Community commissioning case studies
March 2012
Contents
● Foreword (p.3)
● Community commissioning overview (p.4)
● Summary of lessons learned so far in Local Integrated Services approach to community commissioning (pp.5-6)
● Case studies (p.7 onwards):
‒ Barnsley (pp.8-10)
‒ Blackburn with Darwen (pp.11-13)
‒ Calderdale (pp.14-16)
‒ Cheshire West and Chester (pp.17.19)
‒ Kingston (pp. 20-22)
‒ Leeds (pp.23)
‒ Sheffield (pp.24-26)
‒ Tameside (pp.27-29)
‒ Warrington (pp.30-32)
2
Foreword by Nick Hurd, Minister for Civil Society
[MCS
photo]
A priority for this Government is putting more power in people’s hands – transferring power to local communities and enabling people
to come together to improve their own lives. In doing so the freedom and responsibility of people and their communities will increase
– the potential prize being enhanced, more cohesive communities; services that are more efficient and responsive; and increased
opportunity and influence for individuals.
This culture change requires a vast shift in roles and responsibilities that can only be achieved with strong, sustained leadership and
partnership working. There are a number of places where local leaders are instigating this change in local communities – bringing
together a range of partners to do things differently. One example is community commissioning – where statutory commissioners are
giving local partners a central role in decisions on how local public money is spent.
In recent months the Cabinet Office has championed places that have chosen to take this approach to service reform, supporting the
testing of innovative responses to local challenges and priorities. For some, community commissioning has been a response to the
need to generate significant efficiency savings; for others it is based on a belief that co-production delivers for individuals and
communities and can be taken further; for many both of these drivers apply and more besides. Achieving this degree of culture
change and service reform takes time and commitment, but positive, pioneering change is already emerging:
• statutory commissioners including local authority leads, PCT and NHS leads and the police have identified services and spend
that are being devolved for local decision-making;
• new partnerships have developed to drive improved services and outcomes – for example a community, social enterprise, local
authority and Work Programme prime providers are working together to redesign local worklessness services;
• new commissioning models are emerging that will enable and underpin statutory commissioners’ commitments to align or pool
their resources;
• savings are being generated, for example savings resulting from service contracts being reassigned and services co-locating to
better meet local need.
This paper gives an insight into the thinking and action to date in nine areas that are exploring community commissioning. I hope that
it provides food for thought and inspiration to others who have embarked on a similar journey of service reform, or wish to consider it;
and that it encourages increased join up between those who are simultaneously stepping up to the service innovation challenge.
3
Community commissioning overview
Community commissioning is an ambitious form of co-production – where power and responsibility for local public service
commissioning is shared by local partners. It will vary from place to place depending on what makes sense locally but key
elements have been evidenced as: devolving or sharing commissioning power and responsibility with communities;
building community capacity to commission; strong local leadership and partnership working; locally set service priorities
and outcomes; aligning or pooling resources; establishing robust governance and accountability.
Service users and community members have a central role in local public service
commissioning using mainstream spend
Leader could be
from anywhere in the
community e.g.
voluntary
organisation;
community group;
local authority
A local leader(s)
believes a new
approach is
needed to local
public service
commissioning
and instigates
change
Senior partners
buy into the new
commissioning
model
Existing
commissioners
devolve or share
power with
community
Community is
supported and
trained to take
commissioning
responsibility
Resources are
mapped / aligned /
pooled and
accountability is
managed
A community
commissioning body is
formed to influence
commissioning of local
services
A Members will vary
but will include service
users and residents
plus others e.g.:
• Community
organisations
• Service providers and
employees
• Existing
commissioners e.g.
Local Councillors
• Business partners
Local partners can identify their
service needs and priorities whatever is important to them
e.g. unemployment ; health;
traffic calming; street lighting
Local partners
can review
service delivery
against
outcomes, and
based on results
contracts can be
renewed or
decommissioned
Community commissioning
body can take a variety of
forms e.g. advisory body;
mutual; social enterprise;
CIC
Local partners can have
one or more roles across
the commissioning cycle
Local partners
can design
services to meet
local priorities –
resulting in more
effective,
integrated and
personalised
services
Local partners can procure
services to meet their
priorities, design
specifications, and desired
outcomes. This may require
de-commissioning
4
Summary of lessons learned so far from Local Integrated
Services approach to community commissioning (1)
The nine LIS areas shared their experiences of community commissioning at several workshops during 2011. Whilst some areas
have concentrated on setting up community commissioning groups and identifying local priorities, others have been more
focussed on resource mapping and developing integrated services at a local level. All areas have made progress in the last
twelve months. Most have modified and refined their approach in the context of a rapidly changing external environment. Some
of the key points of learning are summarised below:
● Community commissioning needs to be an integral part of an overall approach to strategic commissioning. It doesn’t work
as a stand alone project,it requires significant buy-in from public sector partners.
● Community commissioning groups can take a variety of forms but they must have a clear role within a broader
governance and accountability framework which partners are signed up to. Councillors and statutory commissioners need to
understand what decisions they are delegating. Members of a community commissioning group need to understand their
responsibilities and areas of influence.
● Leadership at a strategic level is essential. Community commissioning only works as part of a strategic approach which
encourages delegation and resident involvement in decision making. Key individuals need to drive forward the new approach and
help overcome barriers to progress.
● Some areas are looking to pool budgets, but most are looking to make better use of the public spend within the LIS area.
Resource mapping has helped to identify areas of duplication and can lead to reform of local services in a way that better matches
local priorities.
● Statutory commissioners and finance officers should be involved from the start, as community commissioning requires their
expertise and will impact on their work.
● Training and development for staff and residents on the specific skills required for community commissioning has been
an important upfront investment. Most areas have been in a position to build on existing engagement arrangements. Residents
and service users have agreed to become involved in the pilot areas..
5
Summary of lessons learned so far from Local Integrated
Services approach to community commissioning (2)
● It takes time to develop effective community commissioning. Some areas have found it best to start off with
small budgets and quick wins to increase buy-in and confidence. For example focusing initially on environmental
cleaner, greener services or community grants. Participatory budgeting techniques have been used successfully
in some areas as a forerunner to more extensive community commissioning.
● Residents and other local partners can identify better and more efficient ways of delivering services
locally – the LIS work provides good examples of this relating to family services, employment support, reducing
offending and environmental services. Frontline staff have been positive about integrating services at a local level
but this is challenging against a background of cuts. Increasing the number and range of local partners in local
commissioning decisions shares the challenge and understanding of difficult decisions on local services.
● Community commissioning groups need to be outcome focussed as individual participants will come from
different organisational cultures, and may have differing priorities. It is important to take time to negotiate and
agree some measures of success early in the process.
● It can be difficult to unpick spend at a small area level for some services, particularly those commissioned
on a large area footprint. The most successful community commissioning groups are concentrating on services
that can be geographically calculated at local level. For some organisations, the move to larger and longer
outsourced contracts in some areas has reduced the opportunity to commission services flexibly at a local level.
● Information sharing continues to be a barrier to progress, particularly where residents need information to
inform their decisions but statutory authorities are unable to share it.
● Some LIS areas are now beginning to report financial savings – for example from reducing the duplication of
services, better tailoring of services to the needs of individuals and families, decommissioning services which
aren’t a local priority, and by simplifying and streamlining services.
