L G C a w a r d s . c o . u k

I N N O V A T ER E W A R D I N S P I R E

2015 Shortlist

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Innovate Reward Inspire11 March | 2015 | Grosvenor House, London

Category Sponsors

www.LGCawards.co.uk

Shortlist Announced!To view the complete Shortlist please visit www.LGCAwards.co.ukTo reserve your place and network with over 800 key decision makers in local government email Flavio at Flavio.Rispo@EMAP.com or call on 020 3033 2350

Attend the LGC Awards in March and establish relationships with the most influential professionals in local government.

Book early to avoid disappointment

and secure the best position in the room!

C100 M79 Y0 K0C100 M0 Y0 K0

@LGC_Awards LGC Awards

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LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 3

A celebration of the bestin local governmentIt is only through innovation that councils can withstand the pressures they are under and maintain high quality services for their residents. The LGC Awards were established to

celebrate this innovation, enabling councils nationwide to learn from the hard work of their counterparts to bring about strongly performing, efficient services.

We live in tough times. Councils face an ever greater challenge providing services as demand increases but resources diminish. Only the determination of their staff to find new ways of doing things, putting service users at the heart of their operations, can help councils withstand the pressures. This determination to facilitate transformation should be celebrated but instead councils and their staff generally receive little in the way of thanks from the public, government and wider media – this is why the awards are so important.

Local government’s financial difficulties and the scale of the cuts council services face in no way diminish the importance of the awards. Far from it, it increases the need for a means of recognising and rewarding the endeavour which is being undertaken to improve performance, reach out to individuals who were previously denied support, and boost efficiency.

The projects that appear in this supplement are among those that are doing most to improve the lives of people up and down the country. I hope you enjoy reading about them and can use the details set out here to undertake research which could improve your organisation’s performance.

This year we have a number of new categories, some of which reflect the changing priorities of local government. While the environment and housing categories may be self-explanatory, the entrepreneurial council category reflects a new spirit of commercialism in local government – councils that offer first class services selling them to other parts of local government and other parts of society. Likewise, the driving efficiency through technology award has been launched in a climate in which councils are gaining an ever greater appreciation of the opportunities technology offers.

In the next stage of the judging process, the representatives of shortlisted councils will come face to face with expert peer panels to present their cases and answer searching questions. In the Council of the Year and Most Improved Council categories, we will again stage live judging on the day of the award presentations themselves – 11 March. If you would like to join the audience for the live judging can you please email paul.hewitt@emap.com for details.

Many congratulations to all those who have been shortlisted. This is a huge achievement.Can I also pass on my thanks to our dedicated judges, who kindly give up their time to read entries and cross-

examine finalists. I would also like to thank our business partners, who not only make the awards possible but also pass on their experience and expertise.

NICK GOLDING, EDITOR, LGC

Foreword

p03 foreword 2015.indd 3 08/01/2015 13:02

Innovate Reward Inspire11 March | 2015 | Grosvenor House, London

Category Sponsors

www.LGCawards.co.uk

Shortlist Announced!To view the complete Shortlist please visit www.LGCAwards.co.ukTo reserve your place and network with over 800 key decision makers in local government email Flavio at Flavio.Rispo@EMAP.com or call on 020 3033 2350

Attend the LGC Awards in March and establish relationships with the most influential professionals in local government.

Book early to avoid disappointment

and secure the best position in the room!

C100 M79 Y0 K0C100 M0 Y0 K0

@LGC_Awards LGC Awards

LGC_AWD01_ADS_SHORTLIST_V02.indd 1 07/01/2015 17:21

LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 3

A celebration of the bestin local governmentIt is only through innovation that councils can withstand the pressures they are under and maintain high quality services for their residents. The LGC Awards were established to

celebrate this innovation, enabling councils nationwide to learn from the hard work of their counterparts to bring about strongly performing, efficient services.

We live in tough times. Councils face an ever greater challenge providing services as demand increases but resources diminish. Only the determination of their staff to find new ways of doing things, putting service users at the heart of their operations, can help councils withstand the pressures. This determination to facilitate transformation should be celebrated but instead councils and their staff generally receive little in the way of thanks from the public, government and wider media – this is why the awards are so important.

Local government’s financial difficulties and the scale of the cuts council services face in no way diminish the importance of the awards. Far from it, it increases the need for a means of recognising and rewarding the endeavour which is being undertaken to improve performance, reach out to individuals who were previously denied support, and boost efficiency.

The projects that appear in this supplement are among those that are doing most to improve the lives of people up and down the country. I hope you enjoy reading about them and can use the details set out here to undertake research which could improve your organisation’s performance.

This year we have a number of new categories, some of which reflect the changing priorities of local government. While the environment and housing categories may be self-explanatory, the entrepreneurial council category reflects a new spirit of commercialism in local government – councils that offer first class services selling them to other parts of local government and other parts of society. Likewise, the driving efficiency through technology award has been launched in a climate in which councils are gaining an ever greater appreciation of the opportunities technology offers.

In the next stage of the judging process, the representatives of shortlisted councils will come face to face with expert peer panels to present their cases and answer searching questions. In the Council of the Year and Most Improved Council categories, we will again stage live judging on the day of the award presentations themselves – 11 March. If you would like to join the audience for the live judging can you please email paul.hewitt@emap.com for details.

Many congratulations to all those who have been shortlisted. This is a huge achievement.Can I also pass on my thanks to our dedicated judges, who kindly give up their time to read entries and cross-

examine finalists. I would also like to thank our business partners, who not only make the awards possible but also pass on their experience and expertise.

NICK GOLDING, EDITOR, LGC

Foreword

p03 foreword 2015.indd 3 08/01/2015 13:02

Congratulations to the councils shortlisted for the LGC Awards 2015. Zurich Municipal is proud to support the Council of the Year Award, recognising a shortlist of six local authorities that set the standard for others to follow. The councils with the best services, leadership and achievements will win the day.

When local authorities change for the better, the positive effects can be felt by millions of people. It’s a success story where everyone wins.

Zurich Municipal – sponsoring the LGC Council of the Year Award 2015.

May the best council win

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 Conduct Authority.

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LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 5

JUDGES Nicola Bulbeck, chief executive, Teignbridge DC Carolyn Downs, chief executive, Local Government Association George Garlick, chief executive, Durham CC Nick Golding, editor, LGC Andrew Jepp, director of public sector, Zurich Andrew Kerr, chief executive, Cornwall CC Patrick White, director of local government policy, Department for Communities & Local Government

A WORD FROM THE AWARD’S SPONSORZurich Municipal is part of the Zurich Insurance group, Zurich. We are one of the leading providers of risk and insurance solutions to Britain’s public services. Handling over 100,000 claims every year, we look after UK local authorities, health services, educational establishments, charities and voluntary bodies and social housing associations. We help deliver the risk management strategies, best practices and insurance cover you need to maximise the welfare of your communities whilst also improving your organisation’s resilience and ability to deliver transformational change.

For a clearer picture of the emerging risks affecting your organisation visit www.zurichmunicipal.co.uk

CHELMSFORD CITY COUNCIL Chelmsford City Council’s 2013 LGA peer review said it is “invariably at the forefront, demonstrating leadership”. The council has been bold in investing in infrastructure to drive growth, including building new homes, and securing a new railway station and a new Anglia Ruskin University campus. Aiming to be self-sufficient by 2019, Chelmsford continues to create new ways to generate income through invest-to-save schemes, commercial property leasing and parking services. Chelmsford is a leader in staff development, being the first authority in the east of England region to achieve gold Investors in People status.

CHESHIRE WEST AND CHESTER COUNCILCheshire West and Chester refuses to accept that financial challenges and increases in demand inevitably lead to poorer services. As a result of investing in early intervention, it has cut the number of cases of children in need by 20% over the past year. It has also supported over 400 residents in deprived wards into work; launched successful new trading companies to deliver neighbourhood services, back office support and social care; and disposed of its surplus land and buildings and used the proceeds to invest in roads, leisure services and cultural offer.

EAST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE COUNCIL East Riding of Yorkshire Council has provided strong and focused leadership and been creative and resilient in response to its unique challenges: a rising population with a rapid and larger than average growth in its older population due to inward migration; its rural nature; and a high risk of flooding.

It has supported its residents to be independent while building trust and confidence. In 2013-14 it focused on financial stability, flood risk management and sustainable economic growth. It met considerable challenges head on and demonstrated success through early action, a planned response and building its own and the community’s response ability.

GLASGOW CITY COUNCILGlasgow is an ambitious, inventive and entrepreneurial city with a track record of delivery. The council’s drive and leadership delivered the best ever Commonwealth Games. They were the catalyst to sustain economic growth in the downturn and deliver the council’s strategic vision of Glasgow as a world class city. Its recent £1.13bn city deal (the first city deal in Scotland), award-winning People Make Glasgow brand and Future City status confirm that it is building on this legacy. In challenging times, the council is transforming its city, reputation, services and partnerships to let Glasgow flourish.

SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE AND VALE OF WHITE HORSE DCsSouth Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse DCs are at the forefront of joint local government working with most services integrated and staff on one site. The councils are also top recyclers and attract significant investment and jobs to their enterprise zone. They have increased house building to levels not seen for many years in the area while delivering record numbers of affordable homes, and work closely with their two communities through neighbourhood plans in place and 18 more on the horizon.

Council of the Year

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Congratulations to the councils shortlisted for the LGC Awards 2015. Zurich Municipal is proud to support the Council of the Year Award, recognising a shortlist of six local authorities that set the standard for others to follow. The councils with the best services, leadership and achievements will win the day.

When local authorities change for the better, the positive effects can be felt by millions of people. It’s a success story where everyone wins.

Zurich Municipal – sponsoring the LGC Council of the Year Award 2015.

May the best council win

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 Conduct Authority.

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LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 5

JUDGES Nicola Bulbeck, chief executive, Teignbridge DC Carolyn Downs, chief executive, Local Government Association George Garlick, chief executive, Durham CC Nick Golding, editor, LGC Andrew Jepp, director of public sector, Zurich Andrew Kerr, chief executive, Cornwall CC Patrick White, director of local government policy, Department for Communities & Local Government

A WORD FROM THE AWARD’S SPONSORZurich Municipal is part of the Zurich Insurance group, Zurich. We are one of the leading providers of risk and insurance solutions to Britain’s public services. Handling over 100,000 claims every year, we look after UK local authorities, health services, educational establishments, charities and voluntary bodies and social housing associations. We help deliver the risk management strategies, best practices and insurance cover you need to maximise the welfare of your communities whilst also improving your organisation’s resilience and ability to deliver transformational change.

For a clearer picture of the emerging risks affecting your organisation visit www.zurichmunicipal.co.uk

CHELMSFORD CITY COUNCIL Chelmsford City Council’s 2013 LGA peer review said it is “invariably at the forefront, demonstrating leadership”. The council has been bold in investing in infrastructure to drive growth, including building new homes, and securing a new railway station and a new Anglia Ruskin University campus. Aiming to be self-sufficient by 2019, Chelmsford continues to create new ways to generate income through invest-to-save schemes, commercial property leasing and parking services. Chelmsford is a leader in staff development, being the first authority in the east of England region to achieve gold Investors in People status.

CHESHIRE WEST AND CHESTER COUNCILCheshire West and Chester refuses to accept that financial challenges and increases in demand inevitably lead to poorer services. As a result of investing in early intervention, it has cut the number of cases of children in need by 20% over the past year. It has also supported over 400 residents in deprived wards into work; launched successful new trading companies to deliver neighbourhood services, back office support and social care; and disposed of its surplus land and buildings and used the proceeds to invest in roads, leisure services and cultural offer.

EAST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE COUNCIL East Riding of Yorkshire Council has provided strong and focused leadership and been creative and resilient in response to its unique challenges: a rising population with a rapid and larger than average growth in its older population due to inward migration; its rural nature; and a high risk of flooding.

It has supported its residents to be independent while building trust and confidence. In 2013-14 it focused on financial stability, flood risk management and sustainable economic growth. It met considerable challenges head on and demonstrated success through early action, a planned response and building its own and the community’s response ability.

GLASGOW CITY COUNCILGlasgow is an ambitious, inventive and entrepreneurial city with a track record of delivery. The council’s drive and leadership delivered the best ever Commonwealth Games. They were the catalyst to sustain economic growth in the downturn and deliver the council’s strategic vision of Glasgow as a world class city. Its recent £1.13bn city deal (the first city deal in Scotland), award-winning People Make Glasgow brand and Future City status confirm that it is building on this legacy. In challenging times, the council is transforming its city, reputation, services and partnerships to let Glasgow flourish.

SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE AND VALE OF WHITE HORSE DCsSouth Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse DCs are at the forefront of joint local government working with most services integrated and staff on one site. The councils are also top recyclers and attract significant investment and jobs to their enterprise zone. They have increased house building to levels not seen for many years in the area while delivering record numbers of affordable homes, and work closely with their two communities through neighbourhood plans in place and 18 more on the horizon.

Council of the Year

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LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 7

JUDGES Kay Andrews, executive director – client development, Agilisys Joanna Killian, chief executive, Essex CC Laura McGillivray, chief executive, Norwich City Council Joanne Roney, chief executive, Wakefield MBC Robert Tinlin, chief executive, Southend-on-Sea BC

A WORD FROM THE AWARD’S SPONSORAs supporter of LGC 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 part of.

CHERWELL AND SOUTH NORTHAMPTONSHIRE DCsThe challenge for Cherwell and South Northamptonshire DCs was to ensure the high performance of the councils was maintained and enhanced in a period of unprecedented financial constraint. In 2010 the councils embarked on a strategic partnership with the aim of establishing a strong alliance to protect and enhance long term financial sustainability, while retaining performance rated as excellent at Cherwell and good at South Northamptonshire. Outcomes include enhancing performance, innovative service delivery, significant savings, resilience, capacity and a sharp focus on community priorities resulting in district councils that together have protected and improved services against the prevailing tide.

DONCASTER MBCLabelled ‘worst council in Britain’ in 2010, Doncaster MBC believes it has a justifiable claim for most improved council in Britain 2015. In government intervention since 2010, Doncaster has exited that a year early. With high ambitions for its place and people, its sustained and accelerated improvement leaves it well placed to meet future challenges successfully. Found wanting on delivering for local people, with gross inadequacies in political/managerial leadership and a ‘toxic’ partner unable to set clear, resourced priorities, it can now demonstrate that it is pin-sharp on its purpose, and a partner of choice, breaking new ground in service delivery.

NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL North Ayrshire Council was criticised by the Accounts Commission in 2010 for demonstrating ‘insufficient momentum’ in addressing key performance and management issues. Since then, the council has faced several other pressures including reduced budgets and increased demand. Nevertheless, its scale and pace of improvement has been dramatic, with the latest external audit showing no scrutiny risks whatsoever about performance, services or outcomes. In addition to this endorsement, it has received several positive inspection reports and won numerous high profile awards. These strong foundations demonstrate that North Ayrshire Council has the capacity, capability and willingness to improve even further.

WIRRAL MBCWirral faced the most serious challenges in its history when a series of external reports highlighted major weaknesses. Wirral recognised and responded to these issues by opening itself up to challenge, inviting partners in the local government community to help it work towards its own solution. Wirral sought the support of the LGA, and together they established a joint improvement board. Wirral’s improvement has been hailed as the fastest turnaround of any council in the country, and has been championed by the LGA as an example of best practice.

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Most Improved Council

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LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 7

JUDGES Kay Andrews, executive director – client development, Agilisys Joanna Killian, chief executive, Essex CC Laura McGillivray, chief executive, Norwich City Council Joanne Roney, chief executive, Wakefield MBC Robert Tinlin, chief executive, Southend-on-Sea BC

A WORD FROM THE AWARD’S SPONSORAs supporter of LGC 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 part of.

CHERWELL AND SOUTH NORTHAMPTONSHIRE DCsThe challenge for Cherwell and South Northamptonshire DCs was to ensure the high performance of the councils was maintained and enhanced in a period of unprecedented financial constraint. In 2010 the councils embarked on a strategic partnership with the aim of establishing a strong alliance to protect and enhance long term financial sustainability, while retaining performance rated as excellent at Cherwell and good at South Northamptonshire. Outcomes include enhancing performance, innovative service delivery, significant savings, resilience, capacity and a sharp focus on community priorities resulting in district councils that together have protected and improved services against the prevailing tide.

DONCASTER MBCLabelled ‘worst council in Britain’ in 2010, Doncaster MBC believes it has a justifiable claim for most improved council in Britain 2015. In government intervention since 2010, Doncaster has exited that a year early. With high ambitions for its place and people, its sustained and accelerated improvement leaves it well placed to meet future challenges successfully. Found wanting on delivering for local people, with gross inadequacies in political/managerial leadership and a ‘toxic’ partner unable to set clear, resourced priorities, it can now demonstrate that it is pin-sharp on its purpose, and a partner of choice, breaking new ground in service delivery.

NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL North Ayrshire Council was criticised by the Accounts Commission in 2010 for demonstrating ‘insufficient momentum’ in addressing key performance and management issues. Since then, the council has faced several other pressures including reduced budgets and increased demand. Nevertheless, its scale and pace of improvement has been dramatic, with the latest external audit showing no scrutiny risks whatsoever about performance, services or outcomes. In addition to this endorsement, it has received several positive inspection reports and won numerous high profile awards. These strong foundations demonstrate that North Ayrshire Council has the capacity, capability and willingness to improve even further.

WIRRAL MBCWirral faced the most serious challenges in its history when a series of external reports highlighted major weaknesses. Wirral recognised and responded to these issues by opening itself up to challenge, inviting partners in the local government community to help it work towards its own solution. Wirral sought the support of the LGA, and together they established a joint improvement board. Wirral’s improvement has been hailed as the fastest turnaround of any council in the country, and has been championed by the LGA as an example of best practice.

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Most Improved Council

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Proud sponsors of the LGC Business Transformation Award

www.capita.co.uk

Capita is working with local authorities to design and deliver genuinely innovative solutions that address local needs. We are helping lay the foundations for strong, forward thinking organisations, that meet the demand and fiscal challenge.

LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 9

JUDGES Carl Brooks, director local government, Capita Consulting Mary Harpley, chief executive, Hounslow LBC Sean Harriss, chief executive, Bolton MBC Chris Williams, chief executive, Buckinghamshire CC

A WORD FROM THE AWARD’S SPONSORCapita works within and across local government, the NHS and third sector to help public services make a real difference to the wellbeing of local communities within available resources. We are supporting genuine innovation in the sector. Capita helps develop strategies that ensure a ‘whole council’ and ‘whole system’ approach to addressing needs, for example, implementing integrated services that enable families with multiple challenges to have their needs addressed early. Whether this is through better preventative commissioning, service redesign or market stimulation Capita can work alongside you to develop new thinking to solve local challenges. For more information visit www.capita.co.uk

BEXLEY LBCBexley First is a business transformation project. By consolidating 10 council offices into a single site and investing in IT, the council transformed service delivery. The sale of no longer needed sites funded the project entirely and yielded over £10m for investment in community facilities and schools in some of the borough’s most deprived wards. The transformation, which will save over £56m by 2030, has also led to the development of almost 600 new homes.

CROYDON LBCThe Reimaging Croydon project saw the council engage with staff to reshape its services. Croydon has saved £100m and built up a running start for challenges to come. It has triggered a seismic shift in its culture through inclusive, honest and open dialogue. It has moved the majority of its operations to best-in-class office space, while transforming its relationship with residents and customers. Most importantly, it has improved services and enabled investment in the borough.

EAST SUSSEX CCThrive, a three-year transformation programme, was set up in 2012, aiming to ensure East Sussex CC had a financially sustainable children’s safeguarding system which acts in a proportionate, timely and effective way to reduce children and young people’s needs. Thrive involves whole-system reform and workforce investment to develop more skilled, confident and relationship-based practice. Thrive is a multi-agency approach which has made early help services available to more families before their needs escalate.

KENT CCThe Sandbox Optimisation Programme, a collaboration between Newton Europe and Kent CC, has transformed adult social care services through best use of resources, unblocking system barriers, reducing interfaces, and empowering staff. Further benefits include lead time being reduced from 29 to nine days, while staff productivity has increased by 375%, which has dramatically improved outcomes for care recipients and their families. Sandbox has generated £5.86m in annualised savings.

LEICESTER CITY COUNCIL Leicester ran an internally resourced corporate programme to deliver savings through investment in ICT which has delivered service improvements and over £2m in savings since October 2012. A small team within the council’s IT division worked with departmental management teams to identify areas that weren’t working. A programme was established that grew to include 74 business transformation projects as new opportunities were highlighted.

MERTON LBC – DEMENTIA HUBThe first of its kind in London and one of the first in the UK, the hub is neither a care home nor a respite/day centre. It is a unique community service for people with dementia, their family and carers, at any

stage in their journey, providing access to different health and social care professionals all under one roof. The hub has engaged with more than 500 residents since opening its doors in April 2013.

MERTON LBC – PREVENTING HOMELESSNESSWhen the welfare benefit cap came to Merton in 2013, its housing needs team realised that, with 220 private sector households affected, it needed to stop residents becoming homeless. With an excellent track record as the London borough with the lowest number of people in temporary accommodation, Merton teamed up with the DWP to develop a unique, proactive and holistic approach to supporting these households, resulting in over £1m savings.

NORTH YORKSHIRE CCAs social work services struggle to meet budget pressures and Ofsted requirements, recruit and retain staff and deliver services that make a difference, North Yorkshire CC is bucking the trend. North Yorkshire set an ambitious change programme in place in 2012 which balanced customer need, budgets, staff and outcomes required. It now delivers some of the best services in the country, has excellent workforce stability rates, enjoys a real sense of purpose and celebrates success.

STOCKPORT MBCThe CSS Redesign was a 12-month programme to rationalise back office services. It was done at pace and without additional cost, compulsory redundancies or any formal grievances. It saved £6m and has created a more flexible structure and a workforce that is well placed to continue to support and help lead the council as it reshapes itself in the coming years. It sets a benchmark in the sector for the vision, ambition speed and scope of workforce transformation.

SUFFOLK CCSuffolk CC’s personal agile computing project will implement technology allowing council workers to work in the field, from a choice of offices and from home. It features tools and applications that facilitate collaboration. Workers will no longer rely on deskbound IT but use personal IT kit that is mobile, while cloud services will be adopted to take advantage of the cost cutting, flexible and on-demand services as well as internet access to information from anywhere.

WORCESTERSHIRE CCThe Flexible and Mobile Environment (Fame) project forms part of Worcestershire CC’s transformation programme. It aims to create a smaller, more responsive and innovative organisation with skilled staff working in the smartest possible ways. By 2016 Worcestershire’s property portfolio will have shrunk by more than half. Most employees will work from home or via an integrated network of public sector workplaces, all supported by wireless connectivity, mobile devices and interactive technology.

Business Transformation

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Proud sponsors of the LGC Business Transformation Award

www.capita.co.uk

Capita is working with local authorities to design and deliver genuinely innovative solutions that address local needs. We are helping lay the foundations for strong, forward thinking organisations, that meet the demand and fiscal challenge.

LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 9

JUDGES Carl Brooks, director local government, Capita Consulting Mary Harpley, chief executive, Hounslow LBC Sean Harriss, chief executive, Bolton MBC Chris Williams, chief executive, Buckinghamshire CC

A WORD FROM THE AWARD’S SPONSORCapita works within and across local government, the NHS and third sector to help public services make a real difference to the wellbeing of local communities within available resources. We are supporting genuine innovation in the sector. Capita helps develop strategies that ensure a ‘whole council’ and ‘whole system’ approach to addressing needs, for example, implementing integrated services that enable families with multiple challenges to have their needs addressed early. Whether this is through better preventative commissioning, service redesign or market stimulation Capita can work alongside you to develop new thinking to solve local challenges. For more information visit www.capita.co.uk

BEXLEY LBCBexley First is a business transformation project. By consolidating 10 council offices into a single site and investing in IT, the council transformed service delivery. The sale of no longer needed sites funded the project entirely and yielded over £10m for investment in community facilities and schools in some of the borough’s most deprived wards. The transformation, which will save over £56m by 2030, has also led to the development of almost 600 new homes.

CROYDON LBCThe Reimaging Croydon project saw the council engage with staff to reshape its services. Croydon has saved £100m and built up a running start for challenges to come. It has triggered a seismic shift in its culture through inclusive, honest and open dialogue. It has moved the majority of its operations to best-in-class office space, while transforming its relationship with residents and customers. Most importantly, it has improved services and enabled investment in the borough.

EAST SUSSEX CCThrive, a three-year transformation programme, was set up in 2012, aiming to ensure East Sussex CC had a financially sustainable children’s safeguarding system which acts in a proportionate, timely and effective way to reduce children and young people’s needs. Thrive involves whole-system reform and workforce investment to develop more skilled, confident and relationship-based practice. Thrive is a multi-agency approach which has made early help services available to more families before their needs escalate.

