Transformation and the Financial
Challenge facing the Public Sector
Paul Little
Transformation and Public Finance
• Broad Financial Context
• Babergh and Mid Suffolk’s approach to
Transformation
• Priorities – Community engagement past and future
• How could we best work together?
Broad Financial Context
• Babergh and Mid Suffolk - £11m to find in the next 4
years
• Suffolk County Council - £156m to find in the next 4
years
• Suffolk Constabulary – Plans already in place to
reduce spending by £17.7m by 2015 and further
reduction of £4.7m to be made by 2016/17
A Challenge for us all
We need to work together, to:
•
•
•
•
Meet the financial challenges we all face
Keep serving our communities well
Keep our communities involved
Focus what we do
Babergh and Mid Suffolk’s approach
Community Engagement, shaping priorities:
• Officers paired with DC Members
• Variety of Community Engagement work and events
during Summer 2012
• Development of Corporate objectives for both
Districts, shaped by this engagement
Babergh and Mid Suffolk’s approach
Transformation Enquiry Groups:
• Focused on Priorities shaped by Community
Engagement
Six Groups Focused on:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Promoting Economic Growth
Enhancing The Environment
Increasing the supply, mix and economic impact of Housing
Supporting and Facilitating Healthy, Safe and Active Communities
Transforming Public Access
Transforming Corporate Organisation and Resources
Progress so far
• A commitment to sustainable growth – more jobs
and homes
• Support communities to become more self sufficient
plus focus on most vulnerable
• Short term changes to how we use resources e.g.
CSD re-integration
• Longer term – started to identify how we re-align
ourselves to achieve what the TEGs expect
Housing TEG : Outputs
• Increase the total number of homes within the two
districts with emphasis on needs of older and
younger people, size, quality, design, sustainability
and affordability
• Increase the level of economic activity through a
house building programme, which will contribute
towards growth in business rates income
Housing TEG : Outputs
• Use our own resources/assets and influence to get
what is seen to be the right sort of increase in supply
of houses across the two districts
• Social housing tenants to be supported through the
welfare reform changes in order to ensure that they
have housing that they can afford. This work will seek
to mitigate the impact of welfare reform changes on
tenants and the councils’ rental income streams
Economy TEG : Outputs
• Increase new homes - This will aim to achieve a
significant uplift in the delivery levels of available
housing within the two districts
• An increase in business growth and associated
Business Rate income. By knowing our businesses we
aim to be a problem solver, a facilitator for growth
Economy TEG : Outputs
• An increase in the skills needed by local business
within the local workforce. By knowing the
businesses in the area and the schools (schools
audits) we aim to bring these two elements together
• A change in our political and professional culture
which commits to being ‘open for business’ and progrowth. Helping our staff and Members understand
the economic impacts of our decisions will improve
our cultural commitment to growth
The Environment TEG : Their Outputs
• Ensure that Planning Policies support the Councils’
vision and Corporate Priorities and balance growth of
the local economy with protection of the
environment
• Diversify approaches to land management, grounds
maintenance, public toilets and other assets – more
responsibility and ownership to communities
The Environment TEG : Their Outputs
• Exploit opportunities to reduce carbon footprint of
districts and generate income through renewable
energy schemes, such as the installation of PVs on
Council housing stock & corporate buildings
• Reduce waste and increase recycling by developing a
publicity campaign in partnership with Suffolk
County Council and other Waste Management
Authorities
The Communities and HWB TEG :
Outputs
• Determine new approach to building community
capacity and self reliance, identify gaps and map to
need
• Use grants and assets with communities, and
develop community hubs to achieve corporate
outcomes
• Support communities taking part in activity to
promote health and fitness
The Communities and HWB TEG :
Outputs
• Establish councils’ commitments to health promotion
work; exploit potential for joint working to reduce
cost and remove duplication of work
• Target councils’ role in night-time economy, develop
options for reducing costs
Short Term Actions
• Integrated in-house finance service system by 1 April
2014
• Shared ICT service with SCC by June 2014
• In-house HR transactional service by 1 April 2014
• In-house customer services function by 1 June 2014
• Fully evaluated options for the future use of our
accommodation assets – especially the main HQ
buildings
• A new approach to financial planning
The TEGs : Summary of their Outputs
• A commitment to sustainable growth – more jobs
and homes
• Support communities to become more self sufficient
plus focus on most vulnerable
• Short term changes to how we use resources e.g.
CSD re-integration
• Longer term – started to identify how we re-align
ourselves to achieve what the TEGs expect
Working with Parishes and Town Councils
• Towns and Parishes are closest to our communities
and have a vital role to play
• Communities are telling us that they want more
joined up work between County, Districts, Towns and
Parishes
• Joint work makes us more effective, more efficient
and able to deliver more for our communities
• We all have to accept the realities of shrinking
resources
Working with Parishes and Town Councils
Comments and Questions