Taking the Lead: sector self regulation and improvement

Satvinder RanaSenior Adviser, LG Group

East Midlands Scrutiny Network – 23 September 2011

www.local.gov.uk

Overview

• Background

• Campaign success

• Principles that underpin Taking the Lead

• Our 7 point offer

Freedom to Lead Campaign• Campaign to reduce

inspection and assessment

• Develop robust approach to self regulation

• Key part of the Group’s offer to new Government

Campaign Success:Abolition of:• Place Survey and NIS• Local Area Agreements• Comprehensive Area

Assessment• Adults and children’s

scored assessments• Audit Commission • Government Offices

Robust approach to self regulation – the core principles

• Councils responsible for own performance• Stronger local accountability - greater transparency• Collective responsibility for performance• LG Group’s role is to support councils

Taking the lead – 7 point ‘offer’

• accountability tools• peer challenge• peer support• knowledge hub• transparent and

comparable data• leadership support• learning and support

Local Accountability tools

• Reviewed and consolidated existing support

• Developing Free interactive web-based tool

• Delivers a shared assessment of current performance – local people set the agenda

• Help to review your own accountability & governance

• More effective use of scrutiny

• A new practical tool developed by the Centre for Public Scrutiny– Available as part of the Taking the Lead framework

• Flexible & free for local councils to use themselves– Tailored support available from CfPS

• Helps organisations reform governance: – To support transformation & culture change– Focused on accountability, transparency

and involvement

www.cfps.org.uk/what-we-do/accountability-works

Accountability Works for You

• LGG works with Centre for Public Scrutiny, an independent charity, to:– provide FREE e-newsletters, briefings, helpdesk

and on-line resources– Support regional and national scrutiny networks– Provide tailored support where scrutiny is less

effective– Share good scrutiny practice

See: www.cfps.org.uk

info@cfps.org.uk / 020 7187 7362

Support for more effective scrutiny

Peer challenge• Free, once every three

years• Focus flexible to local

needs – but will include corporate capacity

• Teams agreed with council

• Optional – shorter subject specific

• Creating a wider peer pool

Data and transparency – LG Inform

• Free place to lodge data in Knowledge Hub

• A facility to share and compare key data

• Ability for citizens to access data

Knowledge Hub

• Professional knowledge networking

• Connect, share and learn

• Professional development

• Build networks• Reduce training costs

Developing the leadership capacity of localgovernment

Our offer is a subsidised place for every council for each of the next three years on one of our main leadership programmes

Focus on Councillors• National programmes for Councillors• Councillor Support

Focus on future senior managers• Managerial Leadership

Managing risk of underperformance

• Councils agree we need to manage risk

• Detecting early signs of potential failure

• Drawing together existing intelligence

• No burden on councils• Not a quasi inspectorate• Focused on prevention

A self improving system in children’s services

Sector led approach in Adult Social Care

• Streamlined set of national outcomes• Agreed data sets• Emphasis on local self assessment reported to local

people “Local Accounts”• Coordination of the support offer• Sharing intelligence about performance• Programme director to be appointed• Overseen by joint LGG, ADASS, CQC and DH Board

Next steps:

• Developing tools• Working with the sector• How do we know if we

are being successful• Further lobbying

– Reduce data and reporting burdens

– Streamline audit