KENT CCThe Sandbox Optimisation Programme, a collaboration between Newton Europe and Kent CC, has transformed adult social care services through best use of resources, unblocking system barriers, reducing interfaces, and empowering staff. Further benefits include lead time being reduced from 29 to nine days, while staff productivity has increased by 375%, which has dramatically improved outcomes for care recipients and their families. Sandbox has generated £5.86m in annualised savings.

LEICESTER CITY COUNCIL Leicester ran an internally resourced corporate programme to deliver savings through investment in ICT which has delivered service improvements and over £2m in savings since October 2012. A small team within the council’s IT division worked with departmental management teams to identify areas that weren’t working. A programme was established that grew to include 74 business transformation projects as new opportunities were highlighted.

MERTON LBC – DEMENTIA HUBThe first of its kind in London and one of the first in the UK, the hub is neither a care home nor a respite/day centre. It is a unique community service for people with dementia, their family and carers, at any

stage in their journey, providing access to different health and social care professionals all under one roof. The hub has engaged with more than 500 residents since opening its doors in April 2013.

MERTON LBC – PREVENTING HOMELESSNESSWhen the welfare benefit cap came to Merton in 2013, its housing needs team realised that, with 220 private sector households affected, it needed to stop residents becoming homeless. With an excellent track record as the London borough with the lowest number of people in temporary accommodation, Merton teamed up with the DWP to develop a unique, proactive and holistic approach to supporting these households, resulting in over £1m savings.

NORTH YORKSHIRE CCAs social work services struggle to meet budget pressures and Ofsted requirements, recruit and retain staff and deliver services that make a difference, North Yorkshire CC is bucking the trend. North Yorkshire set an ambitious change programme in place in 2012 which balanced customer need, budgets, staff and outcomes required. It now delivers some of the best services in the country, has excellent workforce stability rates, enjoys a real sense of purpose and celebrates success.

STOCKPORT MBCThe CSS Redesign was a 12-month programme to rationalise back office services. It was done at pace and without additional cost, compulsory redundancies or any formal grievances. It saved £6m and has created a more flexible structure and a workforce that is well placed to continue to support and help lead the council as it reshapes itself in the coming years. It sets a benchmark in the sector for the vision, ambition speed and scope of workforce transformation.

SUFFOLK CCSuffolk CC’s personal agile computing project will implement technology allowing council workers to work in the field, from a choice of offices and from home. It features tools and applications that facilitate collaboration. Workers will no longer rely on deskbound IT but use personal IT kit that is mobile, while cloud services will be adopted to take advantage of the cost cutting, flexible and on-demand services as well as internet access to information from anywhere.

WORCESTERSHIRE CCThe Flexible and Mobile Environment (Fame) project forms part of Worcestershire CC’s transformation programme. It aims to create a smaller, more responsive and innovative organisation with skilled staff working in the smartest possible ways. By 2016 Worcestershire’s property portfolio will have shrunk by more than half. Most employees will work from home or via an integrated network of public sector workplaces, all supported by wireless connectivity, mobile devices and interactive technology.

Business Transformation

p09 bus trans 2015.indd 9 08/01/2015 13:07

10 Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle LGCplus.com

JUDGES Jessica Crowe, executive director, Centre for Public Scrutiny David Holdstock, director of communications, LGA Geoff Parker, chief executive, Charnwood BC Cormac Smith, head of communications, Basildon BC

CHESHIRE WEST & CHESTER COUNCILThe aim of Cheshire West and Chester’s student communication campaign was to tackle the root cause of a long standing problem and improve students’ long term attitudes to waste and recycling. The council’s innovative communications were designed to reach individuals as well as households, ensuring all students were equipped with the tools to fully participate. The council’s pizza nights allowed waste officers to encourage student households to work together to recycle their waste and have a positive impact on the local environment. The student area benefitted from huge improvements in cleanliness, a 51% recycling rate and participation of 81%.

DONCASTER MBCThe Big Power Switch was a new collective energy buying scheme in Doncaster with a focus on bringing savings to vulnerable residents including people in low income households, new parents and the elderly. The low-cost campaign effectively competed in a crowded marketplace with commercial energy switching/comparison services using a mix of channels to communicate key messages and deliver exceptional levels of registrations and conversion rates, especially from the targeted vulnerable households.

EALING LBCOperating in a complex environment, Ealing LBC set out achieve the national recycling target of 50% or more by 2020 with an innovative and integrated marketing and communications strategy designed to change behaviours. The success of the 50% by 2020 campaign lies in the way in which local knowledge was used to segment audiences together with: innovative marketing approaches; engaging design; targeted, timely messaging across many channels; and the willingness to take risks. The success to date has saved the council millions in landfill costs, positively raised its profile and has led the council to bringing forward its target date.

ESSEX CCStanding Together is the largest multi-agency campaign of this kind ever to be carried out in Essex. It was a two-month joint campaign led by Essex CC and Essex Police aimed at raising awareness of domestic abuse and breaking taboos. The campaign was unique in that it was developed in partnership with people who had survived domestic abuse and focused on the positives which result from leaving an abusive relationship. The campaign reached millions of people worldwide, achieved a 2,048% increase in website views across agencies, achieved positive national media coverage and even empowered victims to leave abusive relationships.

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE CCNottinghamshire CC holds an annual budget consultation, but this was a unique campaign due to an unprecedented financial challenge of £154m savings over three years. The 2014-15 budget is the first and most critical year, with a new administration keen to save £83m upfront and involve residents in shaping services. Nottinghamshire’s three-phased approach is unique because of the upfront and proactive communications that give as much information possible; the interlinking consultation stages; and the integrated approach to communication and consultation. This successfully motivated people to respond as residents understood the significance of how it could affect them.

ROCHFORD DCA network of charity litter bins was set up in Rayleigh to enable local people to do social good by putting their litter in the bin. Over three months, three local charities received a donation from The Wrigley Company depending on how much rubbish was collected from these bins. The eye-catching wrap around the bin clearly explained how people could support local projects simply by putting their litter in the bin. All litter was collected and weighed to measure any decrease in the amount of litter being dropped on the pavements.

SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE AND VALE OF WHITE HORSE DCsThe Sort it Out campaign was truly remarkable. The strong and exciting campaign encouraged and helped residents to recycle even more of their waste, using detailed analysis of current waste levels and public knowledge of waste services available. The councils sat proudly in the top three of Defra’s recycling tables but recognised that their recycling rates were falling and wanted to reverse that trend. The campaign used an app, calendars, a competition, social and traditional media advertising and other routes and received a great response from residents; recycling rates increased, bucking the national trend.

STOKE-ON-TRENT CITY COUNCIL Spot the Cheater is an innovative communications and marketing campaign which has led to Stoke-on-Trent City Council identifying savings of £2.7m. The initiative champions a zero-tolerance approach to tackling fraud, and focuses on raising awareness of four main areas: tenancy, benefits, council tax and Blue Badge cases. It encourages residents to buy into the authority’s counter-fraud culture, with them so far reporting more than 3,000 suspected ‘cheaters’, and strongly builds on ‘nudge’ theory – building momentum through peer reinforcement. Spot The Cheater has gained national recognition and is one of the council’s most successful campaigns to date.

Campaign of the Year

p10 campaign 2015.indd 10 08/01/2015 13:08

LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 11

JUDGES Maggie Atkinson, children’s commissioner for England Martin Smith, chief executive, Ealing LBC

CHESHIRE EAST COUNCIL Four4adoption is a pioneering collaboration of four local authorities (Cheshire East, Tameside, Trafford and Stockport) which have come together to raise the profile of adoption and increase the number of potential adopters in their local communities. It created a ‘one stop shop’ service for its diverse audience across the four authorities. This has involved the development of a simple, straightforward way for potential adopters to access all the initial information they need and move through the application and approval process without delay.

CHESHIRE WEST & CHESTER COUNCILThe integrated early support service (IES) aims to reduce demand on acute and reactive services, reduce duplication and ensure children, young people and families with multiple and complex needs plus victims and perpetrators of domestic abuse get the right help at the right time. It provides a single front door for practitioners with a multi-agency early support team offering advice, guidance and appropriate triage when a professional has concerns about a person or family.

EAST SUSSEX CCThrive, a three-year transformation programme, was set up in 2012 to ensure East Sussex has a financially sustainable children’s safeguarding system which acts in a proportionate, timely and effective way to reduce children and young people’s needs. Thrive involves whole system reform and investment in the workforce to develop more skilled, confident and relationship based practice. Thrive is a multi-agency approach which has enabled East Sussex to offer early help services to more families before their needs escalate.

GREENWICH RBCThe council runs a service to prevent foster and adoption placement breakdown. In 2003, two therapeutic social workers were appointed into the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Looked After Children (LAC) team. They developed a project which supported children and young people to remain in foster and adoptive homes. Working closely with the LAC education, fostering and adoption teams, the practitioners developed a unique model using the skills of social workers, play therapy and dyadic developmental psychotherapy (DDP) to address issues which affect a child’s ability to settle in a family.

LANCASHIRE CC – CURRICULUM SUPPORTIn response to a clear demand from primary schools concerned about implementing the government’s new national curriculum, Lancashire CC produced a set of support materials which helps schools identify the learning required and ideas for achieving them in exciting and creative opportunities. It consulted closely with school staff and has created imaginative and comprehensive materials aimed at meeting legal requirements and boosting standards. The programme is highly valued by national education leaders.

LANCASHIRE CC – EX-SERVICE PERSONNEL MENTORINGThis is a uniquely innovative programme fusing two

demographic groups towards one common aim: the reduction of barriers to inclusion for young people in schools. Lancashire’s programme provides positive role models from the ex-service personnel community who work with colleagues in education to improve attendance, progression and inclusion for young people in mainstream schools. This programme positively supports the wider communities of Lancashire and young people.

LANCASHIRE CC - #LIFESUPSANDDOWNSThe project was a countywide emotional health and wellbeing campaign led by young people for young people. The campaign was innovative and was based on the Five Ways to Wellbeing and was launched via a flash mob. The campaign was rolled out to schools and promoted via social media.

LEEDS CITY COUNCILFamily group conferences (FGCs) bring a child’s wider family network together to discuss concerns and plan future arrangements for the child. It puts the views of the child at the heart of decision-making. Leeds has made the city-wide expansion of FGCs central to its transformation of the system for vulnerable children. The increased use of FGCs results in better outcomes for vulnerable children, a safe and appropriate reduction in the number of children in care and significant cost savings for the authority.

NOTTINGHAM CITY COUNCIL Nottingham is ambitious to improve outcomes for children in care and the local community while supporting SMEs and cutting unemployment. The council’s business support team created an apprenticeship scheme that provides job opportunities for children leaving care. The project also increased commercial opportunities; increased employment in the local community; increased economic activity for local residents; and helped care leavers to gain formal qualifications.

PEMBROKESHIRE CCPembrokeshire merged the education and the children’s social care service under one directorate to tackle safeguarding failures. Previously the staff responsible for delivering children’s services sat in different directorates with different ways of working. Difficult and sensitive decisions were made to rebuild and refresh the leadership team and an entirely new senior management structure was implemented across the merged directorate by making external appointments to key posts and removing existing barriers to change.

THURROCK COUNCILBeat the Street is community physical activity project where individuals score points and win prizes by walking around the borough and tapping personal cards on walking sensors known as beat boxes. The project aimed to engage communities across Thurrock, especially children, with taking up more activity to help, halt or reduce obesity rates. Forty-seven out of 52 schools engaged with this project.

Children’s Services

p11 children 2015.indd 11 08/01/2015 13:35

10 Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle LGCplus.com

JUDGES Jessica Crowe, executive director, Centre for Public Scrutiny David Holdstock, director of communications, LGA Geoff Parker, chief executive, Charnwood BC Cormac Smith, head of communications, Basildon BC

CHESHIRE WEST & CHESTER COUNCILThe aim of Cheshire West and Chester’s student communication campaign was to tackle the root cause of a long standing problem and improve students’ long term attitudes to waste and recycling. The council’s innovative communications were designed to reach individuals as well as households, ensuring all students were equipped with the tools to fully participate. The council’s pizza nights allowed waste officers to encourage student households to work together to recycle their waste and have a positive impact on the local environment. The student area benefitted from huge improvements in cleanliness, a 51% recycling rate and participation of 81%.

DONCASTER MBCThe Big Power Switch was a new collective energy buying scheme in Doncaster with a focus on bringing savings to vulnerable residents including people in low income households, new parents and the elderly. The low-cost campaign effectively competed in a crowded marketplace with commercial energy switching/comparison services using a mix of channels to communicate key messages and deliver exceptional levels of registrations and conversion rates, especially from the targeted vulnerable households.

EALING LBCOperating in a complex environment, Ealing LBC set out achieve the national recycling target of 50% or more by 2020 with an innovative and integrated marketing and communications strategy designed to change behaviours. The success of the 50% by 2020 campaign lies in the way in which local knowledge was used to segment audiences together with: innovative marketing approaches; engaging design; targeted, timely messaging across many channels; and the willingness to take risks. The success to date has saved the council millions in landfill costs, positively raised its profile and has led the council to bringing forward its target date.

ESSEX CCStanding Together is the largest multi-agency campaign of this kind ever to be carried out in Essex. It was a two-month joint campaign led by Essex CC and Essex Police aimed at raising awareness of domestic abuse and breaking taboos. The campaign was unique in that it was developed in partnership with people who had survived domestic abuse and focused on the positives which result from leaving an abusive relationship. The campaign reached millions of people worldwide, achieved a 2,048% increase in website views across agencies, achieved positive national media coverage and even empowered victims to leave abusive relationships.

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE CCNottinghamshire CC holds an annual budget consultation, but this was a unique campaign due to an unprecedented financial challenge of £154m savings over three years. The 2014-15 budget is the first and most critical year, with a new administration keen to save £83m upfront and involve residents in shaping services. Nottinghamshire’s three-phased approach is unique because of the upfront and proactive communications that give as much information possible; the interlinking consultation stages; and the integrated approach to communication and consultation. This successfully motivated people to respond as residents understood the significance of how it could affect them.

ROCHFORD DCA network of charity litter bins was set up in Rayleigh to enable local people to do social good by putting their litter in the bin. Over three months, three local charities received a donation from The Wrigley Company depending on how much rubbish was collected from these bins. The eye-catching wrap around the bin clearly explained how people could support local projects simply by putting their litter in the bin. All litter was collected and weighed to measure any decrease in the amount of litter being dropped on the pavements.

SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE AND VALE OF WHITE HORSE DCsThe Sort it Out campaign was truly remarkable. The strong and exciting campaign encouraged and helped residents to recycle even more of their waste, using detailed analysis of current waste levels and public knowledge of waste services available. The councils sat proudly in the top three of Defra’s recycling tables but recognised that their recycling rates were falling and wanted to reverse that trend. The campaign used an app, calendars, a competition, social and traditional media advertising and other routes and received a great response from residents; recycling rates increased, bucking the national trend.

STOKE-ON-TRENT CITY COUNCIL Spot the Cheater is an innovative communications and marketing campaign which has led to Stoke-on-Trent City Council identifying savings of £2.7m. The initiative champions a zero-tolerance approach to tackling fraud, and focuses on raising awareness of four main areas: tenancy, benefits, council tax and Blue Badge cases. It encourages residents to buy into the authority’s counter-fraud culture, with them so far reporting more than 3,000 suspected ‘cheaters’, and strongly builds on ‘nudge’ theory – building momentum through peer reinforcement. Spot The Cheater has gained national recognition and is one of the council’s most successful campaigns to date.

Campaign of the Year

p10 campaign 2015.indd 10 08/01/2015 13:08

LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 11

JUDGES Maggie Atkinson, children’s commissioner for England Martin Smith, chief executive, Ealing LBC

CHESHIRE EAST COUNCIL Four4adoption is a pioneering collaboration of four local authorities (Cheshire East, Tameside, Trafford and Stockport) which have come together to raise the profile of adoption and increase the number of potential adopters in their local communities. It created a ‘one stop shop’ service for its diverse audience across the four authorities. This has involved the development of a simple, straightforward way for potential adopters to access all the initial information they need and move through the application and approval process without delay.

CHESHIRE WEST & CHESTER COUNCILThe integrated early support service (IES) aims to reduce demand on acute and reactive services, reduce duplication and ensure children, young people and families with multiple and complex needs plus victims and perpetrators of domestic abuse get the right help at the right time. It provides a single front door for practitioners with a multi-agency early support team offering advice, guidance and appropriate triage when a professional has concerns about a person or family.

EAST SUSSEX CCThrive, a three-year transformation programme, was set up in 2012 to ensure East Sussex has a financially sustainable children’s safeguarding system which acts in a proportionate, timely and effective way to reduce children and young people’s needs. Thrive involves whole system reform and investment in the workforce to develop more skilled, confident and relationship based practice. Thrive is a multi-agency approach which has enabled East Sussex to offer early help services to more families before their needs escalate.

GREENWICH RBCThe council runs a service to prevent foster and adoption placement breakdown. In 2003, two therapeutic social workers were appointed into the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Looked After Children (LAC) team. They developed a project which supported children and young people to remain in foster and adoptive homes. Working closely with the LAC education, fostering and adoption teams, the practitioners developed a unique model using the skills of social workers, play therapy and dyadic developmental psychotherapy (DDP) to address issues which affect a child’s ability to settle in a family.

LANCASHIRE CC – CURRICULUM SUPPORTIn response to a clear demand from primary schools concerned about implementing the government’s new national curriculum, Lancashire CC produced a set of support materials which helps schools identify the learning required and ideas for achieving them in exciting and creative opportunities. It consulted closely with school staff and has created imaginative and comprehensive materials aimed at meeting legal requirements and boosting standards. The programme is highly valued by national education leaders.

LANCASHIRE CC – EX-SERVICE PERSONNEL MENTORINGThis is a uniquely innovative programme fusing two

demographic groups towards one common aim: the reduction of barriers to inclusion for young people in schools. Lancashire’s programme provides positive role models from the ex-service personnel community who work with colleagues in education to improve attendance, progression and inclusion for young people in mainstream schools. This programme positively supports the wider communities of Lancashire and young people.

LANCASHIRE CC - #LIFESUPSANDDOWNSThe project was a countywide emotional health and wellbeing campaign led by young people for young people. The campaign was innovative and was based on the Five Ways to Wellbeing and was launched via a flash mob. The campaign was rolled out to schools and promoted via social media.

LEEDS CITY COUNCILFamily group conferences (FGCs) bring a child’s wider family network together to discuss concerns and plan future arrangements for the child. It puts the views of the child at the heart of decision-making. Leeds has made the city-wide expansion of FGCs central to its transformation of the system for vulnerable children. The increased use of FGCs results in better outcomes for vulnerable children, a safe and appropriate reduction in the number of children in care and significant cost savings for the authority.

NOTTINGHAM CITY COUNCIL Nottingham is ambitious to improve outcomes for children in care and the local community while supporting SMEs and cutting unemployment. The council’s business support team created an apprenticeship scheme that provides job opportunities for children leaving care. The project also increased commercial opportunities; increased employment in the local community; increased economic activity for local residents; and helped care leavers to gain formal qualifications.

PEMBROKESHIRE CCPembrokeshire merged the education and the children’s social care service under one directorate to tackle safeguarding failures. Previously the staff responsible for delivering children’s services sat in different directorates with different ways of working. Difficult and sensitive decisions were made to rebuild and refresh the leadership team and an entirely new senior management structure was implemented across the merged directorate by making external appointments to key posts and removing existing barriers to change.

THURROCK COUNCILBeat the Street is community physical activity project where individuals score points and win prizes by walking around the borough and tapping personal cards on walking sensors known as beat boxes. The project aimed to engage communities across Thurrock, especially children, with taking up more activity to help, halt or reduce obesity rates. Forty-seven out of 52 schools engaged with this project.

Children’s Services

p11 children 2015.indd 11 08/01/2015 13:35

Baker Tilly – largest providers of risk assurance services to the public sectorThe team at Baker Tilly is well versed in helping local authorities be the best that they possibly can be. Our experienced team takes a practical and robust approach and we are prepared to work in a way that suits individual council needs. We believe that building relationships is key to success.

• Providing specialist assurance, advisory and consultancy services.

• Supporting the commissioning of services.

• Encouraging local authorities to take an innovative approach.

• Working with local authorities to be the best that they can be.

For further information please contact:

Matt HumphreyPartner, Head of Local Government

T: +44 (0)776 468 8248 matthew.humphrey@bakertilly.co.uk

Baker Tilly Corporate Finance LLP, Baker Tilly Restructuring and Recovery LLP, Baker Tilly Risk Advisory Services LLP, Baker Tilly Tax and Advisory Services LLP, Baker Tilly UK Audit LLP and Baker Tilly Tax and Accounting Limited are not authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 but we are able in certain circumstances to offer a limited range of investment services because we are members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. We can provide these investment services if they are an incidental part of the professional services we have been engaged to provide. Baker Tilly & Co Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority to conduct a range of investment business activities. Baker Tilly Creditor Services LLP is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for credit-related regulated activities. This communication is designed for the information of readers. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, information contained in this communication may not be comprehensive and recipients should not act upon it without seeking professional advice. © 2014 Baker Tilly UK Group LLP, all rights reserved. 0591

www.bakertilly.co.uk

LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 13

JUDGES Manjeet Gill, chief executive, West Lindsey DC Matthew Humphrey, partner & national lead for services to local government, Baker Tilly Tony McArdle, chief executive, Lincolnshire CC Jo Turton, chief executive, Lancashire CC Nick Walkley, chief executive, Haringey LBC

A WORD FROM THE AWARD’S SPONSORBaker Tilly recognises that councils can, do and will continue to play a key part in the commissioning of services, both in their own right and collaboratively with others. Councils are uniquely positioned to draw together the relevant parts from across the communities they serve and in doing so, ensure best outcomes are achieved as a whole. It is this potential that attracted Baker Tilly to sponsor the category of commissioning pioneer, in the knowledge that we will be seeing new and innovative commissioning approaches start to emerge which are likely to provide the blueprint for future commissioning models, methods and practice.

Matthew Humphrey, partner, national lead for local government

matthew.humphrey@bakertilly.co.uk07764 688248www.bakertilly.co.uk

BRACKNELL FOREST COUNCIL The Berkshire shared agreement on public health has two aims: to join up and achieve the efficiency demanded in today’s economy, while maintaining a local focus. The joint commissioning of stop smoking services was an example of how the six unitaries in the county made it happen. Through partnership between Solutions 4 Health, the provider company, and the public health teams in each council, the programme surpassed all expectations. Quit numbers increased as disagreement decreased.

CHESHIRE WEST & CHESTER COUNCIL Cheshire West and Chester residents are living longer and healthier lives; this is something to celebrate. However this places greater demand on the council’s care services. Despite the financial pressures, the council saw this challenge as a great opportunity to innovate. Cheshire West and Chester used an overarching framework for commissioning based on the four “I’s” - interaction, innovation, investment and integration - to ensure its services are flexible to differing levels of demand and need.

COVENTRY CITY COUNCILThis project is the public health strategic commissioning story about the process, planning and support which have driven innovative ways of commissioning services and the resultant ground-breaking tenders and partnership working that has occurred, plus the cross-directorate support necessary to making it all possible. Throughout it all there are a number of partners, relationships, and new ways of working, which have led to the creation of exciting outcome focused delivery.

CROYDON LBCThe South London Special Educational Needs (SEN) Commissioning Programme is working beyond boroughs for a common goal: achieving the best outcomes for children with SENs efficiently. It is a partnership of 10 London boroughs, forming the largest sub-regional group in Greater London. The boroughs have an annual SEN spend of £66m with non-maintained/independent schools. This is unsustainable in the context of an increasing population of SEN children and tight finances. So far, the programme has identified savings of £462,000.

DURHAM CCDurham CC and its partners have transformed temporary accommodation provision through a new jointly commissioned approach to deliver real change and help reduce homelessness. In hard economic times, good quality and appropriate temporary accommodation for those who become homeless is essential. The Holistic Temporary Accommodation & Support Service is a new person-centred

commissioned service which has enabled over 90% of those presenting as homeless to access suitable alternative move-on accommodation and achieved a 95% reduction in the use of B&Bs.

LAMBETH, LEWISHAM AND SOUTHWARK LBCsThe three councils worked to ensure Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark citizens, particularly those with complex needs, got the right intervention at the right time, from universal credit application through to employment, supported by skills and training provision that meets the needs of the London labour market. Through transformation of public services they aim to co-commission integrated employment pathways tailored to meet the specific needs of priority residents on their personal journey in to work.

MEDWAY COUNCILThe council used a ‘price envelope’, setting a lowest and highest price for a given service; in this case the service was calls to service users’ houses to provide them with homecare. This was designed in such a way to deliver the target savings of £1.4m but also to safeguard and improve the service quality and prevent a race to the bottom on price. The council also used ratings for the successful bidders of gold, silver and bronze, which, through quality/price evaluations, allowed for continuous improvement and also attainment of value for money.