6
Case studies
9 localities in England are developing a Local Integrated Services (LIS) approach to community
commissioning. In 2011 Cabinet Office championed LIS development to encourage the testing of
community commissioning as one service reform response to the challenge of saving resources and
improving service outcomes. The following case studies provide information from each of the 9 LIS areas
on their vision for community commissioning and progress so far.
For further information a contact(s) is given at the end of each case study.
Alternatively you can contact the Office for Civil Society at:
ocs.info@cabinet-office.gsi.gov.uk
7
Barnsley – Thurnscoe (1): summary
A local authority, social enterprise and Work Programme provider collaboration - using
community commissioning to reduce worklessness
Thurnscoe has a population of 9,000. It is a former mining community with limited employment opportunities. Over 30% of
the adult population is claiming benefits. Life expectancy is 4-5 years lower than the Barnsley average. Labour-led Council.
Community commissioning body
From 2012 a delivery body Trust Thurnscoe
will be initiated to deliver community
commissioning in Thurnscoe. Members will
include community and local leads, service
providers VCSE groups and local councillors.
This body will be to develop community
capacity and to become co-designers and
deliverers of services locally. Trust Thurnscoe
will have close relationships with One
Barnsley (the LSP), a funders group
(Barnsley MBC, Turning Point, SERCO and
A4E) and the council’s Transformation
Programme.
Investment in community commissioning
capacity
The local authority is investing in community
capacity and awareness of community
commissioning e.g. a community conference
has been held for local residents to discuss
LIS and what it might mean for Thurnscoe.
Turning Point are working with community
activists via a Working Together for Change
course.
Senior leadership and partnership working
LIS in Barnsley is a partnership between Barnsley
MBC, Turning Point and the two Work Programme
Primes for South Yorkshire – SERCO and A4E. To
date much of the development work has been
conducted through a task and finish group chaired by
the Chief Executive of Barnsley MBC which included
the partners, Cabinet Office, Job Centre Plus and
VCSE representatives from Thurnscoe.
Barnsley LIS
Barnsley MBC see this project as a trailblazer
for two key corporate aims – stimulating
economic activity and changing the relationship
between the citizen and the state. It is
anticipated that lessons learned from the LIS
pilot will be applied across the borough.
Clear governance and accountability
The Trust Thurnscoe Working Group will
provide the overall co-ordination of the
Trust Thurnscoe initiative. They have a
particular focus on supporting and
enabling community ownership and
leadership .
Locally set service priorities and
outcomes
There are two clear goals which
correspond to the key priorities of
the local authority:
- to provide better employment
opportunities;
- through the co-design and delivery
of local services - improve the
efficiency of those services and
grow the social capital and selfreliance within Thurnscoe.
Resources mapped and aligned or pooled
A topline analysis of BMBC resource going
into Thurnscoe yielded a figure of £27m.
Barnsley MBC are now working on how
much of that can be broken down into a
community budget and looking at the
technical details.
£300k from the key partners is being made
available over the next two years.
8
Barnsley (2):
community commissioning roles and responsibilities
VCSE, private
sector & others
Statutory
commissioners
Local people
e.g. residents
2010: action to date relevant to
community commissioning
The local authority has strained
relations with the community. Various
community engagement activities and
policies have been implemented in the
past but any improvements in outcomes
for people in Thurnscoe have not been
sustained. Community buy in and
involvement has been low due to
reasons such as consultation fatigue,
low levels of employment and a lack of
trust between the community and local
public sector agencies.
Various largely separate commissioning
arrangements in place across different
areas, functions or agencies.
A variety of arrangements were in place
where different groups were involved in
a number of ways.
2011: progress towards
community commissioning
Two 5 week courses have been
attended by 10 local activists to build
their capacity to take part in LIS and
other renewal activity within the area.
The aim is to have up to 20 community
advocates that will conduct research on
the perception of existing services and
ideas for improvements.
The Thurnscoe Group for BIG Local and
the Community Housing Alliance
consultation group are increasing
community influence in local services.
The LA is investing in community
capacity and community commissioning
awareness.
A workforce event has been held for
local practitioners and their managers to
discuss the implications of LIS.
Turning Point is investing in community
engagement for two years – aiming to
provide proof of concept and result in
future investment .
Serco and A4E are resourcing cocommissioning of worklessness
services with the community.
2012 onwards: towards
implementation
The plan is for a 7 year programme to
be developed, with the first 2 years
focusing on mapping community needs
and developing a community led
enterprise to deliver services very
differently over the subsequent 5 years.
Statutory commissioners will be
represented on Trust Thurnscoe and
One Barnsley.
Turning Point will continue to have a
central role in community
commissioning in Barnsley. Following
the findings of the review into current
services, Turning Point will work closely
with all partners and the community
advocates to design a local integrated
service which will be cost effective,
community led and can sustain local
employment.
9
Barnsley (3): outcomes and resources
Outcomes aimed for
Outcomes
The following outcomes were jointly selected by the
Council, VCSE and other partners:
•
Strong, resilient communities
•
Co-produced responsive services
•
Empowered citizens able to direct their own
support and maintain their independence.
•
Reduced number of residents claiming JSA
•
Increased number of startup businesses
Progress towards outcomes
Notable progress has been made towards developing co-produced,
responsive services.
Extensive mapping work has been done to identify the work done in
Thurnscoe by partners through universal or targeted services, and to
identify how partners are working to tackle the issues Thurnscoe
faces.
All local community groups and organisations have been visited to
promote the LIS approach. A community conference has been held
for local residents to discuss LIS and what it might mean for
Thurnscoe. In addition a workforce event has been held for local
practitioners and their managers to discuss the implications of LIS for
their work in the area.
Resources
Resources mapped, aligned, pooled
£27.6 million is spent in Thurnscoe per year by BMBC.
A full community mapping of buildings, groups, and other key assets has been
completed.
The following funding is being pooled for use in community commissioning:
•
•
•
•
BMBC: Y1 £50k; Y2 £75k
Turning Point: Y1 £50k for community engagement; Y2 £75k community led
neighbourhood services vehicle
SERCO: Y1 £25k
A4E: Y1 £25k
For further information on the Barnsley case study please contact: shaunjones@barnsley.gov.uk
Savings
Too early to say at this stage. All
partners are committed to fully
testing new ways of reforming local
services to improve outcomes and
generate efficiencies. The detail of
possible efficiencies will be subject
to more intensive work with the
community and public sector
partners in the coming year .
10
Blackburn with Darwen (1): summary
Service transformation – using strategic commissioning at a borough wide level and its links
with neighbourhood based commissioning locally to reform services
Focus is on 30 families in Shadsworth, Bastwell and Darwen. Labour-led Borough Council
Community commissioning body
Within the LSP, Blackburn with Darwen established a
new Commissioning Board in Spring 2011. The LSP
has recently developed ward based forum
arrangements for identifying and resolving issues
that are a priority for residents - with strong local
political visibility and leadership at this level.
Linkages between the ward arrangements and
strategic commissioning decisions will strengthen
over time assisted by ‘task and finish’ development
work through the Connected Forum.
Investment in community commissioning
capacity
A new ‘Connected’ theme group leads on
community engagement and capacity building for
the LSP.
