Shared services
Your perfect partner?
Diary hears that the Local Government Association has created a ‘matchmaking service’ for councils to share experiences and services.
Councils urged to ‘shine a light’ on services to improve them
A shared services company has urged councils to look at alternative ways of working.
The biggest challenge in local government
Last week, James Brokenshire announced the reorganisation of Northamptonshire CC – a year later than was originally planned. Heather Jameson speaks to chief executive Theresa Grant and her commissioners on progress at the crisis-hit county.
Oxfordshire councils to extend joint working arrangements
Two councils are considering extending their working partnership in a move they hope will trigger a ‘broader conversation’ on local government organisation.
Councils to save £90,000 by sharing top staff
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough councils have announced plans to share more of their top personnel in order to make efficiency savings.
Broadland and South Norfolk share new managing director
Broadland and South Norfolk DCs have named Trevor Holden as their first joint managing director.
Singing from the same hymn sheet
Kevin Foster, David Kuenssberg and Sheila Little outline their hopes for a shared services partnership between Brighton & Hove, East Sussex and Surrey councils, and explain how brand identity is a vital thing to keep.
Are there too many tiers?
The multi-tiered nature of local government is holding the sector back, argues Bob Neill.
New frontiers for shared services
When four authorities who successfully shared services for an number of years set up a jointly-owned company, the aim was to radically transfom services to better reflect local objectives, as James Hawkins and Amardeep Gill explain
Richmond and Wandsworth: The power of two
Paul Martin speaks to Heather Jameson about Richmond upon Thames RLBC and Wandsworth LBC's shared services arrangements.
How digital innovation can aid new partnerships
With council merger, combined authority and joint management plans especially active in the South West The MJ and BT hosted a round table dinner with prominent chief executives from the region to discuss how digital innovation can help progress cross-boundary collaboration. Sam Clayden reports.
Newcastle to transfer 200 council workers to Northumberland under merger plans
Newcastle City Council has approved plans to transfer staff to Northumberland Council as part of plans to share transactional services.
Devon councils consider sharing some planning functions
Plymouth City Council and Torbay Council are considering joining forces to deliver planning services.
Joint role influential in turnaround
A new working partnership between Gloucester City Council and Gloucestershire CC has been praised for helping the former’s turnaround.
'Give managers greater decision-making power to innovate'
Senior council managers should devolve powers to all levels of leadership in order to innovate in a time of austerity, new research has suggested.
Management restructure could save £400k
A proposed management restructure at South Ribble BC and an increase in the use of shared services could save the authority £400,000.
Shared services 10 years on
It’s been 10 years since Adur DC and Worthing BC became the first to share all their services, and ever since there’s been a steady stream of followers. Alex Bailey explains how the union signals more than just budgets savings.
Poole and Bournemouth to work together
Poole and Bournemouth Councils are planning to combine back office services as part of plans to save £16m over the next two years.
Carlton steps in after retirement
Stuart Carlton has been appointed director of children’s services for North Yorkshire CC following Pete Dwyer’s retirement this summer after four years in the role.
Tri-borough: the sharing model can still succeed
Liz Bruce reflects on her time as a senior manager for the now collapsed tri-borough, but maintains sharing services is still the future for adult social care.