MERTON LBCMerton previously had an Alzheimer’s day centre which catered to only a few people with severe dementia. Together with its partners – Merton CCG, South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust, local voluntary sector organisations and people with dementia and their carers – Merton LBC remodelled the dementia service. Commissioned through the Alzheimer’s Society, Merton’s Dementia Hub is a unique community based service for people with dementia, their family and carers, at any stage in their journey, providing access to different health and social care professionals all under one roof.

SEFTON MBCIn 2013, the council decided to cease the community meals service and identify alternative ways to meet any assessed need for nutrition. This involved decommissioning the existing service and instead using the council’s ability to influence, facilitate and enable in order to commission for the desired outcomes. These outcomes included ensuring people’s needs are met, increasing community resilience, increasing choice and saving £250,000. The innovative approach to service user engagement and market development are now cited as best practice by local voluntary, community, faith and advocacy groups.

Commissioning Pioneer

p13 commission 2015.indd 13 08/01/2015 13:09

Baker Tilly – largest providers of risk assurance services to the public sectorThe team at Baker Tilly is well versed in helping local authorities be the best that they possibly can be. Our experienced team takes a practical and robust approach and we are prepared to work in a way that suits individual council needs. We believe that building relationships is key to success.

• Providing specialist assurance, advisory and consultancy services.

• Supporting the commissioning of services.

• Encouraging local authorities to take an innovative approach.

• Working with local authorities to be the best that they can be.

For further information please contact:

Matt HumphreyPartner, Head of Local Government

T: +44 (0)776 468 8248 matthew.humphrey@bakertilly.co.uk

Baker Tilly Corporate Finance LLP, Baker Tilly Restructuring and Recovery LLP, Baker Tilly Risk Advisory Services LLP, Baker Tilly Tax and Advisory Services LLP, Baker Tilly UK Audit LLP and Baker Tilly Tax and Accounting Limited are not authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 but we are able in certain circumstances to offer a limited range of investment services because we are members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. We can provide these investment services if they are an incidental part of the professional services we have been engaged to provide. Baker Tilly & Co Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority to conduct a range of investment business activities. Baker Tilly Creditor Services LLP is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for credit-related regulated activities. This communication is designed for the information of readers. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, information contained in this communication may not be comprehensive and recipients should not act upon it without seeking professional advice. © 2014 Baker Tilly UK Group LLP, all rights reserved. 0591

www.bakertilly.co.uk

LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 13

JUDGES Manjeet Gill, chief executive, West Lindsey DC Matthew Humphrey, partner & national lead for services to local government, Baker Tilly Tony McArdle, chief executive, Lincolnshire CC Jo Turton, chief executive, Lancashire CC Nick Walkley, chief executive, Haringey LBC

A WORD FROM THE AWARD’S SPONSORBaker Tilly recognises that councils can, do and will continue to play a key part in the commissioning of services, both in their own right and collaboratively with others. Councils are uniquely positioned to draw together the relevant parts from across the communities they serve and in doing so, ensure best outcomes are achieved as a whole. It is this potential that attracted Baker Tilly to sponsor the category of commissioning pioneer, in the knowledge that we will be seeing new and innovative commissioning approaches start to emerge which are likely to provide the blueprint for future commissioning models, methods and practice.

Matthew Humphrey, partner, national lead for local government

matthew.humphrey@bakertilly.co.uk07764 688248www.bakertilly.co.uk

BRACKNELL FOREST COUNCIL The Berkshire shared agreement on public health has two aims: to join up and achieve the efficiency demanded in today’s economy, while maintaining a local focus. The joint commissioning of stop smoking services was an example of how the six unitaries in the county made it happen. Through partnership between Solutions 4 Health, the provider company, and the public health teams in each council, the programme surpassed all expectations. Quit numbers increased as disagreement decreased.

CHESHIRE WEST & CHESTER COUNCIL Cheshire West and Chester residents are living longer and healthier lives; this is something to celebrate. However this places greater demand on the council’s care services. Despite the financial pressures, the council saw this challenge as a great opportunity to innovate. Cheshire West and Chester used an overarching framework for commissioning based on the four “I’s” - interaction, innovation, investment and integration - to ensure its services are flexible to differing levels of demand and need.

COVENTRY CITY COUNCILThis project is the public health strategic commissioning story about the process, planning and support which have driven innovative ways of commissioning services and the resultant ground-breaking tenders and partnership working that has occurred, plus the cross-directorate support necessary to making it all possible. Throughout it all there are a number of partners, relationships, and new ways of working, which have led to the creation of exciting outcome focused delivery.

CROYDON LBCThe South London Special Educational Needs (SEN) Commissioning Programme is working beyond boroughs for a common goal: achieving the best outcomes for children with SENs efficiently. It is a partnership of 10 London boroughs, forming the largest sub-regional group in Greater London. The boroughs have an annual SEN spend of £66m with non-maintained/independent schools. This is unsustainable in the context of an increasing population of SEN children and tight finances. So far, the programme has identified savings of £462,000.

DURHAM CCDurham CC and its partners have transformed temporary accommodation provision through a new jointly commissioned approach to deliver real change and help reduce homelessness. In hard economic times, good quality and appropriate temporary accommodation for those who become homeless is essential. The Holistic Temporary Accommodation & Support Service is a new person-centred

commissioned service which has enabled over 90% of those presenting as homeless to access suitable alternative move-on accommodation and achieved a 95% reduction in the use of B&Bs.

LAMBETH, LEWISHAM AND SOUTHWARK LBCsThe three councils worked to ensure Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark citizens, particularly those with complex needs, got the right intervention at the right time, from universal credit application through to employment, supported by skills and training provision that meets the needs of the London labour market. Through transformation of public services they aim to co-commission integrated employment pathways tailored to meet the specific needs of priority residents on their personal journey in to work.

MEDWAY COUNCILThe council used a ‘price envelope’, setting a lowest and highest price for a given service; in this case the service was calls to service users’ houses to provide them with homecare. This was designed in such a way to deliver the target savings of £1.4m but also to safeguard and improve the service quality and prevent a race to the bottom on price. The council also used ratings for the successful bidders of gold, silver and bronze, which, through quality/price evaluations, allowed for continuous improvement and also attainment of value for money.

MERTON LBCMerton previously had an Alzheimer’s day centre which catered to only a few people with severe dementia. Together with its partners – Merton CCG, South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust, local voluntary sector organisations and people with dementia and their carers – Merton LBC remodelled the dementia service. Commissioned through the Alzheimer’s Society, Merton’s Dementia Hub is a unique community based service for people with dementia, their family and carers, at any stage in their journey, providing access to different health and social care professionals all under one roof.

SEFTON MBCIn 2013, the council decided to cease the community meals service and identify alternative ways to meet any assessed need for nutrition. This involved decommissioning the existing service and instead using the council’s ability to influence, facilitate and enable in order to commission for the desired outcomes. These outcomes included ensuring people’s needs are met, increasing community resilience, increasing choice and saving £250,000. The innovative approach to service user engagement and market development are now cited as best practice by local voluntary, community, faith and advocacy groups.

Commissioning Pioneer

p13 commission 2015.indd 13 08/01/2015 13:09

14 Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle LGCplus.com

JUDGES Trevor Boyd, managing director - adults, health and communities, Buckinghamshire CC Trevor Holden, chief executive, Luton LBC Nigel Pearson, chief executive, East Riding of Yorkshire Council Diana Terris, chief executive, Barnsley MBC

BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL Following the success of Birmingham City Council’s Be Active scheme, the city has piloted the Active Parks programme: a ‘leisure centre without walls’ approach which enables people to get active in local parks. The programme was designed to tackle health inequalities by getting people more physically active by removing cost as a barrier and provide locally accessible places to be physically active. Six parks took part in the pilot providing free formal and informal physical activity sessions.

EAST RENFREWSHIRE COUNCILThis project was designed to put in place the service delivery mechanisms required to provide ‘Bikeability’ on-road cycle training at Primary Schools in East Renfrewshire. All 23 primary schools delivered on-road training in 2014, the first local authority in Scotland to achieve 100% participation. Training standards and pupil results have improved thanks to training and support programmes tailored to meet schools’ needs.

ENFIELD LBCDeveloping resilient communities and giving local people more opportunities to influence the issues that matter to them and to shape the environment in which they live are two of Enfield LBC’s strategic aims. It has developed a number of initiatives, some that enable service users and their families to shape and monitor the services they use, and others that empower residents to provide advice to people in their neighbourhoods and across the borough.

LANCASHIRE CCLancashire’s is a uniquely innovative programme fusing two distinct demographic groups towards one common aim: the reduction of barriers to inclusion for young people in schools. It provides positive role models from the ex-service personnel community who work alongside their colleagues in education to improve attendance, progression and inclusion for young people in mainstream schools across Lancashire. This programme positively supports the wider communities of Lancashire and young people.

MANCHESTER CITY COUNCILThis project was to restore of the Grade II-listed Alexandra Park. Improvements to the park landscape, buildings and sporting facilities were funded by Manchester City Council, the Heritage Lottery Fund, Sport England, the English Cricket Board and the Lawn Tennis Association. Works included the restoration of the pavilion, lake, ornamental features and boundary walls; conversion of the lodge into a

community building; and new tennis courts, cricket field, pitches and play area.

SHEPWAY DCThe Community Safety Unit and Shepway DC have encouraged local communities to reclaim public spaces and improve them. The idea is to develop areas that become both self-policing and self-maintained, where people have a connection and ownership. Through working with a community safety officer and their community store, which supplies equipment such as paint, litter pickers and other various hand tools, communities have worked on a wide range of projects to improve their area, including working with pupils from the schools exclusion units.

TAMESIDE MBCFollowing a high profile case in March 2010 involving the death of a local resident with learning difficulties who suffered from bullying and discrimination, Tameside MBC and partners worked together to improve their approach to hate crime. Driven by recommendations within the serious case review and by a desire to increase engagement with both physically disabled and learning disabled people, Tameside involved its communities in projects designed to raise awareness of the impact of hate crime.

WELWYN HATFIELD BCThe Welwyn Hatfield Dragons Apprentice Partnership was a key success in the council’s economic strategy to enable young people to acquire skills and compete for local jobs. The project gave young people at local schools a project to turn £100 in seed capital into £1,000 for local charities. Local businesses provided the seed capital and mentoring, while third sector organisations gave further insight. The young people secured work placements from employers, council engagement with businesses has increased and the local voluntary sector has attracted funds.

WORCESTERSHIRE CCWorcestershire CC manages and supports 21 static libraries, along with prison, mobile, schools and libraries at home services and more 200 community link libraries. In 2011 it decided to transform its library offer. The aim was to develop libraries into community focused centres with multiple services under one roof, reflecting the needs of the 21st century. This ambitious programme, which has depended on engagement and consultation with local communities at every stage of the process, has resulted in innovative bespoke solutions with significant benefits to the communities.

Community Involvement

p14 community 2015.indd 14 08/01/2015 13:09

LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 15

JUDGES Tim Shields, chief executive, Hackney LBC Dave Smith, chief executive, Sunderland City Council

BRIGHTON & HOVE CITY COUNCILThe Greater Brighton Investment Programme has been allocated £92m of government investment over the past six months and is supporting Brighton’s transition to a high-growth, dynamic economy which generates new private sector jobs at a faster rate than anywhere in England. A programme of regeneration and investment in infrastructure, its activities include a £1.8m business support programme; improvements to public transport; major regeneration of the high street area; and the construction of the state-of-the-art i360 observation tower.

CHELMSFORD CITY COUNCILChelmsford City Council’s strategy focuses on attracting investment, delivering infrastructure and housing and providing high quality public places. Through building successful partnerships with business, the local enterprise partnership, central government departments and key infrastructure delivery partners, Chelmsford has created or protected 500 jobs; protected 1,000 homes and commercial premises from flooding; engaged the construction of 6,000 new homes; helped implement an innovation centre to support 45 new businesses; improved commuter journeys; and secured £75m in infrastructure investment.

CHESHIRE WEST & CHESTER COUNCILThe Growth Advocate project builds on the council’s growth strategy, focusing on behaviours across all the council services in a holistic and comprehensive way to drive growth from within the council by creating an ‘open for business’ culture. As part of the programme key members of staff in all services disseminate messages about the council’s growth ambitions to include all services and as many partners as possible in growth.

KENT CCKent CC took action to improve the supply of finance to local businesses. By making interest-free loans to businesses in Kent, Medway, Thurrock and East Sussex financed by £55m of regional growth fund money, Kent CC has delivered 5,500 jobs and aims to create 8,000 by 2016. It worked with district councils and a business-led investment advisory board to identify the investment proposals with the most impact.

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE CCNorthamptonshire CC has developed a package of investment and activities supporting innovation, growth and start-ups. Its initiatives include the launch of an innovation and enterprise fund, investing £435,000 in 30 local businesses; a package of financial incentives to SMEs to relocate to the county; a programme to encourage local businesses to use digital technology; an enterprise hub providing support and information to entrepreneurs; and a growth hub providing a single contact point for all business support.

NORTH EAST LINCOLNSHIRE COUNCILE-factor is an independent social enterprise

supporting small businesses on behalf of North East Lincolnshire CC in an area of deprivation, low aspirations and high unemployment. It inspires individuals to choose self-employment and enterprise. So far, 77 businesses start-ups have lasted over a year; 1,250 jobs have been created; 498 people have been taken off benefits; and over 4,500 children have been engaged in enterprise activity.

SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE AND VALE OF WHITE HORSE DCsThe councils have risen to the growth challenge by developing effective partnerships between the LEP, communities and businesses to accelerate economic and housing growth and to capture investment in infrastructure and innovation. Through consultation forums and by supporting the development of neighbourhood plans the councils sought to give communities greater say over development. Over the period April 2013 to September 2014 it captured over £420m in capital investment.

STOKE-ON-TRENT CITY COUNCIL In 2011, Stoke-on-Trent City Council launched Mandate for Change, which aimed to completely reshape the authority’s relationships with public and private sector partners in order to secure investment and spur economic growth. Alongside a transformational capital investment programme which provided improved educational facilities throughout the city, this strategy has turned Stoke-on-Trent’s economic fortunes around. This has catapulted Stoke-on-Trent to third fastest growing city economy in the UK and the fourth best in terms of job creation.

TELFORD & WREKIN COUNCILOver the past three years the council has delivered housing and economic growth at an impressive rate. It established a whole-council commercial approach and proactively sought investment to deliver jobs, homes and prosperity. Notable initiatives were the development of its commercial solar farm, which will deliver a minimum of £160,000 per annum from 2015; the creation of a wholly owned company to deliver 425 quality new homes for private market rent; and increasing business rate income by £2,029,000 over 2013-14.

WIRRAL MBCWirral BC has continued to deliver on its ambitious and innovative approach to driving economic growth. Key to its success has been its strong public/private sector partnership focused on delivering an agreed investment strategy that builds on its strengths, targets key growth sectors, utilises partners’ resources, engages strategically with government and co-ordinates activity. Its success was evidenced by Birkenhead being given national recognition for having a high concentration of fast growing companies, by significant new investment and jobs and by delivering some of the most exciting investment projects in the country.

Driving Growth

p15 driving growth 2015.indd 15 08/01/2015 13:10

14 Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle LGCplus.com

JUDGES Trevor Boyd, managing director - adults, health and communities, Buckinghamshire CC Trevor Holden, chief executive, Luton LBC Nigel Pearson, chief executive, East Riding of Yorkshire Council Diana Terris, chief executive, Barnsley MBC

BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL Following the success of Birmingham City Council’s Be Active scheme, the city has piloted the Active Parks programme: a ‘leisure centre without walls’ approach which enables people to get active in local parks. The programme was designed to tackle health inequalities by getting people more physically active by removing cost as a barrier and provide locally accessible places to be physically active. Six parks took part in the pilot providing free formal and informal physical activity sessions.

EAST RENFREWSHIRE COUNCILThis project was designed to put in place the service delivery mechanisms required to provide ‘Bikeability’ on-road cycle training at Primary Schools in East Renfrewshire. All 23 primary schools delivered on-road training in 2014, the first local authority in Scotland to achieve 100% participation. Training standards and pupil results have improved thanks to training and support programmes tailored to meet schools’ needs.

ENFIELD LBCDeveloping resilient communities and giving local people more opportunities to influence the issues that matter to them and to shape the environment in which they live are two of Enfield LBC’s strategic aims. It has developed a number of initiatives, some that enable service users and their families to shape and monitor the services they use, and others that empower residents to provide advice to people in their neighbourhoods and across the borough.

LANCASHIRE CCLancashire’s is a uniquely innovative programme fusing two distinct demographic groups towards one common aim: the reduction of barriers to inclusion for young people in schools. It provides positive role models from the ex-service personnel community who work alongside their colleagues in education to improve attendance, progression and inclusion for young people in mainstream schools across Lancashire. This programme positively supports the wider communities of Lancashire and young people.

MANCHESTER CITY COUNCILThis project was to restore of the Grade II-listed Alexandra Park. Improvements to the park landscape, buildings and sporting facilities were funded by Manchester City Council, the Heritage Lottery Fund, Sport England, the English Cricket Board and the Lawn Tennis Association. Works included the restoration of the pavilion, lake, ornamental features and boundary walls; conversion of the lodge into a

community building; and new tennis courts, cricket field, pitches and play area.

SHEPWAY DCThe Community Safety Unit and Shepway DC have encouraged local communities to reclaim public spaces and improve them. The idea is to develop areas that become both self-policing and self-maintained, where people have a connection and ownership. Through working with a community safety officer and their community store, which supplies equipment such as paint, litter pickers and other various hand tools, communities have worked on a wide range of projects to improve their area, including working with pupils from the schools exclusion units.

TAMESIDE MBCFollowing a high profile case in March 2010 involving the death of a local resident with learning difficulties who suffered from bullying and discrimination, Tameside MBC and partners worked together to improve their approach to hate crime. Driven by recommendations within the serious case review and by a desire to increase engagement with both physically disabled and learning disabled people, Tameside involved its communities in projects designed to raise awareness of the impact of hate crime.

WELWYN HATFIELD BCThe Welwyn Hatfield Dragons Apprentice Partnership was a key success in the council’s economic strategy to enable young people to acquire skills and compete for local jobs. The project gave young people at local schools a project to turn £100 in seed capital into £1,000 for local charities. Local businesses provided the seed capital and mentoring, while third sector organisations gave further insight. The young people secured work placements from employers, council engagement with businesses has increased and the local voluntary sector has attracted funds.

WORCESTERSHIRE CCWorcestershire CC manages and supports 21 static libraries, along with prison, mobile, schools and libraries at home services and more 200 community link libraries. In 2011 it decided to transform its library offer. The aim was to develop libraries into community focused centres with multiple services under one roof, reflecting the needs of the 21st century. This ambitious programme, which has depended on engagement and consultation with local communities at every stage of the process, has resulted in innovative bespoke solutions with significant benefits to the communities.

Community Involvement

p14 community 2015.indd 14 08/01/2015 13:09

LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 15

JUDGES Tim Shields, chief executive, Hackney LBC Dave Smith, chief executive, Sunderland City Council

BRIGHTON & HOVE CITY COUNCILThe Greater Brighton Investment Programme has been allocated £92m of government investment over the past six months and is supporting Brighton’s transition to a high-growth, dynamic economy which generates new private sector jobs at a faster rate than anywhere in England. A programme of regeneration and investment in infrastructure, its activities include a £1.8m business support programme; improvements to public transport; major regeneration of the high street area; and the construction of the state-of-the-art i360 observation tower.

CHELMSFORD CITY COUNCILChelmsford City Council’s strategy focuses on attracting investment, delivering infrastructure and housing and providing high quality public places. Through building successful partnerships with business, the local enterprise partnership, central government departments and key infrastructure delivery partners, Chelmsford has created or protected 500 jobs; protected 1,000 homes and commercial premises from flooding; engaged the construction of 6,000 new homes; helped implement an innovation centre to support 45 new businesses; improved commuter journeys; and secured £75m in infrastructure investment.

CHESHIRE WEST & CHESTER COUNCILThe Growth Advocate project builds on the council’s growth strategy, focusing on behaviours across all the council services in a holistic and comprehensive way to drive growth from within the council by creating an ‘open for business’ culture. As part of the programme key members of staff in all services disseminate messages about the council’s growth ambitions to include all services and as many partners as possible in growth.

KENT CCKent CC took action to improve the supply of finance to local businesses. By making interest-free loans to businesses in Kent, Medway, Thurrock and East Sussex financed by £55m of regional growth fund money, Kent CC has delivered 5,500 jobs and aims to create 8,000 by 2016. It worked with district councils and a business-led investment advisory board to identify the investment proposals with the most impact.

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE CCNorthamptonshire CC has developed a package of investment and activities supporting innovation, growth and start-ups. Its initiatives include the launch of an innovation and enterprise fund, investing £435,000 in 30 local businesses; a package of financial incentives to SMEs to relocate to the county; a programme to encourage local businesses to use digital technology; an enterprise hub providing support and information to entrepreneurs; and a growth hub providing a single contact point for all business support.

NORTH EAST LINCOLNSHIRE COUNCILE-factor is an independent social enterprise

supporting small businesses on behalf of North East Lincolnshire CC in an area of deprivation, low aspirations and high unemployment. It inspires individuals to choose self-employment and enterprise. So far, 77 businesses start-ups have lasted over a year; 1,250 jobs have been created; 498 people have been taken off benefits; and over 4,500 children have been engaged in enterprise activity.

SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE AND VALE OF WHITE HORSE DCsThe councils have risen to the growth challenge by developing effective partnerships between the LEP, communities and businesses to accelerate economic and housing growth and to capture investment in infrastructure and innovation. Through consultation forums and by supporting the development of neighbourhood plans the councils sought to give communities greater say over development. Over the period April 2013 to September 2014 it captured over £420m in capital investment.

STOKE-ON-TRENT CITY COUNCIL In 2011, Stoke-on-Trent City Council launched Mandate for Change, which aimed to completely reshape the authority’s relationships with public and private sector partners in order to secure investment and spur economic growth. Alongside a transformational capital investment programme which provided improved educational facilities throughout the city, this strategy has turned Stoke-on-Trent’s economic fortunes around. This has catapulted Stoke-on-Trent to third fastest growing city economy in the UK and the fourth best in terms of job creation.

TELFORD & WREKIN COUNCILOver the past three years the council has delivered housing and economic growth at an impressive rate. It established a whole-council commercial approach and proactively sought investment to deliver jobs, homes and prosperity. Notable initiatives were the development of its commercial solar farm, which will deliver a minimum of £160,000 per annum from 2015; the creation of a wholly owned company to deliver 425 quality new homes for private market rent; and increasing business rate income by £2,029,000 over 2013-14.

WIRRAL MBCWirral BC has continued to deliver on its ambitious and innovative approach to driving economic growth. Key to its success has been its strong public/private sector partnership focused on delivering an agreed investment strategy that builds on its strengths, targets key growth sectors, utilises partners’ resources, engages strategically with government and co-ordinates activity. Its success was evidenced by Birkenhead being given national recognition for having a high concentration of fast growing companies, by significant new investment and jobs and by delivering some of the most exciting investment projects in the country.

Driving Growth

p15 driving growth 2015.indd 15 08/01/2015 13:10

Civica is a market leader in specialist systems and with experienced people and business process services, we can help your organisation transform the way you work.

Do more

A 10-year IT outsourcing partnership with Civica is helping Luton Borough Council create IT-based savings and improve front line services as part of a broader programme to save £12 million.

Do better

The London Borough of Tower Hamlets slashed benefits application processing times from 33 days to 6 with Civica’s electronic post room, supported by efficient back-scanning of 9.2 million documents.

Spend less

Civica’s financials solution is helping South Gloucestershire Council improve business processes & working practices via self-service to save £100k.

For more information visit www.civica.co.uk or email enquiries@civica.co.uk

Civica are proud sponsors of the Driving efficiency through technology at the LGC awards 2015

@CivicaUK www.linkedin.com/company/civica

Helping local authorities Do more. Do better. Spend less.

Transform the way you work

4304_Civica_LGC_A4_Advert Advert_v1.indd 1 27/11/2014 09:11

LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 17

JUDGES Rob Leak, chief executive, Enfield LBC Steve Shakespeare, managing director, Civica Services

A WORD FROM THE AWARD’S SPONSOR

Civica is a market leader in specialist systems and business process services that help front line organisations around the world to transform the way they work. We provide software applications, cloud services and IT-enhanced outsourcing to bring about improved and more efficient services for our customers. Above all in the markets we serve, people matter. Combining exceptional customer focus, experience and commitment, it is the people of Civica and our culture that sets us apart. Our people combine in-depth knowledge of our customers’ business with expertise in service delivery and technology. With a clear vision to help customers do more, do better and spend less, we build on that knowledge to facilitate, improve and ultimately transform a wide range of customer business processes. It’s what makes us the leading provider of our kind. Every day our products and services help professionals across local government, education, health care, community protection and regulated services to deliver responsive services, reduced costs and better outcomes.

