 93% now feel safer, 88% feel more independent in their homes and 36% received a referral to other services.

EAST STAFFORDSHIRE BC As part of a Total Place pilot project, traditional public sector and geographical boundaries in the Midlands have been crossed with the trial of a Family Nurse Partnership scheme for new mothers in an effort to combat high infant mortality in a deprived area of Burton upon Trent. East Staffordshire has led the development of the initiative and formed a unique partnership with RippleZ (a community interest company), Derby City Primary Care Trust, the Department of Health and South Staffordshire PCT. The council will invest £120,000 over the next three years to fund the scheme.

HULL CITY COUNCIL One of Hull’s recent success stories for the city is in the Minerva Project, which has reduced reoffending rates for those who have served sentences of less than 12 months from 58.8% to 14.4%. Minerva has significantly enhanced the resettlement process for ex-offenders returning to Hull – using a holistic approach, it has maximised the positive opportunities available to offenders. The crime and disorder reduction partnership Hull Citysafe sponsors the project. Citysafe’s head Tracy Harsley said: “The work is groundbreaking and is changing people’s lives and reducing reoffending. When I visit the factory units there is a real sense of achievement from our (ex-offender) volunteers and staff. I have to say at times it has brought me close to tears when I talk to the volunteers and they recount previous lives and experiences and compare them with now.”

ISLINGTON LBC Whittington Health is the only comprehensive integrated care organisation in London and one of only two in the country. It is a partnership between Islington (with strong links to neighbouring Haringey LBC), Whittington hospital (with strong links to University College London Hospital), and Pentonville Prison. It employs some 250 social services staff who, through a Section 75 agreement, are both part of Islington LBC and Whittington Health. It has an integrated management structure, and has been brought about through the commitment and shared vision of the various partner organisations who have worked together to create a more patient-centred service. This has, in turn, delivered mutual organisational and staff benefits.

STAFFORDSHIRE CC This project is a trailblazing example of innovation and excellence in integrating health and social care in North Staffordshire. The service, which has been up and running since 2010, targets people who need to access a health or social care intervention to support discharge from hospital, or to avoid admission to hospital or residential/nursing care. It demonstrates excellent cross-organisational working between NHS North Staffordshire and Staffordshire CC, clinical and non-clinical staff and, ultimately, with service users and local populations. By forging a cross-organisational partnership, the project is delivering better outcomes for people and their carers.

A WORD FROM THE AWARD’S SPONSORS

Capsticks are honoured to be part of the LGC Awards for the first time where we have the opportunity to recognise the success councils have achieved over the past year. In these difficult times, never has advancement and integration between health and social care been of such paramount importance. We are therefore proud to be sponsoring the Public Sector Partnerships Award and applaud the huge effort of all the organisations that have been shortlisted.

Public Sector Partnerships Award


Chris Brophy, Capsticks Tony Hunter, chief executive, North East Lincolnshire Council Joanna Killian, chief executive, Essex CC Tony McArdle, chief executive, Lincolnshire CC Elizabeth Raikes, chief executive, Torbay Council Sue Smith, chief executive, Cherwell DC and South Northamptonshire Council

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AYLESBURY VALE DCIn the past 18 months Aylesbury Vale has radically transformed the way it supports, develops, manages and rewards its staff. It has developed a culture of organisational learning through a range of initiatives designed to improve employee skills, including a distinctive leadership development programme and a new performance and talent management model, alongside a new behavioural competency model. As a result of its work, the council has not only delivered savings, but improvements for the customer.

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE CC The council’s Delivering Successful Performance framework has enabled it to drive up productivity and performance to optimal levels at a time when employee numbers are being reduced. It will also enable the authority to link an individual employee’s contribution to reward from 2012-13, with what the council believes is a unique approach in local government. The successful implementation of the new framework was achieved by strong leadership from the top of the council, and engagement with managers and staff via a strong communications and development strategy.

CHESHIRE WEST AND CHESTER COUNCIL The council’s innovative approach to delivering the government’s Better Regulation Agenda includes a workforce strategy that has developed officers’ core competencies in a cost-effective way with Chester University, the police and other partners. It has empowered officers to deliver better and more consistent outcomes while developing their interpersonal skills. This initiative is delivering results because it is underpinned by a robust framework of professional standards and competencies while establishing a clear mechanism through which authoritative advice and guidance on regulatory issues can be provided.

CORNWALL COUNCIL The human resources and organisational development team has worked within the council’s business priorities to: sort out failing services and budget problems; put foundations in place to enable staff to work in new ways; work with partners to transform the way public services are delivered; and be a high-performing council focused on the things that are important. Achievements include: the establishment of Cornwall Leadership academy; a redesigned appraisal system; a wide-reaching health and wellbeing programme for employees; and a successful redeployment programme.

CROYDON LBC Croydon’s innovative workforce strategy gave it a firm direction for developing its workforce. It was the first London council to change terms and conditions to reduce costs through collective agreement, resulting in £4m in savings. Croydon also became the first London council to fully link incremental progression to performance. It continued to perform excellently in key workforce measures, such as driving down sickness absence rates and increasing the number of apprenticeships.

REDCAR & CLEVELAND BC Redcar & Cleveland’s Valuing our People Project aims to improve the wellbeing of the 3,500-strong workforce. It sets out to show employees that their views and opinions are listened to and that their efforts are valued. Benefits achieved from this project include increased efficiency and improved customer satisfaction, and lower sickness absence rates.

SOUTHEND-ON-SEA BCSouthend’s workforce strategy has a number of different elements – a ‘talent pool’, an apprenticeship scheme, investment in organisational and staff development and an integrated children’s workforce strategy. Everything directly contributes to and/or underpins the delivery of the council’s corporate plan, which means it maximises effort, energy and opportunity while minimising waste and bureaucracy. Leadership is strong, authentic and brave and the organisational values are modelled at all levels.

SURREY CCThrough Surrey’s STARS programme (Stretching Talent and Raising Skills), staff are gaining more skills and are able to advance in their careers. Covering a broad range of training opportunities, from induction to leadership management, staff achieve the ultimate goal – becoming skilled to offer more specialist services. Ultimately this empowers staff to give the best customer service.

WIRRAL MBC The council has made significant changes to how it is structured and how it operates. Measures were put in place to support managers and employees throughout the change, including a co-ordinated approach to communication led from the top, and a support programme to help employees make key decisions about their future.

Workforce AwardJUDGESClockwise from top left:

Sir Howard Bernstein, chief executive, Manchester City Council Caroline Tapster, chief executive, Hertfordshire CC Sheila Wheeler, chief executive, Somerset CC

2011 Shortlist 2011 Shortlist 2011 Shortlist 2011 Shortlist

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