The Shadsworth with Whitebirk Big Local project has
recruited residents to a Partnership Board that will
use the Big Local funding to draw further investment
into the area from the mainstream and private
sector. Community and Business Partners deliver
capacity building to residents to enable participation
in the Board as well as recruiting an alliance of
residents, councillors and other statutory
stakeholders and private businesses onto the Board.
The ‘positive assets’ model adopted for the Think
Family programme is one of family-led planning, with
the ‘right intervention at the right time’; thereby
positioning the families in control of their own
improvement journey.
Senior leadership and
partnership working
LIS work has been championed
by the Local Strategic
Partnership. The LSP was
remodelled during 2011 and its
Board now provides stronger
political and private sector
leadership in concert with the
VCS and public agencies.
Blackburn with Darwen LIS
Blackburn with Darwen has a long
history of partnership working and some
public agencies have been co-located in
neighbourhood teams for a number of
years. The LIS work aims to take this
work a step further by increasing the
involvement of local communities in the
planning and delivery of local services.
Clear governance and
accountability
The new arrangements were
put in place during 2011. The
LSP now operates via the
principle of quarters –
councillors, officers, private
sector and VCSE.
Locally set service priorities and outcomes
A network of ‘shared neighbourhood teams’
bring together public agencies with local
communities to set operational priorities. The
refreshed 2030 vision for Blackburn with
Darwen is sponsored by all LSP organisations
following an extensive consultation with
residents.
Whilst the initial LIS focus is on children’s
services and ‘Think Family’, the principle is
being rolled more widely across a range of
public services. There is a clear commitment
to moving towards preventative, rather than
reactive, services.
Resources mapped and aligned or pooled
Blackburn with Darwen mapped resource use
across the public sector in 2004-05. This
information helped provide the requisite evidence
base, momentum and levels of trust for a series
of radical change programmes; including the
establishment of a joint commissioning care trust
between local government and the Primary Care
Trust which has led the way to extensive
integration of health commissioning, delivery and
management.
The Commissioning Board has coordinated the
mapping of the funding baseline for the voluntary
and community sector, and moved towards a
single coherent LSP Commissioning framework.
11
Blackburn with Darwen (2):
community commissioning roles and responsibilities
VCSE, private
sector & others
Statutory
commissioners
Local people
e.g. residents
2010: action to date relevant to
community commissioning
Residents could influence
neighbourhood plans, which in turn
influenced borough wide priorities.
Involvement of residents in Sure Start
centres was proving successful.
Extensive consultation with residents to
develop a new Vision 2030 for
Blackburn with Darwen – agreeing
desired long term outcomes whilst also
garnering extensive input around shortterm budget / commissioning priorities.
Statutory commissioners were part of
the Blackburn Public Services Board
(LPSB) which led on a number of
pieces of work to improve and integrate
local services. The combined care trust
is the most obvious example of the
impact of their work.
The Chair of the LSP comes from the
private sector. The partnership and the
council work closely with the local
chamber of commerce. Local VCSE
organisations are well represented on
neighbourhood groups.
2011: progress towards
community commissioning
Resident involvement is now embedded
in Council operational arrangements.
Ward groups focus on local level
problem solving and influence wider
strategic decisions.
Residents now sit on the Board of Sure
Start centres.
In some areas services to troubled
families now involve families in deciding
on the most appropriate services.
The joint care trust is now well
established. Improved health outcomes
has resulted in the LPSB looking at
more radical service redesign via
strategic commissioning. The
Commissioning Board has mapped
funding baselines and developed a new
commissioning framework
encompassing compact review,
sustainability and social value.
All relevant local partners are signed up
to a radical programme to transform
public services and to focus on
prevention rather than reactive services
2012 onwards: towards
implementation
The direction of travel is much greater
resident involvement in the
management and delivery of services.
This is supported by a policy of asset
transfer and further community
empowerment around services in local
areas.
Blackburn with Darwen is putting in
place a streamlined joint commissioning
process which involves both statutory,
private sector and VCSE partners.
Councillors will retain a central role at a
local level, in relation to council
services, ward forums and within the
strategic partnership.
As above
12
Blackburn with Darwen (3): outcomes and resources
Outcomes
Outcomes aimed for
•
Reduced levels of spend e.g. on the most
vulnerable families
•
Services better tailored to people’s real needs
•
Progress towards outcomes
•
40 families working through therapeutic pathway
•
32 families with detailed family plans, working to their self
identified outcomes
Improved outcomes for local residents,
including health, educational attainment,
employment, environmental
•
•
Neighbourhood / community based lead – improved family / social
networks of support therefore in the longer term reduction in
service intervention and improved sustainable outcomes
Improved outcomes for vulnerable/ troubled
families
•
•
Stakeholder offer to deliver services ‘at the right time’ ensures
family progress is not delayed
Established strategic and community
commissioning
•
Early evidence in families of sustained change
Resources
Resources mapped, aligned, pooled
Good progress has been made on the delivery of better
health and social care outcomes following the setting up
of a single care trust under a single chief executive.
•
Savings
Use of volunteer advocates (not lead professionals) will lead
to reduction in mainstream spend; in the longer term,
community advocates will ensure ongoing support
•
Early evidence of reduction in service uptake
BwD council has identified the costs to a range of
agencies which are related to thirty troubled families
•
Of 40 families over 8 month period, only one family re-referred
to Social Care
BwD has a vision of community budgets being introduced
throughout the borough. This would involve the mapping,
pooling and aligning of a significant level of resource.
•
Neighbourhood stakeholder groups working as Team around
The Family/Child
•
Asset based approach in communities – building on existing
community assets and networks
For further information on the Blackburn with Darwen case study please contact:
Jonathan.Tew@blackburn.gov.uk
13
Calderdale – North and East Halifax (1): summary
North Halifax Partnership, local authority and statutory and VCSE partners working together to make the area safer,
cleaner and greener
The 4 wards have a population of 48,000 and are more socially and economically diverse than ethnically. The
wards include those with the highest and lowest unemployment rates in the area. No overall control of the council
– a Lib Dem/Lab coalition
Senior leadership and partnership working
Community commissioning body
NHP delivers services under a
delegated budget of £1.8m, with
active determination by local
residents, informing the budget
decisions NHP Board.
The majority of NHP members are
local residents, plus the local
councillor and senior representatives
from police, further education,
Housing Association, Jobcentre Plus.
Investment in community
commissioning capacity
From April 2011, the Council contracted
with NHP to deliver community
engagement services in North and East
Halifax, providing £275k per annum
budget.
These services include community
information and service referrals;
consultation on service development;
facilitated co-ordination of front line
services; citizenship and cohesion work
in schools; wardens and community
safety; and support for community
groups.
In 2010 the local authority Director of Communities led a
Group including senior management from Together
(Pennine) Housing, NHS Calderdale, Council Wellbeing
and Social Care; Children’s Services; North Halifax
Partnership. The Group had LA Cabinet agreement to
explore LIS options in North and East Halifax, and a new
Board will lead a new locality working programme with
approval from Cabinet in February 2012.
Calderdale LIS
The North Halifax Partnership (NHP) has been
commissioned to deliver Council services since
2006.
The Council has stated its intention for a major
review of neighbourhood based services and
locality working. Pursuit of LIS is dependent upon
the outcome of this review.