BLACKBURN WITH DARWEN COUNCIL Blackburn with Darwen Council introduced Assisted Living Technology (ALT) in 2008 to manage the growing and changing care needs of an ageing population. It had an immediate impact on quality of life and demand for services. Evaluation of 50 early users showed significantly reduced need for social care support. Between 2008 and 2012, £2.2m savings were directly attributed to ALT. With massive financial challenges from 2015-16, the ‘mainstreaming’ of ALT is now central to the council’s business strategy.

CHESHIRE FIRE AUTHORITYCheshire Fire & Rescue Service delivers some the best incident command training in the UK. Its state-of-the-art Incident Command Training Suite is an immersive 3D virtual simulator which provides live practical training to experience incident or crisis situations using various scenarios encountered by emergency services and other bodies. The suite provides the most realistic training environment seen around the world today, is used daily, and can run multi-sectored incidents to enhance partnership working and joint response.

DURHAM CCThe implementation of the new system for payments to residential care providers was an important strategic development in enabling the council to commission residential and nursing care services in the most cost effective and efficient way. The development has provided a fully integrated financial assessment, charging and payments process for residential care services, which went live with providers in August 2013.

ESSEX CCEssex’s Information Services Modernisation enabled Essex CC to fundamentally change the way it works, embracing the mantra that ‘work is something you do, not somewhere you go’. Technology has been fundamental to achieving this with over 85% of the 10,000 workforce being mobile and 20% of its workforce connecting remotely every day. This transformation has enabled major property rationalisation, with repurposed office spaces. Employees now meet virtually with colleagues and collaborate with partners seamlessly, making Essex more efficient as well as reducing costs.

HULL CITY COUNCIL Hull City Council created Kingstown Works Ltd as a building repairs and maintenance company. It is a sustainable business which continually challenges itself to improve its social, economic and environmental impact and performance. KWL explored every opportunity through investing in technology, staff and infrastructure to reduce its impact on the environment and achieved this by transforming the energy efficiency of its headquarters and onsite working practices.

ISLINGTON LBCAs the first local authority to introduce paperless residents’ permits for parking, Islington’s programme of using innovative technological solutions to drive down costs and increase the efficiency of parking services has seen it realise significant savings. The project’s overarching aim was to reduce costs, increase

efficiency and improve the customer experience across all parking services. The project included: introduction of virtual parking permits; use of smart cars equipped with cameras and automatic number plate recognition; and smarter use of data through the creation of heat-maps and ‘live data dashboards’.

LANCASHIRE CC The Tenancy Hours Calculator is part of a wider project to remodel supported living for people with learning disabilities in Lancashire. The project was tasked with reducing the cost of supported living by £6.5m over two years. A number of strategies were introduced, eg expanding the use of assistive technology. At the project’s initiation, a requirement was specified to create a ‘Lancashire Toolkit’ – a shared hours calculator, to be used universally to accurately calculate the share of hours in supported living. An officer worked on the development of a new calculator and lead the rollout.

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE CCNottinghamshire CC’s project strove to implement a fully digitised legal practice through using the full functionality of existing software or ordinary off-the-shelf software products rather than bespoke software or case management systems. It also aimed to work with external agencies such as the Nottinghamshire Family Court on the creation of a fully digitised courtroom which sees the local authority and the family court working wholly electronically.

SOUTHWARK LBCMySouthwark is more than a project that will give customers the freedom and convenience to undertake all their online council transactions from a single account. Its 80,000 registered customers already benefit from: personalised home page, displaying up to 25 data-sets chosen by the user; single sign-in to their online accounts; council tax, benefits and landlords; library; rent, leaseholder, garage and sundry accounts; repairs history and report a new repair; community forum; pre-population, save facility and full log of all e-forms.

SUFFOLK CCSuffolk CC’s personal agile computing project aimed to deliver the technology necessary for an agile workforce. The project will implement technology that will mean all council workers will be able to work in the field, from a choice of offices and from home. It features tools and applications that facilitate collaboration. Workers will no longer rely on deskbound IT but use personal IT kit that is mobile, while cloud services will be adopted to take advantage of the cost cutting, flexible and on demand services as well as internet access to information and documents from anywhere.

TELLMESCOTLAND.GOV.UKTellmescotland.gov.uk is Scotland’s national public information notices (PINs) portal, allowing notices across Scotland to be published and viewed by the public in a single online location for the first time. PINs are announcements that councils/organisations are legally required to publish - statutory notices such as road closures, licensing & planning developments and service change notices such as refuse collection. Previously, citizens had to find this in the local press.

NEW Driving Efficiency Through Technology

p17 driving efficiency 2015.indd 17 08/01/2015 13:10

Civica is a market leader in specialist systems and with experienced people and business process services, we can help your organisation transform the way you work.

Do more

A 10-year IT outsourcing partnership with Civica is helping Luton Borough Council create IT-based savings and improve front line services as part of a broader programme to save £12 million.

Do better

The London Borough of Tower Hamlets slashed benefits application processing times from 33 days to 6 with Civica’s electronic post room, supported by efficient back-scanning of 9.2 million documents.

Spend less

Civica’s financials solution is helping South Gloucestershire Council improve business processes & working practices via self-service to save £100k.

For more information visit www.civica.co.uk or email enquiries@civica.co.uk

Civica are proud sponsors of the Driving efficiency through technology at the LGC awards 2015

@CivicaUK www.linkedin.com/company/civica

Helping local authorities Do more. Do better. Spend less.

Transform the way you work

4304_Civica_LGC_A4_Advert Advert_v1.indd 1 27/11/2014 09:11

LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 17

JUDGES Rob Leak, chief executive, Enfield LBC Steve Shakespeare, managing director, Civica Services

A WORD FROM THE AWARD’S SPONSOR

Civica is a market leader in specialist systems and business process services that help front line organisations around the world to transform the way they work. We provide software applications, cloud services and IT-enhanced outsourcing to bring about improved and more efficient services for our customers. Above all in the markets we serve, people matter. Combining exceptional customer focus, experience and commitment, it is the people of Civica and our culture that sets us apart. Our people combine in-depth knowledge of our customers’ business with expertise in service delivery and technology. With a clear vision to help customers do more, do better and spend less, we build on that knowledge to facilitate, improve and ultimately transform a wide range of customer business processes. It’s what makes us the leading provider of our kind. Every day our products and services help professionals across local government, education, health care, community protection and regulated services to deliver responsive services, reduced costs and better outcomes.

BLACKBURN WITH DARWEN COUNCIL Blackburn with Darwen Council introduced Assisted Living Technology (ALT) in 2008 to manage the growing and changing care needs of an ageing population. It had an immediate impact on quality of life and demand for services. Evaluation of 50 early users showed significantly reduced need for social care support. Between 2008 and 2012, £2.2m savings were directly attributed to ALT. With massive financial challenges from 2015-16, the ‘mainstreaming’ of ALT is now central to the council’s business strategy.

CHESHIRE FIRE AUTHORITYCheshire Fire & Rescue Service delivers some the best incident command training in the UK. Its state-of-the-art Incident Command Training Suite is an immersive 3D virtual simulator which provides live practical training to experience incident or crisis situations using various scenarios encountered by emergency services and other bodies. The suite provides the most realistic training environment seen around the world today, is used daily, and can run multi-sectored incidents to enhance partnership working and joint response.

DURHAM CCThe implementation of the new system for payments to residential care providers was an important strategic development in enabling the council to commission residential and nursing care services in the most cost effective and efficient way. The development has provided a fully integrated financial assessment, charging and payments process for residential care services, which went live with providers in August 2013.

ESSEX CCEssex’s Information Services Modernisation enabled Essex CC to fundamentally change the way it works, embracing the mantra that ‘work is something you do, not somewhere you go’. Technology has been fundamental to achieving this with over 85% of the 10,000 workforce being mobile and 20% of its workforce connecting remotely every day. This transformation has enabled major property rationalisation, with repurposed office spaces. Employees now meet virtually with colleagues and collaborate with partners seamlessly, making Essex more efficient as well as reducing costs.

HULL CITY COUNCIL Hull City Council created Kingstown Works Ltd as a building repairs and maintenance company. It is a sustainable business which continually challenges itself to improve its social, economic and environmental impact and performance. KWL explored every opportunity through investing in technology, staff and infrastructure to reduce its impact on the environment and achieved this by transforming the energy efficiency of its headquarters and onsite working practices.

ISLINGTON LBCAs the first local authority to introduce paperless residents’ permits for parking, Islington’s programme of using innovative technological solutions to drive down costs and increase the efficiency of parking services has seen it realise significant savings. The project’s overarching aim was to reduce costs, increase

efficiency and improve the customer experience across all parking services. The project included: introduction of virtual parking permits; use of smart cars equipped with cameras and automatic number plate recognition; and smarter use of data through the creation of heat-maps and ‘live data dashboards’.

LANCASHIRE CC The Tenancy Hours Calculator is part of a wider project to remodel supported living for people with learning disabilities in Lancashire. The project was tasked with reducing the cost of supported living by £6.5m over two years. A number of strategies were introduced, eg expanding the use of assistive technology. At the project’s initiation, a requirement was specified to create a ‘Lancashire Toolkit’ – a shared hours calculator, to be used universally to accurately calculate the share of hours in supported living. An officer worked on the development of a new calculator and lead the rollout.

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE CCNottinghamshire CC’s project strove to implement a fully digitised legal practice through using the full functionality of existing software or ordinary off-the-shelf software products rather than bespoke software or case management systems. It also aimed to work with external agencies such as the Nottinghamshire Family Court on the creation of a fully digitised courtroom which sees the local authority and the family court working wholly electronically.

SOUTHWARK LBCMySouthwark is more than a project that will give customers the freedom and convenience to undertake all their online council transactions from a single account. Its 80,000 registered customers already benefit from: personalised home page, displaying up to 25 data-sets chosen by the user; single sign-in to their online accounts; council tax, benefits and landlords; library; rent, leaseholder, garage and sundry accounts; repairs history and report a new repair; community forum; pre-population, save facility and full log of all e-forms.

SUFFOLK CCSuffolk CC’s personal agile computing project aimed to deliver the technology necessary for an agile workforce. The project will implement technology that will mean all council workers will be able to work in the field, from a choice of offices and from home. It features tools and applications that facilitate collaboration. Workers will no longer rely on deskbound IT but use personal IT kit that is mobile, while cloud services will be adopted to take advantage of the cost cutting, flexible and on demand services as well as internet access to information and documents from anywhere.

TELLMESCOTLAND.GOV.UKTellmescotland.gov.uk is Scotland’s national public information notices (PINs) portal, allowing notices across Scotland to be published and viewed by the public in a single online location for the first time. PINs are announcements that councils/organisations are legally required to publish - statutory notices such as road closures, licensing & planning developments and service change notices such as refuse collection. Previously, citizens had to find this in the local press.

NEW Driving Efficiency Through Technology

p17 driving efficiency 2015.indd 17 08/01/2015 13:10

The National Audit Office is pleased to support the Efficiency award

Find out more about the work of the NAO:www.nao.org.uk | @NAOorguk | Tel: 020 7798 7000

LGC Awards Advert 2014 - NEW.indd 1 18/12/2014 10:47:08

LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 19

JUDGES Sarah Pickup, deputy chief executive, Hertfordshire CC Mike Suffield, lead director, National Audit Office Rob Whiteman, chief executive, Cipfa Adam Wilkinson, chief executive, Derby City Council

A WORD FROM THE AWARD’S SPONSORThe National Audit Office (NAO) scrutinises public spending for Parliament. Our public audit perspective helps Parliament hold government to account and supports the improvement of public services.

Our new powers under the Local Audit and Accountability Act allow us not only to hold central government to account but also to provide advice on value for money to local government.

To support this, we work increasingly with local authorities to understand the challenges they face and how they are responding.Examining efficiency and effectiveness in government is a key focus for the NAO’s work, and so we are pleased to sponsor the Efficiency category of the LGC Awards.

BARNET LBCBarnet LBC outsourced its back office support functions to Capita. An important aspect of the partnership is the delivery of a procurement savings and efficiency programme of £66m over 10 years, through sourcing services more efficiently, driving greater value for money, which will in turn fund the wider council investment. Within the first contract year, savings and transformation targets are being significantly exceeded and the service the procurement team delivers is seen as being of huge importance in helping deliver wider council benefits.

BRADFORD MBCBradford MBC undertook a review of highways maintenance. It used customer values as measures so the project team could demonstrate service performance and identify the root causes of problems and ways to resolve them. This resulted in a revised approach to the maintenance programme, focusing on improved quality. The headline benefits included: reducing repair times from 18 days to 2.6 days; cutting distance travelled by crews by 42%; reducing CO2 omissions; and a reoccurring annual revenue cost saving of £400,000.

BRENT LBCBrent LBC, with Brent Housing Partnership, has become the first UK local authority to procure and award a service contract to provide a range of integrated public services. The contract has delivered cost savings and service improvements. It also offers job opportunities and supports the borough’s key priorities: to create a safer, cleaner and greener environment where people want to live and work; to make the borough sustainable and fit for future generations; and to create jobs, growth and fair pay for local people.

CHESHIRE WEST & CHESTER COUNCIL Cheshire West & Chester Council was born out of the Local Government Review in 2009. This allowed it to eliminate duplication, reducing full-time employees from 5,200 to 4,700. It saved £35m in the council’s first 12 months. Since then, its efficiency agenda has seen it save over £113m (April 2009-March 2014). It has achieved this through a culture of innovation. In particular it is leading the way with its prevention agenda, sharing services with neighbouring authorities and creating standalone organisations.

ESSEX CCThe Information Services Modernisation enabled Essex CC to embrace the mantra that ‘work is something you do, not somewhere you go’. Technology has been fundamental to achieving this with over 85% of the 10,000 workforce being mobile and 20% of its workforce connecting remotely every day. This transformation has enabled property rationalisation. Employees now meet virtually with colleagues and collaborate with partners seamlessly, making Essex more efficient as well as reducing operating costs, printing costs and travel costs.

ESSEX POLICE AND KENT POLICE SUPPORT SERVICES DIRECTORATEThis project is a shared service for back office functions to Essex Police, the Essex Police and Crime Commissioner, Kent Police and the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner. The directorate provides innovative shared services, at a shared cost, as part of a partnership agreement for both forces. It is focused on an efficiency programme that makes the most of reduced resources while providing a high quality, single provision, professional service.

KENT CCThe Sandbox Optimisation Programme, a collaboration between Newton Europe and Kent CC, has transformed the county’s adult social care services through best use of resources, unblocking system barriers, reducing interfaces and empowering staff. Benefits include lead time being reduced from 29 to nine days, while staff productivity has increased by 375%, which has dramatically improved outcomes for care recipients and their families. Sandbox has generated £5.86m in annualised savings towards Kent CC’s wider adult social care portfolio, which is on course to deliver £32.6m against a £26m target.

TAMESIDE MBCTameside MBC’s operations and greenspace team has seen 42% of costs taken from it in the past three years, of which 25% was in the past 12 months, yet it has managed to maintain a productive workforce delivering excellent street cleansing, grounds maintenance, countryside, arboriculture and horticulture works. This was achieved by creating a new flexible service that is more responsive to and embedded in its communities. The environment is cleaner, public service demand has fallen, and the service supports ex-offenders and young people getting into work.

WIRRAL MBCWirral’s Future Council project is a comprehensive review of every service the authority provides, with a focus on reducing layers of management while designing innovative service delivery models, evaluating contracts and making fundamental changes to the authority’s workforce. The project has already enabled the authority to restructure to achieve £10m in savings for 2013-14, and to find £15.5m of the £18m savings required for 2015, while limiting the impact on frontline services.

WORCESTERSHIRE CCWorcestershire CC launched the Better Outcomes, Lean Delivery (Bold) programme in 2009 ahead of significant budgetary pressures so that service changes could be made in a planned way. Through organisational change, innovative service delivery and a commitment to engage with residents, businesses and communities, the council has achieved better outcomes. Necessary savings are being made while focusing on four priorities: being open for business, the environment, health and wellbeing, and children and families.

Efficiency

p19 efficiency 2015.indd 19 08/01/2015 13:11

The National Audit Office is pleased to support the Efficiency award

Find out more about the work of the NAO:www.nao.org.uk | @NAOorguk | Tel: 020 7798 7000

LGC Awards Advert 2014 - NEW.indd 1 18/12/2014 10:47:08

LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 19

JUDGES Sarah Pickup, deputy chief executive, Hertfordshire CC Mike Suffield, lead director, National Audit Office Rob Whiteman, chief executive, Cipfa Adam Wilkinson, chief executive, Derby City Council

A WORD FROM THE AWARD’S SPONSORThe National Audit Office (NAO) scrutinises public spending for Parliament. Our public audit perspective helps Parliament hold government to account and supports the improvement of public services.

Our new powers under the Local Audit and Accountability Act allow us not only to hold central government to account but also to provide advice on value for money to local government.

To support this, we work increasingly with local authorities to understand the challenges they face and how they are responding.Examining efficiency and effectiveness in government is a key focus for the NAO’s work, and so we are pleased to sponsor the Efficiency category of the LGC Awards.

BARNET LBCBarnet LBC outsourced its back office support functions to Capita. An important aspect of the partnership is the delivery of a procurement savings and efficiency programme of £66m over 10 years, through sourcing services more efficiently, driving greater value for money, which will in turn fund the wider council investment. Within the first contract year, savings and transformation targets are being significantly exceeded and the service the procurement team delivers is seen as being of huge importance in helping deliver wider council benefits.

BRADFORD MBCBradford MBC undertook a review of highways maintenance. It used customer values as measures so the project team could demonstrate service performance and identify the root causes of problems and ways to resolve them. This resulted in a revised approach to the maintenance programme, focusing on improved quality. The headline benefits included: reducing repair times from 18 days to 2.6 days; cutting distance travelled by crews by 42%; reducing CO2 omissions; and a reoccurring annual revenue cost saving of £400,000.

BRENT LBCBrent LBC, with Brent Housing Partnership, has become the first UK local authority to procure and award a service contract to provide a range of integrated public services. The contract has delivered cost savings and service improvements. It also offers job opportunities and supports the borough’s key priorities: to create a safer, cleaner and greener environment where people want to live and work; to make the borough sustainable and fit for future generations; and to create jobs, growth and fair pay for local people.

CHESHIRE WEST & CHESTER COUNCIL Cheshire West & Chester Council was born out of the Local Government Review in 2009. This allowed it to eliminate duplication, reducing full-time employees from 5,200 to 4,700. It saved £35m in the council’s first 12 months. Since then, its efficiency agenda has seen it save over £113m (April 2009-March 2014). It has achieved this through a culture of innovation. In particular it is leading the way with its prevention agenda, sharing services with neighbouring authorities and creating standalone organisations.

ESSEX CCThe Information Services Modernisation enabled Essex CC to embrace the mantra that ‘work is something you do, not somewhere you go’. Technology has been fundamental to achieving this with over 85% of the 10,000 workforce being mobile and 20% of its workforce connecting remotely every day. This transformation has enabled property rationalisation. Employees now meet virtually with colleagues and collaborate with partners seamlessly, making Essex more efficient as well as reducing operating costs, printing costs and travel costs.

ESSEX POLICE AND KENT POLICE SUPPORT SERVICES DIRECTORATEThis project is a shared service for back office functions to Essex Police, the Essex Police and Crime Commissioner, Kent Police and the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner. The directorate provides innovative shared services, at a shared cost, as part of a partnership agreement for both forces. It is focused on an efficiency programme that makes the most of reduced resources while providing a high quality, single provision, professional service.

KENT CCThe Sandbox Optimisation Programme, a collaboration between Newton Europe and Kent CC, has transformed the county’s adult social care services through best use of resources, unblocking system barriers, reducing interfaces and empowering staff. Benefits include lead time being reduced from 29 to nine days, while staff productivity has increased by 375%, which has dramatically improved outcomes for care recipients and their families. Sandbox has generated £5.86m in annualised savings towards Kent CC’s wider adult social care portfolio, which is on course to deliver £32.6m against a £26m target.

TAMESIDE MBCTameside MBC’s operations and greenspace team has seen 42% of costs taken from it in the past three years, of which 25% was in the past 12 months, yet it has managed to maintain a productive workforce delivering excellent street cleansing, grounds maintenance, countryside, arboriculture and horticulture works. This was achieved by creating a new flexible service that is more responsive to and embedded in its communities. The environment is cleaner, public service demand has fallen, and the service supports ex-offenders and young people getting into work.

WIRRAL MBCWirral’s Future Council project is a comprehensive review of every service the authority provides, with a focus on reducing layers of management while designing innovative service delivery models, evaluating contracts and making fundamental changes to the authority’s workforce. The project has already enabled the authority to restructure to achieve £10m in savings for 2013-14, and to find £15.5m of the £18m savings required for 2015, while limiting the impact on frontline services.

WORCESTERSHIRE CCWorcestershire CC launched the Better Outcomes, Lean Delivery (Bold) programme in 2009 ahead of significant budgetary pressures so that service changes could be made in a planned way. Through organisational change, innovative service delivery and a commitment to engage with residents, businesses and communities, the council has achieved better outcomes. Necessary savings are being made while focusing on four priorities: being open for business, the environment, health and wellbeing, and children and families.

Efficiency

p19 efficiency 2015.indd 19 08/01/2015 13:11

Reason says:delivering savings impacts quality.

Instinct says:good redesign can achieve both.

Mike Thomas North T 0161 214 6368E mike.thomas@uk.gt.com

Mark Stocks Midlands T 0121 232 5437 E mark.c.stocks@uk.gt.com

Barrie MorrisWalesT 0117 305 7708E barrie.morris@uk.gt.com

Liz CaveSouth WestT 0117 305 7885E liz.a.cave@uk.gt.com

Darren Wells South East T 01293 554120 E darren.j.wells@uk.gt.com

Nathan GoodeScotlandT 0131 659 8513E nathan.goode@uk.gt.com

Paul DossettHead of local governmentT 020 7728 3180E paul.dossett@uk.gt.com

Grant Thornton is delighted to be sponsoring the LGC awards for the fourth year. This year we are sponsoring the new category of Entrepreneurial Council of the Year.

As authorities face the challenges and opportunities ahead, the ability to generate new sources of revenue – and move to a more commercial mind set – is becoming ever more critical in ensuring the long-term financial stability of local government and the continued provision of excellent public services.

Reason says:delivering savings impacts quality.

Instinct says:good redesign can achieve both.

©2014 Grant Thornton UK LLP. All rights reserved. Grant Thornton UK LLP is a member firm within Grant Thornton International Ltd.Grant Thornton International Ltd and the member firms are not a worldwide partnership. Services are delivered independently by member firms. Full disclaimer available at grant-thornton.co.uk

Decisions are rarely black and white. Dynamic organisations know they need to apply both reason and instinct to decision making. We are Grant Thornton and it’s what we do for our clients every day. Contact us to help unlock your potential for growth.

LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 21

JUDGES Peter Gamson, partner, Grant Thornton Mike Suarez, chief executive, Cheshire East Council Andrew Travers, chief executive, Barnet LBC John van de Laarschot, chief executive, Stoke-on-Trent City Council

A WORD FROM THE AWARD’S SPONSORGrant Thornton is delighted to continue our sponsorship of the LGC awards and congratulations to the shortlisted authorities. Whoever is in government following the May 2015 general election it is clear that austerity measures will be a feature of the next parliament. To manage this and other challenges local government is facing in the medium term, authorities need to move to a more commercial mindset, and to generate new sources of revenue, to ensure their longer term sustainability.

Paul Dossett Head of local governmentT 020 7728 3180E paul.dossett@uk.gt.com

AYLESBURY VALE DCThe New Business Model is Aylesbury Vale DC’s approach to entrepreneurism. It drives the council to think differently and how it must continually improve the delivery of services, to meet customer needs within available resources. Essentially the New Business Model is a process to evaluate customer insight and cost, looking at creating new income streams as well as achieving necessary savings. Putting the customer at the heart of remodelling has also delivered improvements for customers. It has brought significant success to date achieving necessary budget reductions in excess of £1.5m per year.

CHELMSFORD CITY COUNCIL There are two strands to Chelmsford City Council’s commercial approach: fuelling growth, and making that growth sustainable in the long term. To those ends, the council has introduced a spirit of entrepreneurship through its commercial action steering group and corporate commercial marketing department, from which several commercial projects have stemmed. Chelmsford also put in place a bold strategy for the management of its property assets, as well as actively supporting businesses and investing in housing. These strategies have enabled the council to unlock revenues and uncover efficiencies needed in delivering its ambitious plans for England’s Diamond Jubilee City.

CONWY CBC Over the past four years Conwy has hosted national and international major events such as: Ryder Cup Wales Seniors, S4C Wales Ladies European Championship Golf, Wales Rally GB, Common Wealth Mountain and Ultra Distance Running, World Trail Championship, Tour of Britain, Conwy Feast, North Wales Choral Festival, Llandudno Sea Triathlon, Eirias Triathlon, All Wales Boat Show and international rugby. Conwy’s work on delivering an events programme has challenged the norm. Whilst other councils see events as non-essential, Conwy sees them as crucial in supporting the economy. It has achieved a return on investment of £32 for every £1 it has spent on events.

EAST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE COUNCIL East Riding of Yorkshire Council has saved £71.1m and must save a further £70.7m by 2018. Base budget savings are only part of the story; the council focuses on growing services through commercial methods and continually reviewing ways to exploit new commercial opportunities. Its entrepreneurial approach balanced with a caring and social conscience has helped East Riding Leisure to reduce operational costs with a view to being cost neutral in

2015-16, a position which is unprecedented compared to other councils nationally which are cutting these services. East Riding used an entrepreneurial and income based approach to behavioural change interventions and its tourism facilities service contributes positively to the visitor offer and local economy.

ENFIELD LBCThe Enfield Experiment is a series of strategies to challenge accepted norms and create new models which promote economic and social sustainability. In particular, the Enfield Experiment encourages staff to use council assets to generate benefits for the community; work in partnership to generate income; and secure income and jobs from major companies working in Enfield. Enfield LBC has enterprise and entrepreneurship at the heart of its agenda for tackling the issues its diverse, vibrant communities face. Entrepreneurship at Enfield is a concerted, coherent, innovative and effective range of interventions and activities, entirely integrated with its public-funded services, that make a real difference to its staff and citizens.

SOLIHULL MBCSolihull MBC’s mechanical and electrical partnership in its property services team provides a full range of electrical and mechanical installation and engineering services to customers in partnership with Dodd Group, and is a great example of how innovative thinking and bold actions can pay dividends. Rather than accept a traditional procurement process, Solihull’s collaboration with Dodd Group has brought huge benefits. By working as an integrated team the partnership has boosted local employment, made cashable and non-cashable savings, enhanced stakeholder satisfaction and improved performance. The addition of partners/customers such as Nuneaton and Bedworth BC demonstrates the flexibility of the model partnership.

WIRRAL MBCFaced with major economic challenges, Wirral BC has continued to deliver on its ambitious and innovative approach to driving economic growth. Key to success has been its strong public/private sector partnership focused on delivering an agreed investment strategy that builds on its strengths, targets key growth sectors, effectively uses partners’ resources, engages strategically with government and co-ordinates activity. Its success is evidenced by Birkenhead being given national recognition for having a high concentration of fast growing companies, by attracting significant new investment and jobs and by delivering some of the most exciting investment projects in the country.

Entrepreneurial Council of the Year

NEW

p21 entrepreneur 2015.indd 21 08/01/2015 13:12

Reason says:delivering savings impacts quality.

Instinct says:good redesign can achieve both.

Mike Thomas North T 0161 214 6368E mike.thomas@uk.gt.com

Mark Stocks Midlands T 0121 232 5437 E mark.c.stocks@uk.gt.com

Barrie MorrisWalesT 0117 305 7708E barrie.morris@uk.gt.com

Liz CaveSouth WestT 0117 305 7885E liz.a.cave@uk.gt.com

Darren Wells South East T 01293 554120 E darren.j.wells@uk.gt.com

Nathan GoodeScotlandT 0131 659 8513E nathan.goode@uk.gt.com

Paul DossettHead of local governmentT 020 7728 3180E paul.dossett@uk.gt.com

Grant Thornton is delighted to be sponsoring the LGC awards for the fourth year. This year we are sponsoring the new category of Entrepreneurial Council of the Year.

As authorities face the challenges and opportunities ahead, the ability to generate new sources of revenue – and move to a more commercial mind set – is becoming ever more critical in ensuring the long-term financial stability of local government and the continued provision of excellent public services.

Reason says:delivering savings impacts quality.

Instinct says:good redesign can achieve both.

©2014 Grant Thornton UK LLP. All rights reserved. Grant Thornton UK LLP is a member firm within Grant Thornton International Ltd.Grant Thornton International Ltd and the member firms are not a worldwide partnership. Services are delivered independently by member firms. Full disclaimer available at grant-thornton.co.uk

Decisions are rarely black and white. Dynamic organisations know they need to apply both reason and instinct to decision making. We are Grant Thornton and it’s what we do for our clients every day. Contact us to help unlock your potential for growth.

LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 21

JUDGES Peter Gamson, partner, Grant Thornton Mike Suarez, chief executive, Cheshire East Council Andrew Travers, chief executive, Barnet LBC John van de Laarschot, chief executive, Stoke-on-Trent City Council

A WORD FROM THE AWARD’S SPONSORGrant Thornton is delighted to continue our sponsorship of the LGC awards and congratulations to the shortlisted authorities. Whoever is in government following the May 2015 general election it is clear that austerity measures will be a feature of the next parliament. To manage this and other challenges local government is facing in the medium term, authorities need to move to a more commercial mindset, and to generate new sources of revenue, to ensure their longer term sustainability.

Paul Dossett Head of local governmentT 020 7728 3180E paul.dossett@uk.gt.com

AYLESBURY VALE DCThe New Business Model is Aylesbury Vale DC’s approach to entrepreneurism. It drives the council to think differently and how it must continually improve the delivery of services, to meet customer needs within available resources. Essentially the New Business Model is a process to evaluate customer insight and cost, looking at creating new income streams as well as achieving necessary savings. Putting the customer at the heart of remodelling has also delivered improvements for customers. It has brought significant success to date achieving necessary budget reductions in excess of £1.5m per year.

CHELMSFORD CITY COUNCIL There are two strands to Chelmsford City Council’s commercial approach: fuelling growth, and making that growth sustainable in the long term. To those ends, the council has introduced a spirit of entrepreneurship through its commercial action steering group and corporate commercial marketing department, from which several commercial projects have stemmed. Chelmsford also put in place a bold strategy for the management of its property assets, as well as actively supporting businesses and investing in housing. These strategies have enabled the council to unlock revenues and uncover efficiencies needed in delivering its ambitious plans for England’s Diamond Jubilee City.

CONWY CBC Over the past four years Conwy has hosted national and international major events such as: Ryder Cup Wales Seniors, S4C Wales Ladies European Championship Golf, Wales Rally GB, Common Wealth Mountain and Ultra Distance Running, World Trail Championship, Tour of Britain, Conwy Feast, North Wales Choral Festival, Llandudno Sea Triathlon, Eirias Triathlon, All Wales Boat Show and international rugby. Conwy’s work on delivering an events programme has challenged the norm. Whilst other councils see events as non-essential, Conwy sees them as crucial in supporting the economy. It has achieved a return on investment of £32 for every £1 it has spent on events.

EAST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE COUNCIL East Riding of Yorkshire Council has saved £71.1m and must save a further £70.7m by 2018. Base budget savings are only part of the story; the council focuses on growing services through commercial methods and continually reviewing ways to exploit new commercial opportunities. Its entrepreneurial approach balanced with a caring and social conscience has helped East Riding Leisure to reduce operational costs with a view to being cost neutral in

2015-16, a position which is unprecedented compared to other councils nationally which are cutting these services. East Riding used an entrepreneurial and income based approach to behavioural change interventions and its tourism facilities service contributes positively to the visitor offer and local economy.

ENFIELD LBCThe Enfield Experiment is a series of strategies to challenge accepted norms and create new models which promote economic and social sustainability. In particular, the Enfield Experiment encourages staff to use council assets to generate benefits for the community; work in partnership to generate income; and secure income and jobs from major companies working in Enfield. Enfield LBC has enterprise and entrepreneurship at the heart of its agenda for tackling the issues its diverse, vibrant communities face. Entrepreneurship at Enfield is a concerted, coherent, innovative and effective range of interventions and activities, entirely integrated with its public-funded services, that make a real difference to its staff and citizens.

SOLIHULL MBCSolihull MBC’s mechanical and electrical partnership in its property services team provides a full range of electrical and mechanical installation and engineering services to customers in partnership with Dodd Group, and is a great example of how innovative thinking and bold actions can pay dividends. Rather than accept a traditional procurement process, Solihull’s collaboration with Dodd Group has brought huge benefits. By working as an integrated team the partnership has boosted local employment, made cashable and non-cashable savings, enhanced stakeholder satisfaction and improved performance. The addition of partners/customers such as Nuneaton and Bedworth BC demonstrates the flexibility of the model partnership.

WIRRAL MBCFaced with major economic challenges, Wirral BC has continued to deliver on its ambitious and innovative approach to driving economic growth. Key to success has been its strong public/private sector partnership focused on delivering an agreed investment strategy that builds on its strengths, targets key growth sectors, effectively uses partners’ resources, engages strategically with government and co-ordinates activity. Its success is evidenced by Birkenhead being given national recognition for having a high concentration of fast growing companies, by attracting significant new investment and jobs and by delivering some of the most exciting investment projects in the country.

Entrepreneurial Council of the Year

NEW

p21 entrepreneur 2015.indd 21 08/01/2015 13:12

22 Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle LGCplus.com

JUDGES Wayne Copley, procurement director, Repic Martin Esom, chief executive, Waltham Forest LBC Joanna Simons, chief executive, Oxfordshire CC Sue Smith, joint chief executive, Cherwell DC and South Northamptonshire Council Penny Thompson, chief executive, Brighton & Hove City Council

BLACKPOOL COUNCILBlackpool Council cut costs by working with community third sector organisations to diversify and improve the collection, disposal and reuse of waste. New services offer collection of residents’ bulky waste, recyclables and electrical goods. These are repaired in a waste electrical and electronic equipment centre and redistributed to those in need through the charity partnerships or sold to the public at the Household Waste Recycling Centre shop.

BRADFORD MBCBradford’s environmental services and public health department has worked with other departments and external partners to develop a low emission strategy. This has formulated policies to drive air quality improvement and provided a platform for inward investment. The strategy is reported to the health and wellbeing board. The project has included a low emission zone feasibility study which is an example of using the latest health research to provide the evidence base to inform public policy decision making.

BRISTOL CITY COUNCIL So La is a smart grid project which integrates solar panels with battery storage and direct current networks, aiming to reduce energy consumption and costs for participants. The storage system will also increase voltage control for the distribution network, sending stored electricity back to the grid when it is most needed. This project is the first of its kind in the world and represents an innovative partnership between the authority, the local energy distributor, local community groups and technology multinationals.

CAMBRIDGESHIRE CCIn 2012, Cambridgeshire CC and its partners Cambridge City Council, South Cambridgeshire DC and Huntingdonshire DC secured a £700,000 grant over three years for financial assistance from the Intelligent Energy Europe (IEE) programme, which aims to build capacity in local authorities for investment in energy efficiency. A condition of the grant is investment into energy projects totalling at least 15 times the value of the grant. For Cambridgeshire CC’s Mobilising Local Energy Investment (MLEI) project, this means approximately £15m of investment into energy projects must be evidenced by 2015. Via the Re:FIT framework, Cambridgeshire CC has identified 20 properties for energy performance contracting works.

CHESHIRE WEST & CHESTER COUNCILThe council aimed to improve students’ attitudes to waste and recycling. Its innovative communications were designed to ensure all students were equipped with the tools to fully participate. Its pizza nights allowed waste officers to encourage student households to work together to recycle waste and have a positive impact on the local environment. The

student area benefitted from improved cleanliness, a 51% recycling rate and 81% participation.

CRAIGAVON BCCraigavon BC launched the Adopt a Street scheme to bring together volunteers to clean up their areas. To date the scheme has over 50 areas adopted with volunteers from schools, local groups, businesses and individual residents and over 600 bags of rubbish have been collected. By volunteering, these individuals and groups help make a difference to their local area while fostering a feeling of community spirit and positively affecting council resources.

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL Dundee City Council’s online resource-redistribution tool Waste Action Reuse Portal (WARPit) makes it easy for staff to obtain surplus resources such as furniture, equipment and electrical items within the council and beyond, reducing procurement spend and waste disposal costs. By pioneering online resource reuse and creating a regional sharing network, WARPit has already helped the council divert almost 17 tonnes of waste, saved 70 tonnes of CO2 and saved the council and its partners over £122,000 in procurement costs.

ROCHFORD DCA network of charity litter bins was set up in Rayleigh to enable people to do good by putting litter in the bin. Three local charities received a donation from The Wrigley Company depending on how much rubbish was collected from these bins. The eye-catching wrap around the bins explained the project. On average, over the course of the pilot, litter on the ground was reduced by 41.7%, with the biggest reduction in a single month being 53.3%.

TAMESIDE MBCTameside’s operations and greenspace team has seen 42% of costs taken from the team in the past three years, of which 25% was in the past 12 months, and yet has managed to maintain a productive workforce delivering excellent street cleansing, grounds maintenance, countryside, arboricultural and horticultural works. This was achieved through creating a new flexible service more responsive to its communities. The environment is cleaner; public service demand has fallen and the service supports ex-offenders and young people back into work.

TRANSPORT FOR GREATER MANCHESTERTransport for Greater Manchester entered into partnership with four European public transport bodies (Paris, Rotterdam, Brussels and Bielefeld) as part of the Ticket to Kyoto project. The project aimed reduce CO2 emissions from public transport through innovation in infrastructure and more environmentally friendly behaviour. TfGM achieved a 44% reduction in carbon emissions associated with its operations (2007-08 levels). This is over 5,000 tonnes of CO2 compared to its baseline.

Environment

A WORD FROM THE AWARD’S SPONSOR

Repic is proud to sponsor the first ever LGC Environment Award, which will be awarded to mark excellence in any aspect of a councils’ work in environmental services.

We are delighted at the huge amount of effort shown by all councils involved. The inspiration and innovation displayed in addressing todays challenges and environmental issues within local authorities clearly demonstrates to us the councils commitment to the environment and to looking for sustainable solutions to achieve their objectives. Repic would like to thank all of the entries supporting this award and to offer our congratulations to the winning council.

p22 environment 2015.indd 22 08/01/2015 13:12

LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 23

JUDGES Stephen Baker, chief executive, Suffolk Coastal and Waveney DCs Kirsty Cole, deputy chief executive, Newark & Sherwood DC Ged Fitzgerald, chief executive, Liverpool City Council

BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL Recognising the government’s Housing our Ageing Population: Panel for Innovation report, which suggests the optimum way for landlords to construct purpose-built homes for its older population, the council set out to pilot an initiative that would both release family homes, and also provide more attractive downsized accommodation to incentivise older people to move. This approach seeks to provide a strategy and exemplar project to address housing need.

CROYDON LBCThe Real Lettings Property Fund is a social impact investment fund which provides a commercial return and achieves positive outcomes for homeless people. It acquires one- or two-bedroom properties in London and lets them to homeless households through the St Mungo’s Broadway social lettings agency Real Lettings. Investors can refer homeless households for rehousing in return for a placement fee. Real Lettings works with tenants to help sustain tenancies and progress towards work.

ENFIELD LBCOne of Enfield’s major issues is the availability of affordable housing to meet rising demand. In addition to the general pressures of rising house prices and market rents and welfare reform, Enfield is also seeing migration of families from more expensive London areas and increasing numbers of homeless families being placed in Enfield by other boroughs. Enfield is meeting this challenge by improving existing homes and building new affordable homes for local people.

KENT CCNo Use Empty was launched by KCC in 2005. Today all 12 authorities in Kent participate in the scheme. NUE was the first scheme to offer interest-free loans to owners of empty homes to fund the refurbishments to bring properties back into use. Empty property owners can apply for a loan of up to £25,000 per unit to a maximum of £175,000. Kent CC has issued £11.4m in loans since 2005. The loans have leveraged additional private funding, with the scheme creating 3,425 new homes.

NORTH TYNESIDE COUNCILIn November 2013, North Tyneside’s pilot, North Tyneside Working Roots, began with a cohort of 15 trainees aged 16-19. Working Roots is a partnership between North Tyneside Homes, Adult Learning Alliance, Kier North Tyneside and Justice Prince, a community interest company. The programme offers young people work experience with the partners and basic construction/horticulture qualifications. Objectives include a reduction in anti-social

behaviour and provision of practical hands-on experience for young people.

SOUTH TYNESIDE MBCThe council established a not-for-profit company, South Tyneside Housing Ventures Trust, to build desperately needed affordable homes. In its first year the company has already made huge progress. It has purchased and let 28 new homes; started on site building 88 homes; contracted with private sector partners to build 130 homes; and secured funding for 67 further homes. This mixed approach to delivery means the company is on track to deliver its vision of 400 affordable homes in its first five years.

STOKE-ON-TRENT CITY COUNCIL In 2012, Stoke-on-Trent City Council identified a cluster of derelict empty homes in one area of the city and successfully applied for government money to help bring them back into use. Matching the funding with £1.5m of its own capital, the council devised a plan to renovate 33 houses and sell them for £1 to buyers with strong local connections who were in employment but would not otherwise be able to afford to own their own homes. So far, 32 of the homes have been sold for £1 each and the project has captured people’s imaginations around the globe.

TAMESIDE MBCIn February 2014, Tameside MBC established an innovative partnership with the University of Salford to deliver creative solutions to previously overlooked areas of housing policy. Known as a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), it facilitates the transfer of knowledge and academic expertise from the university to the council, looking at innovative and evidence-based solutions to address social problems. The KTP is concerned with tackling the problem of empty homes in Tameside. The partnership combines the academic rigour of the university’s Sustainable Housing and Urban Studies Unit and the Salford Business School, with practical relevance, to work collaboratively with Tameside to bring about improvements in empty homes service delivery.

TEIGNBRIDGE DCA unique answer to a challenging housing issue: Teignbridge DC, working with local social housing provider Teign Housing, has come up with a solution to deliver quality, managed accommodation for new age travellers who have been encamped at Haldon Ridge, a forest in an area of great landscape value, and next to a site of scientific interest. Consultation and co-ordination with local stakeholders, the county council and the travelling community have brought about a new site only minutes from the old, unauthorised one, for households who would otherwise be made homeless.

NEW Housing

p23 housing 2015.indd 23 08/01/2015 13:13

22 Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle LGCplus.com

JUDGES Wayne Copley, procurement director, Repic Martin Esom, chief executive, Waltham Forest LBC Joanna Simons, chief executive, Oxfordshire CC Sue Smith, joint chief executive, Cherwell DC and South Northamptonshire Council Penny Thompson, chief executive, Brighton & Hove City Council

BLACKPOOL COUNCILBlackpool Council cut costs by working with community third sector organisations to diversify and improve the collection, disposal and reuse of waste. New services offer collection of residents’ bulky waste, recyclables and electrical goods. These are repaired in a waste electrical and electronic equipment centre and redistributed to those in need through the charity partnerships or sold to the public at the Household Waste Recycling Centre shop.

BRADFORD MBCBradford’s environmental services and public health department has worked with other departments and external partners to develop a low emission strategy. This has formulated policies to drive air quality improvement and provided a platform for inward investment. The strategy is reported to the health and wellbeing board. The project has included a low emission zone feasibility study which is an example of using the latest health research to provide the evidence base to inform public policy decision making.

BRISTOL CITY COUNCIL So La is a smart grid project which integrates solar panels with battery storage and direct current networks, aiming to reduce energy consumption and costs for participants. The storage system will also increase voltage control for the distribution network, sending stored electricity back to the grid when it is most needed. This project is the first of its kind in the world and represents an innovative partnership between the authority, the local energy distributor, local community groups and technology multinationals.

CAMBRIDGESHIRE CCIn 2012, Cambridgeshire CC and its partners Cambridge City Council, South Cambridgeshire DC and Huntingdonshire DC secured a £700,000 grant over three years for financial assistance from the Intelligent Energy Europe (IEE) programme, which aims to build capacity in local authorities for investment in energy efficiency. A condition of the grant is investment into energy projects totalling at least 15 times the value of the grant. For Cambridgeshire CC’s Mobilising Local Energy Investment (MLEI) project, this means approximately £15m of investment into energy projects must be evidenced by 2015. Via the Re:FIT framework, Cambridgeshire CC has identified 20 properties for energy performance contracting works.

CHESHIRE WEST & CHESTER COUNCILThe council aimed to improve students’ attitudes to waste and recycling. Its innovative communications were designed to ensure all students were equipped with the tools to fully participate. Its pizza nights allowed waste officers to encourage student households to work together to recycle waste and have a positive impact on the local environment. The

student area benefitted from improved cleanliness, a 51% recycling rate and 81% participation.

CRAIGAVON BCCraigavon BC launched the Adopt a Street scheme to bring together volunteers to clean up their areas. To date the scheme has over 50 areas adopted with volunteers from schools, local groups, businesses and individual residents and over 600 bags of rubbish have been collected. By volunteering, these individuals and groups help make a difference to their local area while fostering a feeling of community spirit and positively affecting council resources.

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL Dundee City Council’s online resource-redistribution tool Waste Action Reuse Portal (WARPit) makes it easy for staff to obtain surplus resources such as furniture, equipment and electrical items within the council and beyond, reducing procurement spend and waste disposal costs. By pioneering online resource reuse and creating a regional sharing network, WARPit has already helped the council divert almost 17 tonnes of waste, saved 70 tonnes of CO2 and saved the council and its partners over £122,000 in procurement costs.

ROCHFORD DCA network of charity litter bins was set up in Rayleigh to enable people to do good by putting litter in the bin. Three local charities received a donation from The Wrigley Company depending on how much rubbish was collected from these bins. The eye-catching wrap around the bins explained the project. On average, over the course of the pilot, litter on the ground was reduced by 41.7%, with the biggest reduction in a single month being 53.3%.

TAMESIDE MBCTameside’s operations and greenspace team has seen 42% of costs taken from the team in the past three years, of which 25% was in the past 12 months, and yet has managed to maintain a productive workforce delivering excellent street cleansing, grounds maintenance, countryside, arboricultural and horticultural works. This was achieved through creating a new flexible service more responsive to its communities. The environment is cleaner; public service demand has fallen and the service supports ex-offenders and young people back into work.

TRANSPORT FOR GREATER MANCHESTERTransport for Greater Manchester entered into partnership with four European public transport bodies (Paris, Rotterdam, Brussels and Bielefeld) as part of the Ticket to Kyoto project. The project aimed reduce CO2 emissions from public transport through innovation in infrastructure and more environmentally friendly behaviour. TfGM achieved a 44% reduction in carbon emissions associated with its operations (2007-08 levels). This is over 5,000 tonnes of CO2 compared to its baseline.

Environment

A WORD FROM THE AWARD’S SPONSOR

Repic is proud to sponsor the first ever LGC Environment Award, which will be awarded to mark excellence in any aspect of a councils’ work in environmental services.

We are delighted at the huge amount of effort shown by all councils involved. The inspiration and innovation displayed in addressing todays challenges and environmental issues within local authorities clearly demonstrates to us the councils commitment to the environment and to looking for sustainable solutions to achieve their objectives. Repic would like to thank all of the entries supporting this award and to offer our congratulations to the winning council.

p22 environment 2015.indd 22 08/01/2015 13:12

LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 23

JUDGES Stephen Baker, chief executive, Suffolk Coastal and Waveney DCs Kirsty Cole, deputy chief executive, Newark & Sherwood DC Ged Fitzgerald, chief executive, Liverpool City Council

BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL Recognising the government’s Housing our Ageing Population: Panel for Innovation report, which suggests the optimum way for landlords to construct purpose-built homes for its older population, the council set out to pilot an initiative that would both release family homes, and also provide more attractive downsized accommodation to incentivise older people to move. This approach seeks to provide a strategy and exemplar project to address housing need.

CROYDON LBCThe Real Lettings Property Fund is a social impact investment fund which provides a commercial return and achieves positive outcomes for homeless people. It acquires one- or two-bedroom properties in London and lets them to homeless households through the St Mungo’s Broadway social lettings agency Real Lettings. Investors can refer homeless households for rehousing in return for a placement fee. Real Lettings works with tenants to help sustain tenancies and progress towards work.

ENFIELD LBCOne of Enfield’s major issues is the availability of affordable housing to meet rising demand. In addition to the general pressures of rising house prices and market rents and welfare reform, Enfield is also seeing migration of families from more expensive London areas and increasing numbers of homeless families being placed in Enfield by other boroughs. Enfield is meeting this challenge by improving existing homes and building new affordable homes for local people.

KENT CCNo Use Empty was launched by KCC in 2005. Today all 12 authorities in Kent participate in the scheme. NUE was the first scheme to offer interest-free loans to owners of empty homes to fund the refurbishments to bring properties back into use. Empty property owners can apply for a loan of up to £25,000 per unit to a maximum of £175,000. Kent CC has issued £11.4m in loans since 2005. The loans have leveraged additional private funding, with the scheme creating 3,425 new homes.