Clear governance and accountability
The area has a number of effective community panels
that have worked in partnership with the local authority
to influence services and activities since before 2011.
The NHP Board has channelled this working with a
range of LIS partners to consider future service reform.
Locally set service priorities and
outcomes
The Director of Communities led
group agreed that the initial focus of
the LIS work would be safer, cleaner,
greener services. The work on the
ground has developed to also include
children’s services. The aim is to
improve resilience of communities
through closer joint working of
universal and targeted services.
Resources mapped and aligned or
pooled
There has been “virtual pooling” via a
strong Safer Cleaner Greener
Partnership. Facilitated by the NHP
team, it ensures close joint working
and capacity to do “more with less”.
NHP delivers services under a
delegated budget from the LA of
£1.8m
14
Calderdale (2):
community commissioning roles and responsibilities
Local people
e.g. residents
The Council has “re- commissioned” the
North Halifax Partnership to deliver
Council services since 2006, when the
Government directed Sure Start and
Neighbourhood Management funding
(secured by the Partnership ), to local
authorities – a national change in
funding arrangements.
VCSE, private
sector & others
The area has an effective and vocal
community panel that has worked very
closely in partnership with the local
authority to influence services and
activities. £1.8 m funding is devolved.
Beyond this, limited influence exists
over the commissioning of services.
Statutory
commissioners
2010: action to date relevant to
community commissioning
Strong tradition of devolved delivery.
NHP delivers £1.8M of Council services
(Sure Start Children’s Centres and
Neighbourhood Engagement).
NHP Board sets annual delivery
priorities and there is wide consultation
and involvement from residents.
2011: progress towards
community commissioning
2012 onwards: towards
implementation
The NHP Board continued to develop
its influence with other LIS partners.
NHP teams include community
wardens and Community Development
‘Link’ workers who enable community
voice in service planning and delivery
for Safer, Cleaner, Greener and Sure
Start Children’s Centres. NHP facilitates
the SCG Partnership and promotes coproduction through N&Eblog.
Plans were for a new commissioning
body to be developed, with community
board members from each of the 4 wards,
and 2 councillors to provide scrutiny. It
has been decided that there is not the
capacity or appetite for developing new
commissioning structures at this time.
Next steps are dependent on a council
review of neighbourhood services. NHP
have facilitated the 2 Community First
Panels established in N&E Halifax.
A number of statutory commissioners
joined the Director of Communities led
group to develop LIS – including Adult
Social Care and Children’s Services
leads at the Council, the local NHS
Chief Executive
Pennine Housing 2000 is undertaking a
major investment in housing
development. They are involved in
discussions with the community and
local authority about the design of their
plans.
Local Councillors would have a key
scrutiny role in a new community
commissioning body if it is established.
Statutory commissioners on the LIS
Group would need to decide which of
their services and budgets will be
devolved for community commissioning.
There has been no commitment from
key budget holding organisations to
pool budgets. NHP can’t build a local
commissioning model without this
undertaking. A new Board will lead a
new locality working programme with
approval from Cabinet in February 2012
to explore options.
15
Calderdale (3): outcomes and resources
Outcomes
Outcomes aimed for
Progress towards outcomes
1. Peg the deprivation gap between Calderdale average and Pellon,
Ovenden, Illingworth and Mixenden for rates of :
• NEET young people
• Number of people on out of work benefits/ universal benefit
• Access to “affordable housing” for local residents
• Voids and tenancy turnover
• ASB reports; violent crime and total crime
1. Crime outcomes on positive trend: June 2010- June
2012 48% reduction in violent crime; 24% reduction
in criminal damage; 11% reduction in total crime; 7%
reduction in ASB . Employment and NEET gap
widening; voids turnover being contained.
2. Increase % of public sector contracts delivered by VCSE sector
2. Council budget up to 2015 includes proposals for
contracting out a number of services to VCSE and
private sector.
3. Create Single Neighbourhoods Delivery Team combining universal
(Safer, Cleaner Greener) and targeted (early intervention,
prevention, financial inclusion) services. of the communities and
how these are being achieved.
3. During 2011-12, there has been North and East
“virtual team” working. In 9 months, to December
2011, 145% increase in neighbourhood doorstep
contact, and 52% increase in e-contact N&Eblog
Resources
4. ).
Resources mapped, aligned, pooled
Savings
In December 2010 £4.7m of SCG services was
Mapped including: community engagement
(NHP); Housing and Grounds management and
maintenance (Together Housing); Streetscene
and Parks (Council); Neighbourhood Policing
team; CAB outreach capacity.
The integrated working in North and East Halifax via SCG partners has
achieved these savings in 2011/12
• £50k Council streetscene and parks service savings through
coordinated working including Pennine Housing and Council grounds
maintenance contracts – re assigning patches between the two services
• £20k – NHP neighbourhood team co location with Pennine Housing
• £30k – NHP team organising Neighbourhood watch development,
community intelligence briefings, PACT meetings servicing, for West
Yorkshire Police
• £40k –NHP team organise shared service communication via N&Eblog;
SCG door knocking days
No partner appetite for pooling budgets as
focus in 2011/12 has been on priority of budget
reduction in consultation with whole Calderdale
population.
For further information on the Calderdale case study please contact: Liz.Broadley@ovendeninitiative.org.uk (North Halifax Partnership) or Robin.Tuddenham@calderdale.gov.uk
16
Cheshire West and Chester – Ellesmere Port (1): summary
Reducing inequalities via joint commissioning of local services with local people
Ellesmere Port is one of the most deprived wards in the country. Half of the 61,000 population live in an area of high
deprivation. Community Commissioning is being led by the CEO of Cheshire West and Cheshire Council – a Conservativeled Council.
Community commissioning body
There are 10 Neighbourhood Action
Groups (NAGs) , some of which are
chaired by a resident and becoming fully
constituted. NAGs are local community
representative boards that determine
local priorities for delivery and champion
their communities in bids for funding and
projects that tackle priority issues and
build on the strengths and good practice
that exists within their neighbourhood.
Members include residents, Elected
Members, LA staff and key partner
representatives as appropriate e.g.
Police Officers, Community Safety
Wardens, local church and school reps.
Investment in community commissioning
capacity
Each NAG receives an enabling fund of £2,000.
Many use this to attract match funding to
commission local delivery to address local need.
Each NAG considers local applications for small
amounts of funding to support local groups or
activities. The NAGs also act as advocates for the
Our Place initiative by promoting the larger
commissioned pieces of work and projects at a
grass roots level to maximise the delivery and
opportunity for success.
Senior leadership and partnership working
The overarching governing body, the Ellesmere
Port Area Partnership Board (APB) is chaired by
a Chief Neighbourhood Inspector from the Police
and has main partner agencies represented
including the Fire Service, Head Teachers,
Elected Members, CAB and third sector /
voluntary sector organisations. The Board drives
the agenda forward, oversees delivery and
monitors the collective budgets.
Cheshire West and Chester LIS
‘Our Place’, the LIS work in Ellesmere Port, has
just reached its 2nd anniversary. It focuses on
empowering local residents to have a real say in
local and town wide service priorities and
providers. The local authority, key strategic
partners and residents identified natural
boundaries and divided the town into 10
bespoke neighbourhoods .