NORTH TYNESIDE COUNCILIn November 2013, North Tyneside’s pilot, North Tyneside Working Roots, began with a cohort of 15 trainees aged 16-19. Working Roots is a partnership between North Tyneside Homes, Adult Learning Alliance, Kier North Tyneside and Justice Prince, a community interest company. The programme offers young people work experience with the partners and basic construction/horticulture qualifications. Objectives include a reduction in anti-social

behaviour and provision of practical hands-on experience for young people.

SOUTH TYNESIDE MBCThe council established a not-for-profit company, South Tyneside Housing Ventures Trust, to build desperately needed affordable homes. In its first year the company has already made huge progress. It has purchased and let 28 new homes; started on site building 88 homes; contracted with private sector partners to build 130 homes; and secured funding for 67 further homes. This mixed approach to delivery means the company is on track to deliver its vision of 400 affordable homes in its first five years.

STOKE-ON-TRENT CITY COUNCIL In 2012, Stoke-on-Trent City Council identified a cluster of derelict empty homes in one area of the city and successfully applied for government money to help bring them back into use. Matching the funding with £1.5m of its own capital, the council devised a plan to renovate 33 houses and sell them for £1 to buyers with strong local connections who were in employment but would not otherwise be able to afford to own their own homes. So far, 32 of the homes have been sold for £1 each and the project has captured people’s imaginations around the globe.

TAMESIDE MBCIn February 2014, Tameside MBC established an innovative partnership with the University of Salford to deliver creative solutions to previously overlooked areas of housing policy. Known as a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), it facilitates the transfer of knowledge and academic expertise from the university to the council, looking at innovative and evidence-based solutions to address social problems. The KTP is concerned with tackling the problem of empty homes in Tameside. The partnership combines the academic rigour of the university’s Sustainable Housing and Urban Studies Unit and the Salford Business School, with practical relevance, to work collaboratively with Tameside to bring about improvements in empty homes service delivery.

TEIGNBRIDGE DCA unique answer to a challenging housing issue: Teignbridge DC, working with local social housing provider Teign Housing, has come up with a solution to deliver quality, managed accommodation for new age travellers who have been encamped at Haldon Ridge, a forest in an area of great landscape value, and next to a site of scientific interest. Consultation and co-ordination with local stakeholders, the county council and the travelling community have brought about a new site only minutes from the old, unauthorised one, for households who would otherwise be made homeless.

NEW Housing

p23 housing 2015.indd 23 08/01/2015 13:13

PHAST can help solve your problems - We are a leading public health and wellbeing consultancy bringing together the most respected experts from public health and other disciplines.

We work with local authorities to bring independent expertise to improve health and wellbeing and reduce inequalities as well as providing surge capacity.

As a social enterprise, we keep our costs as low as possible for clients and any financial surplus is used to support national and international charities such as community involvement programmes in India, Burma, Sri Lanka and Gambia. We support St Mungo’s and several mental health charities in the UK.

Chief Executives. Directors of Public Health. Local Communities. We believe in improving health and well being for everybody.

Are you a busy Chief Executive faced with cutting budgets? Or a manager re-commissioning services? Or someone striving to reduce inequalities for the homeless or the unemployed?

Find out how we can help you:enquiries@phast.org.uk0203 4795250phast.org.uk

Congratulations to all shortlisted

authorities in the 2015 LGC AwardsCongratulations to all shortlisted

Find out how we can help you:enquiries@phast.org.uk0203 4795250

Find out how we can help you:enquiries@phast.org.uk0203 4795250

Congratulations to all shortlisted

authorities in the 2015 LGC AwardsCongratulations to all shortlisted

LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 25

JUDGES Catherine Brogan, chief executive, PHAST David Pearson, president, Adass

A WORD FROM THE AWARD’S SPONSORPHAST is a community interest company. Our ethos is that nothing is more important than a nation’s health and wellbeing. Councils are now uniquely positioned to transform whole systems of health and social care, whilst working with communities to promote wellbeing and prevent ill-health. This LGC Award is an important part of recognising and rewarding best practice in the successful delivery of these goals.

FPH is the leading professional body for over 3,300 public health specialists in the UK. It works to improve people’s health and wellbeing through its core aims of setting the standards for and quality assuring the specialist public health workforce and advocating for action on public health issues.

Members come from a diverse range of professional backgrounds and are employed in a variety of settings, usually working at a strategic or specialist level. FPH is a strategic organisation and works collaboratively, drawing on the specialist skills, knowledge and experience of our members as well as building relationships with a wide range of external organisations.

DARLINGTON BCThe good neighbouring scheme established in Darlington builds on an innovative alliance between Age UK Darlington, the police and Neighbourhood Watch. The scheme, Good Friends, involves a network of people who keep a watchful eye on their older and vulnerable neighbours, providing support and friendship and assisting them with a range of issues which if left unaddressed could compromise their ability to live safely and well independently. It was launched in October 2013. By the June of 2014 there were 645 Good Friends recruited, helping 238 neighbours and the scheme continues to grow.

EAST RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL This project, in partnership with Angus and East Dunbartonshire councils, aimed to eliminate nuisance calls that are a major source of anxiety and financial harm to residents, particularly the elderly and vulnerable. A key objective was to reduce the burden of residential care and increase the length of time residents could live in their own homes. East Renfrewshire tested call blocking technology and due to the success of these trials it has received national interest with over 100 councils now participating.

EAST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE COUNCIL Worklink provides employment training for adults with learning disabilities and works with JobCentre Plus to find them jobs. Since 2010, the service has become an approved City & Guilds centre and established a partnership with the council’s employment service to deliver the academic training to service users. The Worklink service has significant health and wellbeing benefits; employment is beneficial to mental health, while the physical nature of the work (horticulture, catering and woodwork) and encouragement of cycling or walking to work improves physical health.

GREENWICH RBCThe council runs a service to prevent foster and adoption placement breakdown. In 2003, two therapeutic social workers were appointed into the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Looked After Children (LAC) team. They developed a project which supported children and young people to remain in foster and adoptive homes. Working closely with the LAC education, fostering and adoption teams, the practitioners developed a unique model using the skills of social workers, play therapy and dyadic developmental psychotherapy (DDP) to address issues which affect a child’s ability to settle in a family.

ISLINGTON LBCThe N19 pilot broke down organisational boundaries to prevent people who need care and deal with lots of different services having to tell their story multiple times. A multidisciplinary team of health, mental health and social care staff was set up in order to deliver care built around the holistic needs of the individual. Care coordinators acted as a single point of contact for older and disabled people and made sure they got the right help, at the right time.

KENT CCKent CC’s public health is the programme lead for the local implementation of the national Long Term Conditions Year of Care commissioning programme. This achievement is the culmination of more than two years of work by its intelligence team on the

development of whole-population, person-level, integrated datasets across all health and care. These datasets will assist service evaluation and redesign and create evidence based funding models to incentivise proactive, preventative, integrated care. NORTH EAST LINCOLNSHIRE COUNCIL – FOCUS INDEPENDENT ADULT SOCIAL WORKIn 2007 North East Lincolnshire Council and the PCT set up an innovative relationship which allowed them to achieve more than with the traditional model. Adult health and social care is a fantastic example of how this has worked. The service, Focus Independent Adult Social Work, is a community interest company which delivers both health and social care services. It is owned by its staff and steered by a board made up of staff, the community it serves, users, and representatives of the council and CCG.

NORTH EAST LINCOLNSHIRE COUNCIL – RELEASING COMMUNITY CAPACITYReleasing Community Capacity (RCC) is delivered through not-for-profit community engagement and supported by change specialists Unique Improvements. By engaging the community and voluntary organisations in the RCC programme the council and CCG are creating low-cost preventative services. They do this through stimulating activity in the community to supplement provision, using personal budgets and with an emphasis on self-care, community support and signposting, and helping existing service providers to recognise the contribution the community can make.

NORTH YORKSHIRE CCThe recommendations from the chief medical officer’s 2012 report ‘Our Children Deserve Better: Prevention Pays’ was one of the drivers for North Yorkshire CC to re-commission services for the 5-19 Healthy Child Programme. The subsequent commissioning exercise exemplifies the benefits of having public health embedded within the local authority. Effective commissioning in partnership with other health commissioners has resulted in a model that will deliver the ‘proportionate universalism’ the chief medical officer endorses.

SOUTHEND-ON-SEA BCStaying Steady is a community based falls prevention project run by Southend-on-Sea BC, Southend Adult Community College and older residents. It offers 16-week, evidence-based falls prevention classes, educational opportunities and vocational courses that break the cycle of falling and social isolation. Programme costs of £25,000 per annum have resulted in saving £143,000 to date. Older people are volunteering to support their peers and have developed strong new social ties.

WILTSHIRE COUNCIL Wiltshire’s project, Urgent Care@Home (UC@H), helps professionals facilitate rapid access to services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as well as coordinate intermediate care and hospital discharge. It provides health and care support within one hour in times of crisis and prevents unnecessary hospital admissions. The project supports service users to: access appropriate assessments; remain at home with additional support; ‘step up’ to a community hospital or intermediate care bed; and expedite return to home with additional support after acute assessment.

Health & Social Care

p25 health & social 2015.indd 25 08/01/2015 13:14

PHAST can help solve your problems - We are a leading public health and wellbeing consultancy bringing together the most respected experts from public health and other disciplines.

We work with local authorities to bring independent expertise to improve health and wellbeing and reduce inequalities as well as providing surge capacity.

As a social enterprise, we keep our costs as low as possible for clients and any financial surplus is used to support national and international charities such as community involvement programmes in India, Burma, Sri Lanka and Gambia. We support St Mungo’s and several mental health charities in the UK.

Chief Executives. Directors of Public Health. Local Communities. We believe in improving health and well being for everybody.

Are you a busy Chief Executive faced with cutting budgets? Or a manager re-commissioning services? Or someone striving to reduce inequalities for the homeless or the unemployed?

Find out how we can help you:enquiries@phast.org.uk0203 4795250phast.org.uk

Congratulations to all shortlisted

authorities in the 2015 LGC AwardsCongratulations to all shortlisted

Find out how we can help you:enquiries@phast.org.uk0203 4795250

Find out how we can help you:enquiries@phast.org.uk0203 4795250

Congratulations to all shortlisted

authorities in the 2015 LGC AwardsCongratulations to all shortlisted

LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 25

JUDGES Catherine Brogan, chief executive, PHAST David Pearson, president, Adass

A WORD FROM THE AWARD’S SPONSORPHAST is a community interest company. Our ethos is that nothing is more important than a nation’s health and wellbeing. Councils are now uniquely positioned to transform whole systems of health and social care, whilst working with communities to promote wellbeing and prevent ill-health. This LGC Award is an important part of recognising and rewarding best practice in the successful delivery of these goals.

FPH is the leading professional body for over 3,300 public health specialists in the UK. It works to improve people’s health and wellbeing through its core aims of setting the standards for and quality assuring the specialist public health workforce and advocating for action on public health issues.

Members come from a diverse range of professional backgrounds and are employed in a variety of settings, usually working at a strategic or specialist level. FPH is a strategic organisation and works collaboratively, drawing on the specialist skills, knowledge and experience of our members as well as building relationships with a wide range of external organisations.

DARLINGTON BCThe good neighbouring scheme established in Darlington builds on an innovative alliance between Age UK Darlington, the police and Neighbourhood Watch. The scheme, Good Friends, involves a network of people who keep a watchful eye on their older and vulnerable neighbours, providing support and friendship and assisting them with a range of issues which if left unaddressed could compromise their ability to live safely and well independently. It was launched in October 2013. By the June of 2014 there were 645 Good Friends recruited, helping 238 neighbours and the scheme continues to grow.

EAST RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL This project, in partnership with Angus and East Dunbartonshire councils, aimed to eliminate nuisance calls that are a major source of anxiety and financial harm to residents, particularly the elderly and vulnerable. A key objective was to reduce the burden of residential care and increase the length of time residents could live in their own homes. East Renfrewshire tested call blocking technology and due to the success of these trials it has received national interest with over 100 councils now participating.

EAST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE COUNCIL Worklink provides employment training for adults with learning disabilities and works with JobCentre Plus to find them jobs. Since 2010, the service has become an approved City & Guilds centre and established a partnership with the council’s employment service to deliver the academic training to service users. The Worklink service has significant health and wellbeing benefits; employment is beneficial to mental health, while the physical nature of the work (horticulture, catering and woodwork) and encouragement of cycling or walking to work improves physical health.

GREENWICH RBCThe council runs a service to prevent foster and adoption placement breakdown. In 2003, two therapeutic social workers were appointed into the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Looked After Children (LAC) team. They developed a project which supported children and young people to remain in foster and adoptive homes. Working closely with the LAC education, fostering and adoption teams, the practitioners developed a unique model using the skills of social workers, play therapy and dyadic developmental psychotherapy (DDP) to address issues which affect a child’s ability to settle in a family.

ISLINGTON LBCThe N19 pilot broke down organisational boundaries to prevent people who need care and deal with lots of different services having to tell their story multiple times. A multidisciplinary team of health, mental health and social care staff was set up in order to deliver care built around the holistic needs of the individual. Care coordinators acted as a single point of contact for older and disabled people and made sure they got the right help, at the right time.

KENT CCKent CC’s public health is the programme lead for the local implementation of the national Long Term Conditions Year of Care commissioning programme. This achievement is the culmination of more than two years of work by its intelligence team on the

development of whole-population, person-level, integrated datasets across all health and care. These datasets will assist service evaluation and redesign and create evidence based funding models to incentivise proactive, preventative, integrated care. NORTH EAST LINCOLNSHIRE COUNCIL – FOCUS INDEPENDENT ADULT SOCIAL WORKIn 2007 North East Lincolnshire Council and the PCT set up an innovative relationship which allowed them to achieve more than with the traditional model. Adult health and social care is a fantastic example of how this has worked. The service, Focus Independent Adult Social Work, is a community interest company which delivers both health and social care services. It is owned by its staff and steered by a board made up of staff, the community it serves, users, and representatives of the council and CCG.

NORTH EAST LINCOLNSHIRE COUNCIL – RELEASING COMMUNITY CAPACITYReleasing Community Capacity (RCC) is delivered through not-for-profit community engagement and supported by change specialists Unique Improvements. By engaging the community and voluntary organisations in the RCC programme the council and CCG are creating low-cost preventative services. They do this through stimulating activity in the community to supplement provision, using personal budgets and with an emphasis on self-care, community support and signposting, and helping existing service providers to recognise the contribution the community can make.

NORTH YORKSHIRE CCThe recommendations from the chief medical officer’s 2012 report ‘Our Children Deserve Better: Prevention Pays’ was one of the drivers for North Yorkshire CC to re-commission services for the 5-19 Healthy Child Programme. The subsequent commissioning exercise exemplifies the benefits of having public health embedded within the local authority. Effective commissioning in partnership with other health commissioners has resulted in a model that will deliver the ‘proportionate universalism’ the chief medical officer endorses.

SOUTHEND-ON-SEA BCStaying Steady is a community based falls prevention project run by Southend-on-Sea BC, Southend Adult Community College and older residents. It offers 16-week, evidence-based falls prevention classes, educational opportunities and vocational courses that break the cycle of falling and social isolation. Programme costs of £25,000 per annum have resulted in saving £143,000 to date. Older people are volunteering to support their peers and have developed strong new social ties.

WILTSHIRE COUNCIL Wiltshire’s project, Urgent Care@Home (UC@H), helps professionals facilitate rapid access to services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as well as coordinate intermediate care and hospital discharge. It provides health and care support within one hour in times of crisis and prevents unnecessary hospital admissions. The project supports service users to: access appropriate assessments; remain at home with additional support; ‘step up’ to a community hospital or intermediate care bed; and expedite return to home with additional support after acute assessment.

Health & Social Care

p25 health & social 2015.indd 25 08/01/2015 13:14

Plan Design Enable

Atkins is proud to sponsor the innovation award category in the 2015 LGC Awards.

Congratulations to all shortlisted organisations!

We know that in a world of constrained resources and rising costs, imagination and innovation are key ingredients in delivering better public services.

Drawing on our reputation for excellence in design and engineering, our management consultants deliver the most complex of technology-enabled projects, helping to transform public services and turn innovative ideas into value.

www.atkinsglobal.com

LGC Awards AD DRAFT_v4.indd 1 08/12/2014 08:55:20

LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 27

JUDGES Ged Curran, chief executive, Merton LBC Ben Evans, public sector account manager, Atkins Graham Farrant, chief executive, Thurrock Council David McNulty, chief executive, Surrey CC Paul Orders, chief executive, Cardiff Council

A WORD FROM THE AWARD’S SPONSORAtkins offers leading expertise in digital transformation across the public sector and we believe that innovation is more important than ever in delivering efficient and effective public services. Local government has always been an important sector for us and innovation is at the very heart of everything we do; from design and engineering to managing complex organisational change projects and programmes. It is therefore with great pleasure that we sponsor the innovation category at the 2015 LGC Awards and celebrate the very best of imagination and creativity across local government.

BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL The Illegal Money Lending Team (IMLT) is a Trading Standards project set up to prosecute loan sharks and help victims. The team celebrated 10 years of work in 2014, prosecuting 315 loan sharks and helping 24,500 victims. The IMLT prides itself in being innovative, trying new ideas and always thinking outside of the box. One such example is its loan shark lesson plans that were launched in January 2014.

BOLTON MBCThe Staying Well Project aims to enable adults aged 65 and over to stay healthy, happy and independent in their own homes. Using GP practice registers individuals are systematically identified and are offered person-centred, home-based conversation and active support to take up services. This project is truly holistic, taking physical health, mental health, social support, physical living environment and economic difficulties into consideration and connecting people with appropriate support.

BRENT LBCThe Flexible Childminding Pool project involves the council working with Job Centre Plus and local childminders to enable families to access affordable, quality-assured childminding services. All local families can use the pool but it is of particular benefit to parents with atypical working patterns or who need access to care unexpectedly. The project is a zero extra cost direct response to local need and is making a real difference to the lives of local people.

CHERWELL DCIn 2012 Cherwell launched a new developer brand, Build!, with the purpose of creating self-build housing schemes on brownfield sites. The context which drove this was one of increasing house prices, reduced public subsidy through the Homes and Communities Agency, and growing local concern about long term derelict brownfield sites. Build! is delivering 250 self-build opportunities of all tenures and sizes to include ‘watertight shells’, refurbishment of empty properties and serviced plots.

EAST RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL – CYCLINGThis project was designed to put in place the service delivery mechanisms required to provide high quality ‘Bikeability’ cycle training at primary schools in East Renfrewshire. All 23 primary schools delivered training in 2014, the first local authority in Scotland to achieve 100% participation. Training standards and pupil results have improved markedly thanks to programmes tailored to meet schools’ needs.

EAST RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL – NUISANCE CALLSThe project was initiated in partnership with Angus and East Dunbartonshire to identify and eliminate

nuisance calls that are a major source of financial harm for residents, particularly the elderly and vulnerable. A key objective was to reduce the burden of residential care and increase the length of time residents can live in their own home. Due to the success of its pilots the scheme it has received national and local interest with over 100 UK councils now participating.

IPSWICH BCA campaign was instigated to reduce alcohol related crimes, called Reducing the Strength, in September 2012. The campaign aimed to stop off licences selling 6.5%+ alcohol products at low prices. By December 2013 most premises were on board. There was a 20% reduction in the number of people who witnessed high levels of street drinking.

MERTON LBCWorking with people who hoard was becoming a challenge in Merton. In partnership with key agencies, Merton developed the UK’s first hoarding protocol. It looks at practical actions to work with people who hoard by assessing their needs and finding solutions through a multi-agency approach. Since its introduction in 2013, 25 customers have been supported, meaning they can enjoy a better quality of life in their own home.

READING BCReading BC embarked on an exciting and innovative partnership to launch in March 2014 Elevate Me, an interactive online tool that helps young people find local employment opportunities. The project, initiated by the council through Telefonica’s Local Government Digital Fund, provides resources for young people to help them access training and advice in order to address the issue of young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs).

SHROPSHIRE & STAFFORDSHIRE HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION PARTNERSHIP, STOKE-ON-TRENT CITY COUNCIL, NEWCASTLE BCThis project has improved access to affordable shared housing in the private rented sector in Stoke and Newcastle, in response to increased demand due to the extension of the shared accommodation rate of local housing allowance from under 25s to under 35s. The project has achieved considerable cost savings to society, by providing secure and affordable tenancies to young people who had previously lived in unstable accommodation and/or faced barriers accessing the PRS. The project has successfully engaged landlords and helped to stimulate creation of affordable, shared, private sector accommodation.

Innovation

p27 innovation 2015.indd 27 08/01/2015 13:15

Plan Design Enable

Atkins is proud to sponsor the innovation award category in the 2015 LGC Awards.

Congratulations to all shortlisted organisations!

We know that in a world of constrained resources and rising costs, imagination and innovation are key ingredients in delivering better public services.

Drawing on our reputation for excellence in design and engineering, our management consultants deliver the most complex of technology-enabled projects, helping to transform public services and turn innovative ideas into value.

www.atkinsglobal.com

LGC Awards AD DRAFT_v4.indd 1 08/12/2014 08:55:20

LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 27

JUDGES Ged Curran, chief executive, Merton LBC Ben Evans, public sector account manager, Atkins Graham Farrant, chief executive, Thurrock Council David McNulty, chief executive, Surrey CC Paul Orders, chief executive, Cardiff Council

A WORD FROM THE AWARD’S SPONSORAtkins offers leading expertise in digital transformation across the public sector and we believe that innovation is more important than ever in delivering efficient and effective public services. Local government has always been an important sector for us and innovation is at the very heart of everything we do; from design and engineering to managing complex organisational change projects and programmes. It is therefore with great pleasure that we sponsor the innovation category at the 2015 LGC Awards and celebrate the very best of imagination and creativity across local government.

BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL The Illegal Money Lending Team (IMLT) is a Trading Standards project set up to prosecute loan sharks and help victims. The team celebrated 10 years of work in 2014, prosecuting 315 loan sharks and helping 24,500 victims. The IMLT prides itself in being innovative, trying new ideas and always thinking outside of the box. One such example is its loan shark lesson plans that were launched in January 2014.

BOLTON MBCThe Staying Well Project aims to enable adults aged 65 and over to stay healthy, happy and independent in their own homes. Using GP practice registers individuals are systematically identified and are offered person-centred, home-based conversation and active support to take up services. This project is truly holistic, taking physical health, mental health, social support, physical living environment and economic difficulties into consideration and connecting people with appropriate support.

BRENT LBCThe Flexible Childminding Pool project involves the council working with Job Centre Plus and local childminders to enable families to access affordable, quality-assured childminding services. All local families can use the pool but it is of particular benefit to parents with atypical working patterns or who need access to care unexpectedly. The project is a zero extra cost direct response to local need and is making a real difference to the lives of local people.

CHERWELL DCIn 2012 Cherwell launched a new developer brand, Build!, with the purpose of creating self-build housing schemes on brownfield sites. The context which drove this was one of increasing house prices, reduced public subsidy through the Homes and Communities Agency, and growing local concern about long term derelict brownfield sites. Build! is delivering 250 self-build opportunities of all tenures and sizes to include ‘watertight shells’, refurbishment of empty properties and serviced plots.

EAST RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL – CYCLINGThis project was designed to put in place the service delivery mechanisms required to provide high quality ‘Bikeability’ cycle training at primary schools in East Renfrewshire. All 23 primary schools delivered training in 2014, the first local authority in Scotland to achieve 100% participation. Training standards and pupil results have improved markedly thanks to programmes tailored to meet schools’ needs.

EAST RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL – NUISANCE CALLSThe project was initiated in partnership with Angus and East Dunbartonshire to identify and eliminate

nuisance calls that are a major source of financial harm for residents, particularly the elderly and vulnerable. A key objective was to reduce the burden of residential care and increase the length of time residents can live in their own home. Due to the success of its pilots the scheme it has received national and local interest with over 100 UK councils now participating.

IPSWICH BCA campaign was instigated to reduce alcohol related crimes, called Reducing the Strength, in September 2012. The campaign aimed to stop off licences selling 6.5%+ alcohol products at low prices. By December 2013 most premises were on board. There was a 20% reduction in the number of people who witnessed high levels of street drinking.

MERTON LBCWorking with people who hoard was becoming a challenge in Merton. In partnership with key agencies, Merton developed the UK’s first hoarding protocol. It looks at practical actions to work with people who hoard by assessing their needs and finding solutions through a multi-agency approach. Since its introduction in 2013, 25 customers have been supported, meaning they can enjoy a better quality of life in their own home.

READING BCReading BC embarked on an exciting and innovative partnership to launch in March 2014 Elevate Me, an interactive online tool that helps young people find local employment opportunities. The project, initiated by the council through Telefonica’s Local Government Digital Fund, provides resources for young people to help them access training and advice in order to address the issue of young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs).