Clear governance and accountability
The governance of the Our Place initiative,
associated teams, delivery and neighbourhood
plans are overseen by the Ellesmere Port APB.
The APB is accountable to the 10 NAGs and
vice versa.
Local residents are empowered to influence and
steer local decisions and priorities. Progress
and issues from NAGs are referred to the APB
for resolution if required.
Locally set service priorities and
outcomes
To launch the ‘Our Place’ initiative a
conference was held attended by
over 150 local residents and
partners. Each of the 10
neighbourhoods agreed their top 4
priorities, what activity was required
and timescales for delivery. A
conference now takes place every 6
months to reflect on delivery so far
and to refresh priorities and
neighbourhood plans for the future.
Resources mapped and aligned or
pooled
The Ellesmere Port APB holds a budget
for Our Place projects. It agrees the
allocation of funding to NAGs to deliver
their plans. This budget is used to bring
in match funding.
‘Kick start’ monies of £126k were also
made available in 2011/12 to
commission local partners to deliver
projects demonstrating impact under
key themes including Community
Safety, Health Inequalities, Maximising
Income and Resident Empowerment.
17
Cheshire West and Chester(2):
community commissioning roles and responsibilities
VCSE, private
sector & others
Statutory
commissioners
Local people
e.g. residents
2010: action to date relevant to
community commissioning
Neighbourhood Action Groups, working
with Ward Councillors developed
Neighbourhood Plans and determined
how budgets were spent on
neighbourhood services e.g. parks; play
facilities. Panels were successful in
leveraging additional investment.
Notable outcomes achieved e.g. 40%
reduction in anti-social behaviour.
Statutory commissioners from local
authority, police, health, fire – form
Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) along
with VCSE and private sector partners.
LSP aids service integration but doesn’t
result in systematic strategic, crosssector commissioning.
As above
2011: progress towards
community commissioning
2012 onwards: towards
implementation
LA Neighbourhood Team is working
with residents and councillors to build 510 neighbourhood groups that will be
Commissioning Boards for their locality.
Established, representative
neighbourhood commissioning boards
systematically influence the decisions of
a cross-sector statutory community
commissioning body.
To test the approach local residents
were centrally involved in outsourcing
the LA housing management service.
Residents sat on a commissioning
group with LA commissioners to design
and procure the service.
LA worked with Bevan Brittan (founders
of the Local Integrated Services Trust
(LIST) commissioning model) to explore
how a cross-sector statutory
commissioning body could be formed.
The LA is keen to explore this model as
a vehicle to attract social investment.
Agreement exists to provide clarity and
transparency on how the LIST will work
with neighbourhood and area boards.
Cross-sector strategic statutory
commissioning body (LIST) is
established. LIST uses its collective
budgets and levers in new investment,
to commission local services informed
by local people.
The new commissioning model is fully
aligned to the CWAC Whole Place
Community Budget – Altogether Better
Programme.
Private sector invests in local public
services e.g. via a Social Impact Bond
18
Cheshire West and Chester (3): outcomes and resources
Outcomes
Outcomes aimed for
Five priorities in place for Ellesmere Port:
• Best Start In Life
• Community Safety / Reduce Domestic Abuse
• Health inequalities
• Addressing worklessness
• Maximising Income
These will feed into the five CWAC Whole Place Community
Budget priorities from 2012:
• Thriving Neighbourhoods
• Best Start in Life
• Opportunity Economy
• Ageing Well
•
Smarter Services
Resources mapped, aligned, pooled
Resources
Progress towards outcomes
Savings
Kick start funding of £126K promoted the use of joint
resources and
the Area Partnership Board acted as a commissioning board
to support Partners expressions of interest and project
proposals. Proposals needed to address one of the five
priorities for Ellesmere Port (see above).
18 awards of support were granted using CWAC
commissioning standards with clear set targets and
outputs agreed. Evaluation reports will be presented
to the APB in March.
For further information on the CWAC case study please contact:
Carly.Brown@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
19
Kingston – Norbiton (1): summary
Strategic Partnership approach to reduce health inequalities and improve community life
Norbiton Ward has a population of 10,500. It is relatively deprived compared with other parts of the borough. Life expectancy
is up to 7 years lower than other wards. The black and minority ethnic population is around 20%. Child Poverty is
significant. It is a Lib Dem-led Council.
Senior leadership and partnership working
Community commissioning body
One Norbiton has established a
Community Working Group of local
people to influence commissioning
decisions.
Since December 2011, the Local
Integrated Service pilot has been
combined with a Neighbourhood
Community Budgets pilot.
Chaired by the Project Sponsor, who is Director for
Health and Adult Services, the combined LIS and
Neighbourhood Community Budgets (NCB) Pilot is
a partnership involving: the Met Police, Kingston
University, NHS Kingston, Kingston Voluntary
Action, Kingston Chamber of Commerce and R. B.
Kingston Council.
Kingston LIS
Investment in community
commissioning capacity
This partnership project aspires to build on
Kingston’s existing localism work including
its neighbourhood model of involving local
people in decision making about their local
area and community development model
for improving health
Resources have been re-directed from the
local authority community development
team to support local people to establish a
Community Working Group.
Kingston is combining a Local Integrated Service and
Neighbourhood Community Budget approach to its
‘One Norbiton’ work. Previous efforts to reduce
inequalities have had impact, however, the work has
generally been segregated to social housing areas.
With new evidence form the Marmot Review, the
decision was made to work on the entire ward,.
Clear governance and accountability
The Community Working Group is an autonomous group
within this project structure with several working groups
underneath. The group is in the process of establishing
clear governance and accountability frameworks,
including using a community jury approach.
Locally set service priorities and
outcomes
The community have set their initial
local priorities to work on:
- Policing and Safety
- Housing, maintenance and
condition of public areas
- Youth Activities.
Community members have set up
action groups with professional lead
representatives on each, to develop
action plans and identify priorities
and outcomes within each area.
Resources mapped and aligned or
pooled
The project aspires to increase the
level of partnership work and
resources being pooled to concentrate
efforts to tackle inequalities.
Service commissioners have, in
principle, agreed to pool project funds.
Housing, Public Health and the local
Met Police have already allocated
funds. A priority next step for the
project is to use Neighbourhood
Community Budget resources align
and pool budgets
20
2011: progress towards
community commissioning
2012 onwards: towards
implementation
Local people
e.g. residents
Consultation fatigue in the ward was
evident. Residents were clear they
wanted more involvement from the wider
community. The local Community
Development team had good links with
some of the most marginalised groups of
people in the area. However, links with
the wider Norbiton community were
limited.
Community activities were carried out via
volunteers to reach all members of the
community approaching schools,
commuters at the train station, clubs,
church halls and local businesses.
The project will be driven by the
community’s timescales of when they’re
ready to set up a LIS Trust for example,
or commission services. Currently the
group established are in a position to
influence decision making processes and
will continue to be supported to increase
and develop that role.
Kingston has a strong Local Strategic
Partnership and good history of
partnership working. However, statutory
commissioners had generally worked
independently of each other apart from
joint funded posts and projects across
health and social care and some
partnership projects around policing and
safety.
VCSE, private
sector & others
2010: action to date relevant to
community commissioning
Statutory
commissioners
Kingston – Norbiton (2):
community commissioning roles and responsibilities
Some limited work with local businesses
and private sector services to address the
improvement of community life.
VCSE sector have always played a
crucial role in providing services, activities
and support to local people. As with
statutory providers, previous work was
mainly to higher deprivation estates.
A Community Working Group was
established in June 2011. The group has
established their terms of reference, have
30 core members, and have agreed their
priority 4 issues.
Statutory commissioners are represented
within the project governance structure
and relevant statutory services are
represented on the project team.
Commissioners from the Police, Housing,
Public Health and the Local Authority
have been involved in resource allocation
and budget release to the project.
Kingston Chamber of Commerce are one
of the 6 key project partners. They have
engaged local businesses in priority
setting and understanding local needs.
Kingston Voluntary Action is also a key
project partner.
Governance and Accountability of the
Community Working Group will explore
involvement of the Professional’s Core
Team and democratically elected Council
Members.
A Plan to implement a Neighbourhood
Community Budget will be in place by
March 2013
Efforts will continue to increase
partnership involvement from DWP and
other relevant agencies ongoing.
VCSE will be key in increasing
membership of Community Working
Groups and engagement with wider
community.
21
Kingston – Norbiton (3): outcomes and resources
Outcomes aimed for
Outcomes
The following outcomes were jointly selected by the six Strategic
Partnership partners involved:
1) Increased Partnership Working: specifically on issues affecting the
ward of Norbiton.
2) Pooled Resources: across partners focused on benefiting the ward
of Norbiton.
3) Development of community voice
a) Increased community involvement in identifying local issues and
forming local solutions.
b) Development of a representative community body, giving Norbiton
residents a voice and increased role in influencing statutory decisions .
Progress towards outcomes
1) Partnership working is currently very successful
and is ongoing. Six partners are currently
committed to meeting monthly and working to joint
plans –including those set by the community.
2) Pooled Budgets
By March 2013, to have a Neighbourhood
Community Budgets Plan in place
3) Ongoing. Community Working Group
established, decision making influence is being
supported and training opportunities have been
provided to increase involvement.
c) Increased opportunities for community members to receive training and
involvement activities to advocate the needs of their local area.
Resources mapped, aligned, pooled
Resources
No resources had previously been mapped or pooled to enable aligned
strategic commissioning in the Norbiton Ward.
However, resources such as Public Health and Community Development
had been jointly run and resources pooled across the Local Authority and
NHS which provided an excellent advantage in the community
development aspect of the project.
Savings
So far, some Met Police (£8k), Housing (£75k)
and health funds (£4k) have been identified for
this work. In addition professional’s time has
been redirected to the One Norbiton project.
Savings for services are yet to be identified and
will be part of the priority resource mapping work.
Accountancy support, skills and resource to be identified and allocated
by 2013 onwards.
For further information on the Kingston case study please contact: martha.earley@rbk.kingston.gov.uk
or russell.styles@kpct.nhs.uk
22
Leeds – inner south Leeds (1): summary
Inner South Leeds consists of three wards each with a population of some 15,000 citizens with significant challenges in
unemployment, antisocial behaviour, NEET, housing, and health inequalities. Much of the housing and business growth
is anticipated in the Inner South area. Leeds City Council is a majority Labour administration.
Community Commissioning
Body
There are a large number of local
communities and neighbourhoods in
Inner South Leads that are defined
by their place rather than
administrative boundaries. To help
us engage better and resource the
work, two new neighbourhood
improvement boards have been
developed. These are the Belle Isle
and Middleton N I B, and the
Beeston, Holbeck and Hunslet N I B
Investment in Community Capacity
Building
Elected members have direct access to
revenue funding of £225K which is used to
commission work against local priorities and
capacity building. There is also specific
connecting communities funding for Belle Isle
of £20K. The area has been selected as the
only inner city neighbourhood planning pilot.
Senior Leadership and Partnership
Working
The Leeds Initiative (LSP) has overarching
responsibility for improved locality working. The
Chief Executive’s office is accountable for the
success of the work. The Executive Member for
Neighbourhoods and Housing is the accountable
politician. A Senior Manager directly accountable to
the Asst Chief Exec is driving the work locally.
The Leeds LIS
Our approach to the LIS sought to improve
understanding of the barriers to working better
together locally. It was designed to shape our
approach to the more entrenched issues in our
large and complex city and made
recommendations to change the way we work
locally which are now being implemented
citywide through a set of locality working design
principles by area leadership teams.
Clear Governance and Accountability
Committees of Elected Members have
oversight of the local work and hold officers to
account. A team of senior leaders from the
Council and Partners have oversight of the
service integration.
Locally Set Service Priorities
and Outcomes
•Cleaner and safer places to live
•Improved workforce skills and local
employment and NEET
•Improved health outcomes especially
smoking and alcohol related illnesses
•Active participation of citizens in
shaping their places and improving
service design and delivery
Resources mapped and
aligned or pooled
•Environmental services resources
aligned locally, and targeted to
Inner South neighbourhoods.
•Public sector assets in Inner South
Leeds mapped for discussion at
Neighbourhood Improvement
Boards.
•Derelict, eyesore and nuisance
sites in Inner South Leeds
understood and on an improvement
schedule .
23
Leeds – inner south Leeds (2):
community commissioning roles and responsibilities
VCSE, private
sector & others
Statutory
commissioners
Local people
e.g. residents
2010: action to date relevant to
community commissioning
•Locality Working
Pathfinder initiated and
completed
•Locality Working
Pathfinder initiated and
completed
•Locality Working
Pathfinder initiated and
completed
2011: progress towards
community commissioning
•Locality working Pathfinder concluded and
recommendations accepted.
•Design principles for locality working
developed
•Community Engagement Framework and
Citizens Panel developed
•Neighbourhood improvement boards
initiated
•Corporate approach to working better
locally adopted by Council and Partners
•Design principles for locality working
developed
•Environmental Services integrated and
delegated locally
•N I Bs initiated
• New Area Leadership Team
established including 3rd Sector
leadership
• Reviewing the effectiveness of local
partnerships, removing ineffective
ones
• Design principles for locality working
developed and implemented
• N I Bs developed
2012 onwards: towards
implementation
• To develop and implement strong and
effective local leadership and
governance arrangements that are
responsive and accountable to the
needs of local communities and
maximise the engagement of local
citizens in the design and delivery of
local services
• To integrate and organise the
delivery of services to
communities and support
individuals at the right time and in
the right place and in a way that
makes the best use of public and
community assets and resources.
• To maximise the use of local
intelligence to improve our
understanding of communities and
their functions/characteristics so
that services are targeted and
tailored to meet need effectively
and efficiently.
24
Leeds – inner south Leeds (3): outcomes and resources
Resources
Outcomes
Outcomes aimed for
•Better, more responsive and personalised
services for residents
•Reduced fragmentation and duplication of
services
•Improved ability to solve the deep rooted
issues
•Better join up between central and local
•Increased influence of local activity in the
development of policy and practice
•Improved involvement of elected members
and citizens in setting and progressing local
priorities for council services.