SHROPSHIRE & STAFFORDSHIRE HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION PARTNERSHIP, STOKE-ON-TRENT CITY COUNCIL, NEWCASTLE BCThis project has improved access to affordable shared housing in the private rented sector in Stoke and Newcastle, in response to increased demand due to the extension of the shared accommodation rate of local housing allowance from under 25s to under 35s. The project has achieved considerable cost savings to society, by providing secure and affordable tenancies to young people who had previously lived in unstable accommodation and/or faced barriers accessing the PRS. The project has successfully engaged landlords and helped to stimulate creation of affordable, shared, private sector accommodation.

Innovation

p27 innovation 2015.indd 27 08/01/2015 13:15

28 Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle LGCplus.com

JUDGES John Barradell, chief executive, City of London Corporation Peter Bungard, chief executive, Gloucestershire CC Mark Lloyd, chief executive, Cambridgeshire CC Martin Reeves, chief executive, Coventry City Council

BEXLEY LBCBexley LBC’s Local College First (LCF) programme provides a local long-term education choice for young adult learners with learning disabilities. Before LCF the majority of the borough’s young adult learners with high needs took up placements at residential colleges outside the borough. The LCF partnership has developed a learning experience that encompasses education, life skills and work experience for young people in their own community. LCF encourages greater independence, provides a wider choice for young people and delivers savings.

BLACKPOOL COUNCIL The Fylde Peninsula water management partnership is a group of eight organisations from the public and private sector, working to better control the water going in and out of the Fylde coast to protect residents from flooding and improving bathing water to sustain the tourist economy. So far, the partnership has successfully bid for £86m of funding for new sea defences, while partners have contributed to improving water courses and quality.

CHELMSFORD CITY COUNCIL Through effective local partnerships, Chelmsford has found innovative ways to create a safe, vibrant and well-balanced night-time offer. Its community safety initiatives have helped to secure a 16.7% reduction in night-time economy-related offending. In addition its residents’ survey highlights that 94.4% feel safe outside during the day and 70.9% after dark. As a result, Chelmsford was awarded a purple flag and was the first authority to be designated an International Safe Community by the World Health Organisation.

EAST RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL This project was initiated, in partnership with Angus and East Dunbartonshire, to identify and eliminate nuisance calls that are a major source of financial harm on residents, particularly the elderly. A key objective was to reduce the burden of residential care and increase the length of time residents can live in their own home. East Renfrewshire carried out a pilot study to test call blocking technology and due to the success of the trials it has received national and local interest with more than 100 UK councils now participating.

FENLAND DCOperation Pheasant is a nationally recognised partnership that is tackling the complex and devastating problem of human trafficking, unacceptable standards in private rented accommodation and rogue landlord exploitation. The effective joint-agency approach has seen a range of organisations work together with improved communication, enabling public sector resources to be used more efficiently and co-ordinated action to succeed at a local and national level.

GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL In 2009 Glasgow allocated its resources to assist businesses in the city create new employment for Glasgow’s young unemployed. It didn’t wait for EU or government funding; it committed initially £2m per year in 2009, increased to £6m in 2010 and subsequently to £8m from 2012. This has created almost 5,300 new jobs for young unemployed Glaswegians and in 2012-13 Glasgow had the highest reduction in youth unemployment in Scotland – the second highest of the UK core cities.

HAMPSHIRE CCArgenti is an innovative telehealthcare partnership between Hampshire CC and PA Consulting. This technology-enabled transformation programme aims to deliver better outcomes for vulnerable adults. In year one, telecare referrals grew 1,000% and to date the service has delivered £1m in net savings. Robust benefits monitoring ensures results are visible, stimulating further telecare deployment. Payment to the PA consortium is contingent on the achievement of these results. Lessons are being applied to other commissioned services.

KENT CCNo Use Empty was launched by KCC in 2005. Today all 12 authorities in Kent participate. NUE was the first scheme to offer interest free loans to owners of empty homes to fund the refurbishments to bring properties back into use. Empty property owners can apply for a loan of up to £25,000 per unit to a maximum of £175,000 (repayable in three years). Kent CC has issued £11.4m in loans since 2005. The loans have creating 3,425 new homes to date.

LEEDS CITY COUNCIL In 2014 14 local authorities together with Welcome to Yorkshire, Transport for London, TdFHUB2014 Ltd and the National Parks hosted ‘the grandest ever Grand Départ’. Approximately 3.5 million spectators lined the streets as the Tour de France passed by, with hundreds of thousands more watching on TV. The event succeeded not only in showcasing the UK but in bringing together residents, councils and communities. Led by Leeds City Council, the coalition of authorities ensured the event’s success.

NORTH EAST LINCOLNSHIRE COUNCIL A long-term partnership for health and social care is operating in North East Lincolnshire. In 2007 the council and the primary care trust tore up the rule book, creating Care Trust Plus, which offered integrated adult health and social care. Partners sought more joined-up services for children and recognised the benefits of locating children’s health and public health in the council. This innovative partnership is still going strong and has allowed the council and NHS to move quicker, be more innovative and achieve more than the traditional model.

Partnership of the Year

p28 partnership 2015.indd 28 08/01/2015 13:15

11 March | 2015 | Grosvenor House, London

Category Sponsors

Who will win the Council of the Year Award in 2015?

The awards that recognise local government’s hard work and innovation

Previous Winners

1997: South Somerset District Council1988: Birmingham City Council1999: Trafford Council 2000: Newham London Borough Council2001: Suffolk County Council 2002: Camden London Borough Council and

Blackburn and Darwen Borough Council 2003: Hertfordshire County Council2004: Westminster City Council 2005: Sheffield City Council2006: West Lothian Council

2007: High Peak Borough Council and Wychavon District Council

2008: Kirklees Council2009: Leicestershire County Council2010: Hammersmith and Fulham London

Borough Council2011: Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council2012: Southend on Sea Borough Council 2013: Royal Borough of Greenwich2014: Durham County Council2015: ?????

C100 M79 Y0 K0C100 M0 Y0 K0

@LGC_Awards LGC Awards

www.LGCawards.co.uk

To reserve your place and network with over 800 key decision makers in local government email Flavio at Flavio.Rispo@EMAP.com or call on 020 3033 2350

LGC_AWD01_ADS_COUNCIL_V02.indd 1 07/01/2015 17:21

28 Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle LGCplus.com

JUDGES John Barradell, chief executive, City of London Corporation Peter Bungard, chief executive, Gloucestershire CC Mark Lloyd, chief executive, Cambridgeshire CC Martin Reeves, chief executive, Coventry City Council

BEXLEY LBCBexley LBC’s Local College First (LCF) programme provides a local long-term education choice for young adult learners with learning disabilities. Before LCF the majority of the borough’s young adult learners with high needs took up placements at residential colleges outside the borough. The LCF partnership has developed a learning experience that encompasses education, life skills and work experience for young people in their own community. LCF encourages greater independence, provides a wider choice for young people and delivers savings.

BLACKPOOL COUNCIL The Fylde Peninsula water management partnership is a group of eight organisations from the public and private sector, working to better control the water going in and out of the Fylde coast to protect residents from flooding and improving bathing water to sustain the tourist economy. So far, the partnership has successfully bid for £86m of funding for new sea defences, while partners have contributed to improving water courses and quality.

CHELMSFORD CITY COUNCIL Through effective local partnerships, Chelmsford has found innovative ways to create a safe, vibrant and well-balanced night-time offer. Its community safety initiatives have helped to secure a 16.7% reduction in night-time economy-related offending. In addition its residents’ survey highlights that 94.4% feel safe outside during the day and 70.9% after dark. As a result, Chelmsford was awarded a purple flag and was the first authority to be designated an International Safe Community by the World Health Organisation.

EAST RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL This project was initiated, in partnership with Angus and East Dunbartonshire, to identify and eliminate nuisance calls that are a major source of financial harm on residents, particularly the elderly. A key objective was to reduce the burden of residential care and increase the length of time residents can live in their own home. East Renfrewshire carried out a pilot study to test call blocking technology and due to the success of the trials it has received national and local interest with more than 100 UK councils now participating.

FENLAND DCOperation Pheasant is a nationally recognised partnership that is tackling the complex and devastating problem of human trafficking, unacceptable standards in private rented accommodation and rogue landlord exploitation. The effective joint-agency approach has seen a range of organisations work together with improved communication, enabling public sector resources to be used more efficiently and co-ordinated action to succeed at a local and national level.

GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL In 2009 Glasgow allocated its resources to assist businesses in the city create new employment for Glasgow’s young unemployed. It didn’t wait for EU or government funding; it committed initially £2m per year in 2009, increased to £6m in 2010 and subsequently to £8m from 2012. This has created almost 5,300 new jobs for young unemployed Glaswegians and in 2012-13 Glasgow had the highest reduction in youth unemployment in Scotland – the second highest of the UK core cities.

HAMPSHIRE CCArgenti is an innovative telehealthcare partnership between Hampshire CC and PA Consulting. This technology-enabled transformation programme aims to deliver better outcomes for vulnerable adults. In year one, telecare referrals grew 1,000% and to date the service has delivered £1m in net savings. Robust benefits monitoring ensures results are visible, stimulating further telecare deployment. Payment to the PA consortium is contingent on the achievement of these results. Lessons are being applied to other commissioned services.

KENT CCNo Use Empty was launched by KCC in 2005. Today all 12 authorities in Kent participate. NUE was the first scheme to offer interest free loans to owners of empty homes to fund the refurbishments to bring properties back into use. Empty property owners can apply for a loan of up to £25,000 per unit to a maximum of £175,000 (repayable in three years). Kent CC has issued £11.4m in loans since 2005. The loans have creating 3,425 new homes to date.

LEEDS CITY COUNCIL In 2014 14 local authorities together with Welcome to Yorkshire, Transport for London, TdFHUB2014 Ltd and the National Parks hosted ‘the grandest ever Grand Départ’. Approximately 3.5 million spectators lined the streets as the Tour de France passed by, with hundreds of thousands more watching on TV. The event succeeded not only in showcasing the UK but in bringing together residents, councils and communities. Led by Leeds City Council, the coalition of authorities ensured the event’s success.

NORTH EAST LINCOLNSHIRE COUNCIL A long-term partnership for health and social care is operating in North East Lincolnshire. In 2007 the council and the primary care trust tore up the rule book, creating Care Trust Plus, which offered integrated adult health and social care. Partners sought more joined-up services for children and recognised the benefits of locating children’s health and public health in the council. This innovative partnership is still going strong and has allowed the council and NHS to move quicker, be more innovative and achieve more than the traditional model.

Partnership of the Year

p28 partnership 2015.indd 28 08/01/2015 13:15

11 March | 2015 | Grosvenor House, London

Category Sponsors

Who will win the Council of the Year Award in 2015?

The awards that recognise local government’s hard work and innovation

Previous Winners

1997: South Somerset District Council1988: Birmingham City Council1999: Trafford Council 2000: Newham London Borough Council2001: Suffolk County Council 2002: Camden London Borough Council and

Blackburn and Darwen Borough Council 2003: Hertfordshire County Council2004: Westminster City Council 2005: Sheffield City Council2006: West Lothian Council

2007: High Peak Borough Council and Wychavon District Council

2008: Kirklees Council2009: Leicestershire County Council2010: Hammersmith and Fulham London

Borough Council2011: Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council2012: Southend on Sea Borough Council 2013: Royal Borough of Greenwich2014: Durham County Council2015: ?????

C100 M79 Y0 K0C100 M0 Y0 K0

@LGC_Awards LGC Awards

www.LGCawards.co.uk

To reserve your place and network with over 800 key decision makers in local government email Flavio at Flavio.Rispo@EMAP.com or call on 020 3033 2350

LGC_AWD01_ADS_COUNCIL_V02.indd 1 07/01/2015 17:21

www.nice.org.uk/localgovernment

Achieving excellence in public healthInvesting in public health protects communities, saves lives and saves money

Councils have the power to significantly improve the health of their communities by reducing health inequalities and premature death from disease.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) produces evidence-based public health guidance which shows the most effective and value for money ways of improving the health and wellbeing of the population.

NICE is sponsoring this award to highlight the councils that are meeting their public health challenges and show that investing in public health brings benefits for all.

We would like to congratulate everyone who has been shortlisted for this year’s award

LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 31

JUDGES David Buck, senior fellow, public health and health inequalities, King’s Fund Kevin Fenton, director of health and wellbeing, Public Health England Gillian Leng, deputy chief executive, NICE Doug Patterson, chief executive, Bromley LBC Martin Swales, chief executive, South Tyneside Council

A WORD FROM THE AWARD’S SPONSORIn difficult economic times, councils need to show a return on the resources they invest in public health. Applying evidence based solutions, such as NICE guidance, to reducing health inequalities and improving health and wellbeing can deliver significant social and economic benefits over the long term. We have been encouraged by the continued high level of interest in our public health award and very impressed by the innovative ways councils are fulfilling their responsibilities. We hope the councils shortlisted here will inspire others in their work to improve the health and wellbeing of their communities.

BLACKPOOL COUNCILSince Blackpool Council took responsibility for public health, the authority has responded imaginatively, ensuring residents’ needs are met through positive and collaborative working. The council embraces the fact that it can’t achieve its ambitions alone, given that Blackpool is one of the most densely populated areas outside of London, with some of the highest social care demands. Strong political leadership and the creation of effective local partnerships are helping the council to deliver on some of its biggest priorities.

BOLTON MBCThe Staying Well Project aims to enable adults aged 65 and over to stay healthy, happy and independent in their own homes. Using GP practice registers, individuals are systematically identified and are offered a person-centred, home-based conversation and active support to find and take up services. This project is truly holistic, taking physical health, mental health, social support, physical living environment and economic difficulties into consideration and connecting people with appropriate support.

BRACKNELL FOREST BCBracknell Forest BC’s public health team has sought to maximise its impact through an evidence-based approach and effective partnership working. By establishing public health as a theme across the wider system, it achieved significant improvements in health checks, weight management and smoking cessation. It also demonstrated new ways of working through its joint strategic needs assessment and alcohol harm reduction work.

ESSEX CCThe Risk-Avert programme has been developed in partnership with Essex CC and the Training Effect to deliver a targeted programme to improve vulnerable young people’s understanding and management of risk-taking. Stakeholders from across Essex CC, including public health, police, schools and the voluntary sector have joined forces to deliver this model to embed evidence based interventions in schools and create a revenue stream to support reinvestment in the programme.

KNOWSLEY MBCKnowsley MBC’s two-minute health messages training programme is targeted at frontline workers who have regular contact with adults. It provides the knowledge and skills to enable individuals to have short conversations with clients about improving their health. The short, accredited training programme covers key messages, communication skills and information about appropriate services. This enables frontline staff to provide support and advice around making positive lifestyle choices to residents as well family, friends and colleagues.

LEEDS CITY COUNCIL The Leeds mental health and wellbeing needs assessment identified the need to undertake a suicide audit for Leeds to provide intelligence on the factors affecting suicide across the city. The audit was completed in May 2012 and reviewed three years of data from 2008 up to and including 2010. It included open verdicts, narratives and misadventure. A robust and ambitious locally evidence based suicide prevention plan was agreed, and is embedded into the health and wellbeing strategy.

SOUTHEND-ON-SEA BCStaying Steady is a community-based falls prevention project and a partnership between Southend-on-Sea BC, Southend Adult Community College and older residents. It offers falls prevention classes, education opportunities and vocational courses that break the cycle of falling and social isolation. Programme costs of £25,000 per annum have resulted in £143,000 in costs avoided to date. Older people are volunteering to support their peers and have developed strong new social ties and networks having attended the course.

TAMESIDE MBCThe Greater Manchester Public Health Network, on behalf of the 10 directors of public health, looked to redesign how services, individuals and employers approach health and employment. The work explored attitudes in three super output areas, working with partners to develop a workplace rehabilitation model and change attitudes to being off sick. The sites, in Bolton, Oldham and Wigan, worked with public health teams to provide insight to test how to change current policy and practice so GP consultations would routinely include a discussion around work and health.

TEIGNBRIDGE DCThe first ever mother and baby group bike rides were created by Teignbridge DC through the council’s active leisure work on groups of people with low or no motivation for physical activity. These rides are the first of their kind. They offer hassle-free exercise to mums, who don’t need to have any experience on a bike, or even own a bike to take part. All the essential equipment is provided, safety checked and ready to go. Led by a qualified British Cycling ride leader, weekly rides give mums and babies fresh air and exercise with no need for childcare arrangements.

TELFORD & WREKIN BCTelford After Care Team (Tact) is a mutual aid team of recovering drug and alcohol service users who support people in recovery. Tact aims to ensure a clear, safe programme of recovery options is available, which includes group activities, benefits advice, education and training. Tact’s aims are to empower people to continue their recovery after their substance use and enable people to understand the real difference this service can make.

Public Health

p31 public health 2015.indd 31 08/01/2015 13:16

www.nice.org.uk/localgovernment

Achieving excellence in public healthInvesting in public health protects communities, saves lives and saves money

Councils have the power to significantly improve the health of their communities by reducing health inequalities and premature death from disease.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) produces evidence-based public health guidance which shows the most effective and value for money ways of improving the health and wellbeing of the population.

NICE is sponsoring this award to highlight the councils that are meeting their public health challenges and show that investing in public health brings benefits for all.

We would like to congratulate everyone who has been shortlisted for this year’s award

LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 31

JUDGES David Buck, senior fellow, public health and health inequalities, King’s Fund Kevin Fenton, director of health and wellbeing, Public Health England Gillian Leng, deputy chief executive, NICE Doug Patterson, chief executive, Bromley LBC Martin Swales, chief executive, South Tyneside Council

A WORD FROM THE AWARD’S SPONSORIn difficult economic times, councils need to show a return on the resources they invest in public health. Applying evidence based solutions, such as NICE guidance, to reducing health inequalities and improving health and wellbeing can deliver significant social and economic benefits over the long term. We have been encouraged by the continued high level of interest in our public health award and very impressed by the innovative ways councils are fulfilling their responsibilities. We hope the councils shortlisted here will inspire others in their work to improve the health and wellbeing of their communities.

BLACKPOOL COUNCILSince Blackpool Council took responsibility for public health, the authority has responded imaginatively, ensuring residents’ needs are met through positive and collaborative working. The council embraces the fact that it can’t achieve its ambitions alone, given that Blackpool is one of the most densely populated areas outside of London, with some of the highest social care demands. Strong political leadership and the creation of effective local partnerships are helping the council to deliver on some of its biggest priorities.

BOLTON MBCThe Staying Well Project aims to enable adults aged 65 and over to stay healthy, happy and independent in their own homes. Using GP practice registers, individuals are systematically identified and are offered a person-centred, home-based conversation and active support to find and take up services. This project is truly holistic, taking physical health, mental health, social support, physical living environment and economic difficulties into consideration and connecting people with appropriate support.

BRACKNELL FOREST BCBracknell Forest BC’s public health team has sought to maximise its impact through an evidence-based approach and effective partnership working. By establishing public health as a theme across the wider system, it achieved significant improvements in health checks, weight management and smoking cessation. It also demonstrated new ways of working through its joint strategic needs assessment and alcohol harm reduction work.

ESSEX CCThe Risk-Avert programme has been developed in partnership with Essex CC and the Training Effect to deliver a targeted programme to improve vulnerable young people’s understanding and management of risk-taking. Stakeholders from across Essex CC, including public health, police, schools and the voluntary sector have joined forces to deliver this model to embed evidence based interventions in schools and create a revenue stream to support reinvestment in the programme.

KNOWSLEY MBCKnowsley MBC’s two-minute health messages training programme is targeted at frontline workers who have regular contact with adults. It provides the knowledge and skills to enable individuals to have short conversations with clients about improving their health. The short, accredited training programme covers key messages, communication skills and information about appropriate services. This enables frontline staff to provide support and advice around making positive lifestyle choices to residents as well family, friends and colleagues.

LEEDS CITY COUNCIL The Leeds mental health and wellbeing needs assessment identified the need to undertake a suicide audit for Leeds to provide intelligence on the factors affecting suicide across the city. The audit was completed in May 2012 and reviewed three years of data from 2008 up to and including 2010. It included open verdicts, narratives and misadventure. A robust and ambitious locally evidence based suicide prevention plan was agreed, and is embedded into the health and wellbeing strategy.

SOUTHEND-ON-SEA BCStaying Steady is a community-based falls prevention project and a partnership between Southend-on-Sea BC, Southend Adult Community College and older residents. It offers falls prevention classes, education opportunities and vocational courses that break the cycle of falling and social isolation. Programme costs of £25,000 per annum have resulted in £143,000 in costs avoided to date. Older people are volunteering to support their peers and have developed strong new social ties and networks having attended the course.

TAMESIDE MBCThe Greater Manchester Public Health Network, on behalf of the 10 directors of public health, looked to redesign how services, individuals and employers approach health and employment. The work explored attitudes in three super output areas, working with partners to develop a workplace rehabilitation model and change attitudes to being off sick. The sites, in Bolton, Oldham and Wigan, worked with public health teams to provide insight to test how to change current policy and practice so GP consultations would routinely include a discussion around work and health.

TEIGNBRIDGE DCThe first ever mother and baby group bike rides were created by Teignbridge DC through the council’s active leisure work on groups of people with low or no motivation for physical activity. These rides are the first of their kind. They offer hassle-free exercise to mums, who don’t need to have any experience on a bike, or even own a bike to take part. All the essential equipment is provided, safety checked and ready to go. Led by a qualified British Cycling ride leader, weekly rides give mums and babies fresh air and exercise with no need for childcare arrangements.

TELFORD & WREKIN BCTelford After Care Team (Tact) is a mutual aid team of recovering drug and alcohol service users who support people in recovery. Tact aims to ensure a clear, safe programme of recovery options is available, which includes group activities, benefits advice, education and training. Tact’s aims are to empower people to continue their recovery after their substance use and enable people to understand the real difference this service can make.

Public Health

p31 public health 2015.indd 31 08/01/2015 13:16

Capsticks is the proud sponsor of the ‘Most Innovative Service Delivery Model’ award which recognises the ingenuity, passion and dedication of councils who have sought to deliver ground-breaking solutions in the past twelve months. We applaud the huge efforts that councils are investing to deliver better services in tough economic times.

Through our experience in the local government, health and social care and housing sectors Capsticks has been involved in many innovative projects at the forefront of integrating services across the UK. We add value to our clients’ organisations through our detailed knowledge of these sectors and our ability to provide practical and commercial insights in addition to clear and concise legal advice.

Find out more about how we can work with you by visiting our partnership working/social care and social enterprise pages at www.capsticks.com or email chris.brophy@capsticks.com

www.capsticks.com

Rewarding Innovation

JUDGES Paul Blantern, chief executive, Northamptonshire CC Chris Brophy, partner, Capsticks Deborah Cadman, chief executive, Suffolk CC Lesley Seary, chief executive, Islington LBC

BLACKBURN WITH DARWEN COUNCIL Blackburn with Darwen Council introduced Assisted Living Technology (ALT) in 2008 to manage the growing and changing care needs of an ageing population. It enabled more people to live independently at home for longer. Evaluation of 50 early users showed significantly reduced need for social care support. Between 2008 and 2012, £2.2m in savings were directly attributed to ALT. With massive financial challenges from 2015-16 and beyond, the mainstreaming of ALT is now central to the council’s business strategy.

BOLTON MBCThe Staying Well Project aims to enable adults aged 65 and over to stay healthy, happy and independent. Using GP practice registers, individuals are systematically identified and are offered a person-centred, home-based conversation and active support to find and take up appropriate services, information, advice and support. This project is truly holistic, taking physical health, mental health, social support, physical living environment and economic difficulties into consideration and connecting people with appropriate support.

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE CCBuckinghamshire Law Plus was established to deliver legal services to local authorities and voluntary and wider public sectors. The company objectives are to develop a commercial legal firm, operating efficiently to deliver high quality legal services for a range of public and voluntary sector clients; develop a client-facing delivery model, focusing on providing high standards of expert legal advice; and share specialist knowledge to enable professional development for staff and trainees.

CHESHIRE WEST & CHESTER COUNCIL The Integrated Early Support Service (IES) was established in October 2013 to improve the effectiveness of public services for children, families and vulnerable people. It is designed to reduce demand on acute and reactive services, reduce duplication, ensuring children, young people and families with multiple and complex needs plus victims and perpetrators of domestic abuse get the right help at the right time, in the right place from the right people.

ESSEX CC The Risk-Avert programme has been developed in partnership with Essex CC and the Training Effect to identify at an early stage young people who are vulnerable to multiple risk-taking and intervene. Stakeholders including public health, police, schools and the voluntary sector deliver this trailblazing model to embed evidence-based interventions in schools and create a revenue stream to support reinvestment in the programme.