Progress towards outcomes
•Locality working pathfinder concluded
•Corporate approach to working better locally adopted
•Environmental Services integrated and delegated locally
•New Area Leadership teams established
•Co production of change programmes underway
•Reviewing the effectiveness of partnerships and reducing
ineffective local partnerships
•Community engagement framework developed
•Citizen panels to influence and shape responsive services
being developed
•Design principles for locality working
Resources mapped, aligned, pooled
Savings
•Overarching Neighbourhood Improvement Boards
established
•Environmental services (street scene and enforcement)
integrated and resources delegated locally
•Early stage exploration of public sector assets underway
•Early stage exploration of place and people resources
and aligning/pooling budgets underway
•Early stage exploration of resources
and aligning/pooling budgets
underway
•Productivity gains in locally integrated
Environmental Services through better
targeting and local oversight scrutiny
of resources
For further information on the Leeds case study please contact: Shaid.Mahmood@leeds.gov.uk
25
Sheffield – Lowedges, Batemoor and Jordanthorpe (1): summary
Testing if integrated services and place based resources combined with robust individual and community resilience – result
in improved health, wellbeing and independence of older and vulnerable people, increased quality of services and reduced
costs.
LBJ has a population of 10,500. Most of the area falls within the top 1% of the index of deprivation. 20% of the population is over 65. It is
a Labour-led council.
Senior leadership and partnership working
Community commissioning body
A formal working group was
established in September 2011. This
group is primarily made up of people
working in or managing the area and
represents a wide range of services
and organisations including the local
authority, health, police, VCF and
independent adult social care sector.
In November the group was
expanded to include local residents.
.
Investment in community
commissioning capacity
There has been no new investment
for the project but existing resources
have been specifically diverted from
strategic commissioning and the
citywide review of unscheduled care
has officer time allocated to LBJ.
Community Assembly resources has
also been aligned.
The Project Board was established in October
2011 and is chaired by the project sponsor who
is the director of commissioning for the local
authority. Senior officers from health, housing
and children’s services are represented on the
board as is the VCF sector in the area. A key
function is ‘unblocking’ barriers to integration
identified as the project develops.
Sheffield LIS
The project builds on previous work done in
Jordanthorpe as part of the Total Place pilot and
the Integrated Community Development project
which had a strong focus on improving customer
experience. A key focus of the LIS work is
developing new approaches to local priorities
with and for the community.
Clear governance and accountability
There are several workstreams within the project
each with a lead officer. Workstream leads meet
on a regular basis and updates from each
workstream are fed into the project board.
Updates are also presented to the Community
Assembly Area Panel. The project will seek to
establish a framework for community
governance and accountability.
Locally set service priorities and
outcomes
Local people were already
encouraged to get involved in
setting local priorities through the
Community Assembly and a
plethora of service specific
consultations, however the LIS
project presented the opportunity
to explore a more holistic
approach.
Resources mapped and aligned or
pooled
A very general mapping exercise has
been completed, this process raised
questions around data sharing
protocols. The project aims to use the
information collected to help in the
alignment of priorities and aspires to
identify where and how resources can
be pooled. The information is proving
useful when engaging with local people
to demonstrate the investment in the
area as well as encouraging them to
think about how it might be used more
effectively and efficiently in the future.
26
Sheffield - Jordanthorpe (2):
community commissioning roles and responsibilities
VCSE, private
sector & others
Statutory
commissioners
Local people
e.g. residents
2010: action to date relevant to
community commissioning
2011: progress towards
community commissioning
Project confined to Jordanthorpe at this
time.
Project expanded to include Lowedges
and Batemoor.
Commissioning undertaken by individuals
in receipt of a personal budget.
Work with individuals to identify how we
could develop the care and support
market to meet peoples needs.
Local people participating in
workstreams and volunteering to
implement winter plans for vulnerable
people.
Mapping of resources in the area
completed and an information hub
created for local people and staff.
Conversations held with local people by
a range of statutory organisations to
collect opinions about what is good
about the area, what is not so good and
what changes they felt would make a
real difference.
Directory of local services developed
and included in the information hub.
Views thoughts and opinions of VCF
and other stakeholders fed into the
project.
Governance structure established
including workstreams to enable a
range of approaches to be tested.
Risk stratification exercise completed to
identify most vulnerable older people and
individual winter plans developed with
them.
Sheffield University engaged to help
with the evaluation of the project and to
ensure that the voice of local people is
represented.
Police and other agencies engaged to
begin to align priorities.
Independent sector participating in
Winter Planning
2012 onwards: towards
implementation
Increase the profile of the project to
encourage more involvement by local
people with the aim of establishing a
community decision making and
commissioning framework.
Preliminary evaluation of interventions
to identify resources that can be
redirected from reactive services into
community action and citizen-led
services.
Model for delivering integrated services
is developed and agreed
VCF sector is supported to become self
sustaining so that it can in turn support
local people to play an active role in
local decision making.
Independent sector has a good
understanding of the care and support
needs of local people.
27
Outcomes
Sheffield – Lowedges, Batemoor and Jordanthorpe (3):
outcomes and resources
Outcomes aimed for
Progress towards outcomes
A wide range of outcomes have been identified
for the project. All contribute to either
improvements in health and wellbeing or building
independence and resilience, including:
• More choice and control for older people
• Decrease in the number of unscheduled
hospital admissions.
Good progress has been made in getting sign-up to the project from a
wide range of partners and stakeholders.
There is clear evidence that the Winter Planning project has made a
real difference to the lives of the older people who participated . The
learning will be used to inform the wider project.
Based on the learning to date a model for integrated services in the area
is being developed with partners.
Development of community participation ,
integrated services and improved partnership
working are how the outcomes will be achieved.
The next phase will be to translate that interest into active engagement
and participation to support the development of a representative
community body that it is hoped will commission services for local
people.
Resources
Resources mapped, aligned, pooled
The resource mapping that has taken place to date is
informing the development of an integrated services
model.
The mapping of care and support is being used to develop
a local market position statement that will be used with
service users and providers to identify gaps in provision
and explore ways in which local people can get directly
involved .
Savings
No specific savings have been identified at this stage, however,
any reduction in the number of unscheduled admissions to
hospital will deliver cost benefits.
The integrated services model being developed will look at the
possibility of savings including co-locating services and sharing
human resources.
The preventative approach being used means that some
savings may not be realised in the short term.
For further information on the Sheffield case study please contact: lorraine.jubb@sheffield.gov.uk
28
Tameside – Smallshaw Hurst & St Peters (1): summary
Testing new ways of commissioning to reduce dependence on public services in two wards that consume a
disproportionately large amount of public sector spend
Smallshaw Hurst has a population of 16,000 and St Peters 12,000. Labour-led Council.
Senior leadership and partnership working
Community commissioning
body
Future models for investment
are being examined in
conjunction with the Greater
Manchester Whole Place
Community Budget pilot.
Community Commissioning
has so far been taken forward
through the third sector
delivery bodies - New Charter
Housing / St Peters
Partnerships.
The pilots have been overseen by the LSP via the Local Public
Service Executive (LPSE). All chief officers from public sector
organisations are represented on the LPSE.
The Smallshaw Hurst Pilot is led by New Charter Housing with the St
Peters Pilot being led by Greater Manchester Probation Trust and St
Peters Partnerships (ward based charity with social enterprise trading
arms). The Council is an active partner in both pilots with other
partners including NHS engaged.
Investment in community
commissioning capacity
Community Commissioning has been
sought through the engagement
mechanisms of both St Peters
Partnerships and New Charter
Housing. Service redesign work has
taken place through the Local Strategic
Partnership and local regeneration
partnerships. The pilots will be
evaluated throughout the delivery
phase with community engagement a
key element of this..