LANCASHIRE CCLancashire CC has made a significant contribution to

supporting ex-service personnel to retrain and gain valuable work experience in Lancashire schools, whilst supporting young people. The Ex-Service Mentoring in Schools Programme recognises the importance and benefits of ex-service personnel as a part of the council’s workforce. The programme was developed to recruit, train and place ex-service mentors in secondary schools across Lancashire, providing positive role models for young people.

NORFOLK CCHethel Innovation, owned by Norfolk CC, shows how new business models can be developed to support local government. Maximising the leverage of available public/private funding and working within value adding partnerships, Hethel Innovation has developed a standalone business that delivers innovation and enterprise led support programmes from a low carbon innovation hub situated in the heart of rural Norfolk. The opportunity going forward will be to help address the broader challenges of encouraging enterprise and innovation.

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE CCProject Alpha provides a scalable and commercially sustainable infrastructure combining customer contact centre, data hub, e-marketplace and e-payment capabilities to support integration of health and social care services with a focus on citizen empowerment and self-help. It leverages in the resources from other sectors through a consortium established under a shareholder agreement comprising Northamptonshire CC, cloudBuy PLC and Grass Roots PLC. It is designed to be scalable and to integrate across the NHS, voluntary sector and other local authorities.

READING BCReading BC embarked on an innovative partnership to launch in March 2014 Elevate Me, an interactive online tool that helps young people find local employment. The project, initiated by the council through Telefonica’s Local Government Digital Fund, provides resources for young people to help them access training and advice to address the issue of young people not in education, employment or training.

STOKE-ON-TRENT CITY COUNCIL, NEWCASTLE BC, SHROPSHIRE & STAFFORDSHIRE HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION PARTNERSHIPThis project has improved access to affordable shared housing in the private rented sector in Stoke and Newcastle, in response to increased demand due to the extension of the shared accommodation rate of local housing allowance from under 25s to under 35s. The project has achieved considerable cost savings by providing secure and affordable tenancies to young people who had previously lived in unstable accommodation and/or faced barriers accessing the PRS. The project has successfully engaged landlords and helped to stimulate creation of affordable, shared, private sector accommodation.

Service Delivery Model

A WORD FROM THE AWARD’S SPONSORAs integration between health and social care moves forward, Capsticks celebrates the ingenuity of those at the front line of improving service delivery. We are proud to be sponsoring the Service Delivery Model Award where we have the opportunity to recognise the success councils have achieved over the past year.

Capsticks’ health and social care team has experience of health, housing and local government sector and can help you to deliver the groundbreaking solutions that now need to be delivered. From our London, Birmingham, Leeds and Winchester offices we add value to our clients’ organisations through our detailed knowledge of the sectors, our involvement in many innovatory projects and our ability to provide practical and commercial insights in addition to clear and concise legal advice.

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Capsticks is the proud sponsor of the ‘Most Innovative Service Delivery Model’ award which recognises the ingenuity, passion and dedication of councils who have sought to deliver ground-breaking solutions in the past twelve months. We applaud the huge efforts that councils are investing to deliver better services in tough economic times.

Through our experience in the local government, health and social care and housing sectors Capsticks has been involved in many innovative projects at the forefront of integrating services across the UK. We add value to our clients’ organisations through our detailed knowledge of these sectors and our ability to provide practical and commercial insights in addition to clear and concise legal advice.

Find out more about how we can work with you by visiting our partnership working/social care and social enterprise pages at www.capsticks.com or email chris.brophy@capsticks.com

www.capsticks.com

Rewarding Innovation

JUDGES Paul Blantern, chief executive, Northamptonshire CC Chris Brophy, partner, Capsticks Deborah Cadman, chief executive, Suffolk CC Lesley Seary, chief executive, Islington LBC

BLACKBURN WITH DARWEN COUNCIL Blackburn with Darwen Council introduced Assisted Living Technology (ALT) in 2008 to manage the growing and changing care needs of an ageing population. It enabled more people to live independently at home for longer. Evaluation of 50 early users showed significantly reduced need for social care support. Between 2008 and 2012, £2.2m in savings were directly attributed to ALT. With massive financial challenges from 2015-16 and beyond, the mainstreaming of ALT is now central to the council’s business strategy.

BOLTON MBCThe Staying Well Project aims to enable adults aged 65 and over to stay healthy, happy and independent. Using GP practice registers, individuals are systematically identified and are offered a person-centred, home-based conversation and active support to find and take up appropriate services, information, advice and support. This project is truly holistic, taking physical health, mental health, social support, physical living environment and economic difficulties into consideration and connecting people with appropriate support.

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE CCBuckinghamshire Law Plus was established to deliver legal services to local authorities and voluntary and wider public sectors. The company objectives are to develop a commercial legal firm, operating efficiently to deliver high quality legal services for a range of public and voluntary sector clients; develop a client-facing delivery model, focusing on providing high standards of expert legal advice; and share specialist knowledge to enable professional development for staff and trainees.

CHESHIRE WEST & CHESTER COUNCIL The Integrated Early Support Service (IES) was established in October 2013 to improve the effectiveness of public services for children, families and vulnerable people. It is designed to reduce demand on acute and reactive services, reduce duplication, ensuring children, young people and families with multiple and complex needs plus victims and perpetrators of domestic abuse get the right help at the right time, in the right place from the right people.

ESSEX CC The Risk-Avert programme has been developed in partnership with Essex CC and the Training Effect to identify at an early stage young people who are vulnerable to multiple risk-taking and intervene. Stakeholders including public health, police, schools and the voluntary sector deliver this trailblazing model to embed evidence-based interventions in schools and create a revenue stream to support reinvestment in the programme.

LANCASHIRE CCLancashire CC has made a significant contribution to

supporting ex-service personnel to retrain and gain valuable work experience in Lancashire schools, whilst supporting young people. The Ex-Service Mentoring in Schools Programme recognises the importance and benefits of ex-service personnel as a part of the council’s workforce. The programme was developed to recruit, train and place ex-service mentors in secondary schools across Lancashire, providing positive role models for young people.

NORFOLK CCHethel Innovation, owned by Norfolk CC, shows how new business models can be developed to support local government. Maximising the leverage of available public/private funding and working within value adding partnerships, Hethel Innovation has developed a standalone business that delivers innovation and enterprise led support programmes from a low carbon innovation hub situated in the heart of rural Norfolk. The opportunity going forward will be to help address the broader challenges of encouraging enterprise and innovation.

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE CCProject Alpha provides a scalable and commercially sustainable infrastructure combining customer contact centre, data hub, e-marketplace and e-payment capabilities to support integration of health and social care services with a focus on citizen empowerment and self-help. It leverages in the resources from other sectors through a consortium established under a shareholder agreement comprising Northamptonshire CC, cloudBuy PLC and Grass Roots PLC. It is designed to be scalable and to integrate across the NHS, voluntary sector and other local authorities.

READING BCReading BC embarked on an innovative partnership to launch in March 2014 Elevate Me, an interactive online tool that helps young people find local employment. The project, initiated by the council through Telefonica’s Local Government Digital Fund, provides resources for young people to help them access training and advice to address the issue of young people not in education, employment or training.

STOKE-ON-TRENT CITY COUNCIL, NEWCASTLE BC, SHROPSHIRE & STAFFORDSHIRE HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION PARTNERSHIPThis project has improved access to affordable shared housing in the private rented sector in Stoke and Newcastle, in response to increased demand due to the extension of the shared accommodation rate of local housing allowance from under 25s to under 35s. The project has achieved considerable cost savings by providing secure and affordable tenancies to young people who had previously lived in unstable accommodation and/or faced barriers accessing the PRS. The project has successfully engaged landlords and helped to stimulate creation of affordable, shared, private sector accommodation.

Service Delivery Model

A WORD FROM THE AWARD’S SPONSORAs integration between health and social care moves forward, Capsticks celebrates the ingenuity of those at the front line of improving service delivery. We are proud to be sponsoring the Service Delivery Model Award where we have the opportunity to recognise the success councils have achieved over the past year.

Capsticks’ health and social care team has experience of health, housing and local government sector and can help you to deliver the groundbreaking solutions that now need to be delivered. From our London, Birmingham, Leeds and Winchester offices we add value to our clients’ organisations through our detailed knowledge of the sectors, our involvement in many innovatory projects and our ability to provide practical and commercial insights in addition to clear and concise legal advice.

LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 33

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34 Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle LGCplus.com

JUDGES Gifty Edila, corporate director - legal, HR and regulatory services, Hackney LBC Andy O’Brien, chief executive, East Staffordshire BC Jane Robinson, chief executive, Gateshead Council John Middleton, vice president for policy, Faculty of Public Health

CENTRAL BEDFORDSHIRE COUNCIL Five years ago Central Bedfordshire Council had some of the worst back office services in local government. A fresh management team for improvement and corporate services, formed in 2013 and characterised by the diversity of its experience and the consistency of its ambition, has made huge progress. External customer satisfaction has doubled, staff engagement has improved by up to 25% and a series of change programmes have contributed to the council’s achievement of saving more than £70m.

CORNWALL CCThe private water supplies (PWS) team is responsible for providing water testing and risk assessments to over 4,000 private water supplies owned by businesses and home owners. Cornwall’s move to unitary status in 2009 brought together six teams and ways of working. For many years the team struggled to deliver a cohesive service. Through commitment to change and openness to learn, the PWS team is now one of the highest performing teams in the service, generating a substantial income.

DARLINGTON BCDarlington BC’s family placement team has made innovative use of the government’s adoption reform grant, including employing graduate interns and use of social and national media to broaden public knowledge about adoption. While keeping the needs of the children at the fore, the approach has resulted in a significant increase in the numbers of Darlington children in care who are able to find their forever family.

DONCASTER MBCDoncaster MBC’s integrated discharge team has developed an innovative discharge to assess model and a rapid assessment service through a two year programme of transformation where it delivered significant efficiency savings. Professionals from Doncaster MBC, Doncaster Bassettlaw Hospital Trust, Rotherham MBC, Doncaster South Humber Hospital Trust and Doncaster Clinical Commissioning Group have taken integration beyond co-location.

ISLINGTON LBCThe seasonal health and affordable warmth (Shaw) team is making a big difference to its clients’ lives by tackling the health impacts of severe weather and cold homes. With four members of staff, it is a small team with a huge impact, whether delivering the internationally recognised Seasonal Health Interventions Network or carrying out ground-breaking climate resilience work with academic and private sector partners. The team also has a significant influence on local and national policy.

LUTON LBCSet up in April 2010 to meet Whitehall demands for

major reductions in public spending, Luton LBC’s transformation programme has delivered significant, substantial savings in under five years and yet has avoided major damage to the front line. Indeed, many services have improved. In its scale and ambition, the project was arguably the first of its kind in the UK.

NEWHAM LBCNewham LBC’s gas team has implemented several innovations designed to boost safety in the area and reduce calls on services. These included developing its own computer program with a complete record of all 15,000 properties in Newham, increasing the frequency of quality checks on boilers and improving response times to complaints. In 2014, the team brought all gas work in-house to improve its control over the service and reduce costs.

OXFORDSHIRE CCIn response to child sexual exploitation Oxfordshire and Thames Valley Police established Kingfisher. The team has entrenched partnership working and information-sharing. Kingfisher has worked intensively with over 200 vulnerable children and has directly contributed to the prosecutions of nine men, with other investigations continuing. The project has been praised by the LGA and Ofsted and the crime prevention minister Norman Baker said that Kingfisher has “made great strides in transforming the standard of child protection services in Oxfordshire”.

PETERBOROUGH CITY COUNCILThe child sexual exploitation team worked in partnership with Cambridgeshire Constabulary and other partners in a victim-led and dynamic joint operation to identify, safeguard, and support victims of child sexual exploitation in a manner that enables the prosecution of perpetrators. Working at a pace dictated by the victims, the team has earned their trust and supported them to make statements and participate in a number of subsequent successful criminal proceedings resulting in heavy sentences for perpetrators.

WALTHAM FOREST LBCWaltham Forest LBC’s parks and play team delivered refurbishment of 28 parks and play areas borough-wide for £1.9m in less than 10 months as part of the £170m Project-13 investment programme. The team had one full-time parks manager, with a further two project managers lending capacity from their already full schedules. They procured design-and-build contracts, undertook 16 stakeholder engagement drop-in events, increased friends-of-parks groups by two, installed 28 bespoke, high-quality schemes, and organised 25 launch events and fun days with the community to celebrate the transformations.

Team of the Year

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LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 35

Kay Andrews, executive director, client development, AgilisysMaggie Atkinson, Children’s Commissioner for England Stephen Baker, chief executive, Suffolk Coastal DC and Waveney DCJohn Barradell, chief executive, City of London CorporationPaul Blantern, chief executive, Northamptonshire CCTrevor Boyd, managing director, adults, health and communities, Buckinghamshire CCCatherine Brogan, chief executive, PhastCarl Brooks, director of local government, Capita ConsultingChris Brophy, partner, CapsticksDavid Buck, senior fellow, public health and health inequalities, The King’s FundNicola Bulbeck, chief executive, Teignbridge DCPeter Bungard, chief executive, Gloucestershire CC Deborah Cadman, chief executive, Suffolk CCKirsty Cole, deputy chief executive, Newark and Sherwood DCWayne Copley, procurement director, RepicJessica Crowe, executive director, Centre for Public Scrutiny Ged Curran, chief executive, Merton LBCCarolyn Downs, chief executive, Local Government Association Gifty Edila, corporate director, legal, HR and regulatory services, Hackney LBCMartin Esom, chief executive, Waltham Forest LBCBen Evans, public sector account manager, AtkinsGraham Farrant, chief executive, Thurrock CouncilKevin Fenton, director of public health and wellbeing, Public Health EnglandGed Fitzgerald, chief executive, Liverpool City CouncilPeter Gamson, partner, Grant ThorntonGeorge Garlick, chief executive, Durham CCManjeet Gill, chief executive, West Lindsey DCNick Golding, editor, LGCMary Harpley, chief executive, Hounslow LBCSean Harriss, chief executive, Bolton MBCTrevor Holden, chief executive, Luton BCDavid Holdstock, director of communications, Local Government AssociationMatthew Humphrey, partner and national lead for services to local government, Baker TillyJoanna Killian, chief executive, Essex CC Andrew Jepp, director of public sector, Zurich Municipal ServicesAndrew Kerr, chief executive, Cornwall CCRob Leak, chief executive, Enfield LBC

Gillian Leng, deputy chief executive and director of health and social care, National Institute for Health and Care ExcellenceMark Lloyd, chief executive, Cambridgeshire CCTony McArdle, chief executive, Lincolnshire CCLaura McGillivray, chief executive, Norwich City CouncilDavid McNulty, chief executive, Surrey CCDr John Middleton, vice president for policy, Faculty of Public HealthAndy O’Brien, chief executive, East Staffordshire BCPaul Orders, chief executive, Cardiff City CouncilDoug Patterson, chief executive, Bromley LBC David Pearson, president, Association of Directors of Adult Social ServicesNigel Pearson, chief executive, East Riding of Yorkshire CouncilGeoff Parker, chief executive, Charnwood BCSarah Pickup, deputy chief executive, Hertfordshire CCMartin Reeves, chief executive, Coventry City CouncilJane Robinson, chief executive, Gateshead MBCJoanne Roney, chief executive, Wakefield MBCLesley Seary, chief executive, Islington LBCSteve Shakespeare, managing director, Civica ServicesTim Shields, chief executive, Hackney LBCJoanna Simons, chief executive, Oxfordshire CCCormac Smith, head of communications, Basildon BCDave Smith, chief executive, Sunderland City CouncilMartin Smith, chief executive, Ealing LBCSue Smith, joint chief executive, Cherwell DC and South Northamptonshire Council Mike Suarez, chief executive, Cheshire East CouncilMike Suffield, lead director, National Audit OfficeMartin Swales, chief executive, South Tyneside CouncilDiana Terris, chief executive, Barnsley MBCPenny Thompson, chief executive, Brighton and Hove City CouncilRobert Tinlin, chief executive, Southend-on-Sea BCAndrew Travers, chief executive, Barnet LBCJo Turton, chief executive, Lancashire CCJohn van de Laarschot, chief executive, Stoke-on-Trent City CouncilNick Walkley, chief executive, Haringey LBCPatrick White, director, local government policy, Department for Communities & Local GovernmentRob Whiteman, chief executive, Chartered Institute for Public Finance & AccountancyChris Williams, chief executive, Buckinghamshire CCAdam Wilkinson, chief executive, Derby City Council

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© Local Government Chronicle, 2015

Published by

The judges

p35 judges 2015.indd 35 08/01/2015 13:32

34 Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle LGCplus.com

JUDGES Gifty Edila, corporate director - legal, HR and regulatory services, Hackney LBC Andy O’Brien, chief executive, East Staffordshire BC Jane Robinson, chief executive, Gateshead Council John Middleton, vice president for policy, Faculty of Public Health

CENTRAL BEDFORDSHIRE COUNCIL Five years ago Central Bedfordshire Council had some of the worst back office services in local government. A fresh management team for improvement and corporate services, formed in 2013 and characterised by the diversity of its experience and the consistency of its ambition, has made huge progress. External customer satisfaction has doubled, staff engagement has improved by up to 25% and a series of change programmes have contributed to the council’s achievement of saving more than £70m.

CORNWALL CCThe private water supplies (PWS) team is responsible for providing water testing and risk assessments to over 4,000 private water supplies owned by businesses and home owners. Cornwall’s move to unitary status in 2009 brought together six teams and ways of working. For many years the team struggled to deliver a cohesive service. Through commitment to change and openness to learn, the PWS team is now one of the highest performing teams in the service, generating a substantial income.

DARLINGTON BCDarlington BC’s family placement team has made innovative use of the government’s adoption reform grant, including employing graduate interns and use of social and national media to broaden public knowledge about adoption. While keeping the needs of the children at the fore, the approach has resulted in a significant increase in the numbers of Darlington children in care who are able to find their forever family.

DONCASTER MBCDoncaster MBC’s integrated discharge team has developed an innovative discharge to assess model and a rapid assessment service through a two year programme of transformation where it delivered significant efficiency savings. Professionals from Doncaster MBC, Doncaster Bassettlaw Hospital Trust, Rotherham MBC, Doncaster South Humber Hospital Trust and Doncaster Clinical Commissioning Group have taken integration beyond co-location.

ISLINGTON LBCThe seasonal health and affordable warmth (Shaw) team is making a big difference to its clients’ lives by tackling the health impacts of severe weather and cold homes. With four members of staff, it is a small team with a huge impact, whether delivering the internationally recognised Seasonal Health Interventions Network or carrying out ground-breaking climate resilience work with academic and private sector partners. The team also has a significant influence on local and national policy.

LUTON LBCSet up in April 2010 to meet Whitehall demands for

major reductions in public spending, Luton LBC’s transformation programme has delivered significant, substantial savings in under five years and yet has avoided major damage to the front line. Indeed, many services have improved. In its scale and ambition, the project was arguably the first of its kind in the UK.

NEWHAM LBCNewham LBC’s gas team has implemented several innovations designed to boost safety in the area and reduce calls on services. These included developing its own computer program with a complete record of all 15,000 properties in Newham, increasing the frequency of quality checks on boilers and improving response times to complaints. In 2014, the team brought all gas work in-house to improve its control over the service and reduce costs.

OXFORDSHIRE CCIn response to child sexual exploitation Oxfordshire and Thames Valley Police established Kingfisher. The team has entrenched partnership working and information-sharing. Kingfisher has worked intensively with over 200 vulnerable children and has directly contributed to the prosecutions of nine men, with other investigations continuing. The project has been praised by the LGA and Ofsted and the crime prevention minister Norman Baker said that Kingfisher has “made great strides in transforming the standard of child protection services in Oxfordshire”.

PETERBOROUGH CITY COUNCILThe child sexual exploitation team worked in partnership with Cambridgeshire Constabulary and other partners in a victim-led and dynamic joint operation to identify, safeguard, and support victims of child sexual exploitation in a manner that enables the prosecution of perpetrators. Working at a pace dictated by the victims, the team has earned their trust and supported them to make statements and participate in a number of subsequent successful criminal proceedings resulting in heavy sentences for perpetrators.

WALTHAM FOREST LBCWaltham Forest LBC’s parks and play team delivered refurbishment of 28 parks and play areas borough-wide for £1.9m in less than 10 months as part of the £170m Project-13 investment programme. The team had one full-time parks manager, with a further two project managers lending capacity from their already full schedules. They procured design-and-build contracts, undertook 16 stakeholder engagement drop-in events, increased friends-of-parks groups by two, installed 28 bespoke, high-quality schemes, and organised 25 launch events and fun days with the community to celebrate the transformations.

Team of the Year

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LGCplus.com Awards Shortlist 2015 Local Government Chronicle 35

Kay Andrews, executive director, client development, AgilisysMaggie Atkinson, Children’s Commissioner for England Stephen Baker, chief executive, Suffolk Coastal DC and Waveney DCJohn Barradell, chief executive, City of London CorporationPaul Blantern, chief executive, Northamptonshire CCTrevor Boyd, managing director, adults, health and communities, Buckinghamshire CCCatherine Brogan, chief executive, PhastCarl Brooks, director of local government, Capita ConsultingChris Brophy, partner, CapsticksDavid Buck, senior fellow, public health and health inequalities, The King’s FundNicola Bulbeck, chief executive, Teignbridge DCPeter Bungard, chief executive, Gloucestershire CC Deborah Cadman, chief executive, Suffolk CCKirsty Cole, deputy chief executive, Newark and Sherwood DCWayne Copley, procurement director, RepicJessica Crowe, executive director, Centre for Public Scrutiny Ged Curran, chief executive, Merton LBCCarolyn Downs, chief executive, Local Government Association Gifty Edila, corporate director, legal, HR and regulatory services, Hackney LBCMartin Esom, chief executive, Waltham Forest LBCBen Evans, public sector account manager, AtkinsGraham Farrant, chief executive, Thurrock CouncilKevin Fenton, director of public health and wellbeing, Public Health EnglandGed Fitzgerald, chief executive, Liverpool City CouncilPeter Gamson, partner, Grant ThorntonGeorge Garlick, chief executive, Durham CCManjeet Gill, chief executive, West Lindsey DCNick Golding, editor, LGCMary Harpley, chief executive, Hounslow LBCSean Harriss, chief executive, Bolton MBCTrevor Holden, chief executive, Luton BCDavid Holdstock, director of communications, Local Government AssociationMatthew Humphrey, partner and national lead for services to local government, Baker TillyJoanna Killian, chief executive, Essex CC Andrew Jepp, director of public sector, Zurich Municipal ServicesAndrew Kerr, chief executive, Cornwall CCRob Leak, chief executive, Enfield LBC

Gillian Leng, deputy chief executive and director of health and social care, National Institute for Health and Care ExcellenceMark Lloyd, chief executive, Cambridgeshire CCTony McArdle, chief executive, Lincolnshire CCLaura McGillivray, chief executive, Norwich City CouncilDavid McNulty, chief executive, Surrey CCDr John Middleton, vice president for policy, Faculty of Public HealthAndy O’Brien, chief executive, East Staffordshire BCPaul Orders, chief executive, Cardiff City CouncilDoug Patterson, chief executive, Bromley LBC David Pearson, president, Association of Directors of Adult Social ServicesNigel Pearson, chief executive, East Riding of Yorkshire CouncilGeoff Parker, chief executive, Charnwood BCSarah Pickup, deputy chief executive, Hertfordshire CCMartin Reeves, chief executive, Coventry City CouncilJane Robinson, chief executive, Gateshead MBCJoanne Roney, chief executive, Wakefield MBCLesley Seary, chief executive, Islington LBCSteve Shakespeare, managing director, Civica ServicesTim Shields, chief executive, Hackney LBCJoanna Simons, chief executive, Oxfordshire CCCormac Smith, head of communications, Basildon BCDave Smith, chief executive, Sunderland City CouncilMartin Smith, chief executive, Ealing LBCSue Smith, joint chief executive, Cherwell DC and South Northamptonshire Council Mike Suarez, chief executive, Cheshire East CouncilMike Suffield, lead director, National Audit OfficeMartin Swales, chief executive, South Tyneside CouncilDiana Terris, chief executive, Barnsley MBCPenny Thompson, chief executive, Brighton and Hove City CouncilRobert Tinlin, chief executive, Southend-on-Sea BCAndrew Travers, chief executive, Barnet LBCJo Turton, chief executive, Lancashire CCJohn van de Laarschot, chief executive, Stoke-on-Trent City CouncilNick Walkley, chief executive, Haringey LBCPatrick White, director, local government policy, Department for Communities & Local GovernmentRob Whiteman, chief executive, Chartered Institute for Public Finance & AccountancyChris Williams, chief executive, Buckinghamshire CCAdam Wilkinson, chief executive, Derby City Council

Output and printing by Headley Brothers Limited

© Local Government Chronicle, 2015

Published by

The judges

p35 judges 2015.indd 35 08/01/2015 13:32

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