Tameside LIS
The full LIS vision will see an effective
multi-agency case management
approach successfully scaled up across
the borough in relation to complex
families and offender management
Clear governance and accountability
The overall coordination of the pilots is
through an overarching Steering Group
reporting into the LSP Structures.
Community structures such as resident
based regeneration partnerships and
engagement groups are part of the wider
governance and accountability model.
Locally set service priorities
and outcomes
The priority in St Peters is to
reduce reoffending by supporting
ex offenders to access
employment and volunteering
opportunities. The priority in
Smallshaw is to improve
worklessness and health
outcomes for complex families.
Resources mapped and aligned or pooled
A Greater Manchester endorsed cost benefit
analysis model is being utilised in both pilot areas
to support investment work in the pilots across
agencies. Investment in the pilots has been made
across partners.
In Smallshaw £130k has been invested in
redesigning and piloting a delivery model to reduce
demand on the public sector through case
management working with complex families.
In St Peters £50K alongside in kind contributions
has been invested in redesigning offender
management support.
29
VCSE, private
sector & others
Statutory
commissioners
Local people
e.g. residents
Tameside (2):
community commissioning roles and responsibilities
2010: action to date relevant to
community commissioning
2011: progress towards
community commissioning
2012 onwards: towards
implementation
In both wards there was strong local
community involvement through a non
statutory agency. St Peters Partnership
is an established charity improving
people’s life chances and developing
aspirations through employment. In
Smallshaw Hurst New Charter Housing
is a large Registered Provider which
has excellent community engagement
through an established family
intervention project and neighbourhood
teams.
Residents in St Peters can influence the
use of resources in the ward via the
Partnership which works closely with
(and is funded by) statutory agencies.
In Smallshaw Hurst ward New Charter
has ensured that residents can
influence decisions about the use of
local resources. An example is the
development of a tailored skills offer.
Tameside Council used participatory
budgeting in 2011/12 to allocate
£400,000 saved through recycling.
As learning from the pilots emerges this
will be scaled up where appropriate
across the borough as part of the public
service reform agenda.
Existing regeneration partnerships had
ensured a multi agency approach to
delivering physical and economic
regeneration. The statutory agencies
supported a shared set of strategic
priorities but service commissioning
was done separately.
VCSE actively involved in strategic
partnership, in service delivery at a
neighbourhood and borough level and
in identifying local needs.
Statutory commissioners worked
together to improve commissioning of
services for people with complex needs.
This was based on the principle of
service user involvement in determining
the most appropriate services.
VCSE organisations like St Peters are
facilitating service redesign desired by
statutory commissioners by developing
alternative methods of delivery. The
aim is to use resources more effectively
by commissioning early intervention
community based services..
Development of Community First
Panels in both pilots will support further
community commissioning.
Structures will be in place which enable
statutory commissioners to work with
local residents and VCSE organisations
to reduce demand on statutory services
and increase long term economic
growth.
Following the highly successful ‘You
Choose’ participatory budgeting
scheme that funded 149 community
projects in 2011/12, it will continue in
2012/13.
New models of investment in early
intervention initiatives based in
community settings to tackle complex
families.
30
Tameside (3): outcomes and resources
Outcomes
Outcomes aimed for
•
Better services which meet needs of
residents in the two pilot wards
•
Better integration of public services
which will be delivered in a joined
up way (particular focus on families
and individuals ).
•
Learning from the pilots will be
scaled up across the borough.
Progress towards outcomes
Good progress has been made in developing new methods of service delivery to
improve outcomes. For example in St Peters there has been improved coordination of how ex offenders access services. This has seen a take up in
services supporting early intervention.
The complexity of issues faced within the wards means that it will take time to
deliver outcomes. Progress is expected by the end of 2012 especially in terms of
offender behaviour.
The St Peters Pilot has developed an evaluation model that includes cost benefit
analysis alongside wider evaluation tools. For example measures include take
up of courses, take up of health services, obtaining identification and producing a
record of achievement.
Resources
Resources mapped, aligned, pooled
Detailed mapping of resources has been done across a number of
partners – to identify resources expended on a sample of families
and individuals with complex needs, and where these need to be
realigned.
Savings
The proportion of resources allocated to problem
families, offenders and those out of work will reduce
whilst service quality will improve.
There will be a shift to preventative services.
Tameside partnership continues to review and monitor the LIS
work with a focus on aligning resources in a way which reduces
duplication across agencies.
The key change around resources is developing multi-agency tools
to effectively resource interventions across the partnership.
Plans for community budgets are being prepared as
part of the Greater Manchester Whole Place
Community Budget pilot announced in December
2011.
For further information on the Tameside case study please contact: david.berry@tameside.gov.uk
31
Warrington – (1): summary
Increasing community involvement in service commissioning to reduce long-term
unemployment
Warrington LIS area has a population of 18,000. Labour-led Council.
Community commissioning
body
Early work has been done to
explore if the embryonic
Community Interest Company
could become the facilitator of
community commissioning.
However, this is not due to be
implemented until May 2012.
Senior leadership and partnership working
Warrington LIS is being developed by a working group of the
Local Strategic Partnership. Programme management is led
by Warrington Borough Council, with membership including
representatives from Jobcentre Plus, Cheshire Police,
Citizens Advice Bureau, Warrington Collegiate, Golden
Gates Housing Trust and public health.
Warrington LIS
Warrington LIS is about transforming the customer experience so that
they receive an integrated public service (multi-sector) offer in which:
- individuals and families have more control over their support package;
- services are integrated in their delivery;
- communities can influence the commissioning of services; and
- we realise a reduced demand and increased efficiency
Investment in community
commissioning capacity
A great deal of work has taken
place through neighbourhood
boards in recent years to
support local people and
agencies to become more
engaged in commissioning
processes.
Locally set service priorities
and outcomes
Increase in access to learning
and skills opportunities
Increase in access to employment
Increase in active participation in
community and volunteering
activities
Improved quality of health and
wellbeing
Reduction in public sector spend
per benefit claimant
Increased provision by civil and
community sector
Clear governance and accountability
Warrington LIS is overseen by the Closing the Gap / LIS
Priority Action Group (CTG / LIS PAG) – a sub-group of the
Local Strategic Partnership. Links to other developing work
areas are monitored and maintained accordingly. For
example, a regular advisor to the CTG / LIS PAG is the joint
NHS / Council strategic lead for commissioning, who is also
overseeing the development of the Health and Wellbeing
Board.
Resources mapped and
aligned or pooled
Resource mapping of public
spending based on individual
customer journeys is currently
being developed
32
Warrington (2):
community commissioning roles and responsibilities
VCSE, private
sector & others
Statutory
commissioners
Local people
e.g. residents
2010: action to date relevant to
community commissioning
Warrington was acknowledged as good
at consulting and engaging local
communities. LSP agreed that
increasing the local integration of
services should also be a priority, with
increased involvement of local
communities in the commissioning of
local services.
Many traditional models of service
delivery in place. Good evidence of
commissioning across health and social
care, but work needed to embed across
all partners. New models being tested
successfully by Local Authority, e.g.
Connected Care. Plans in development
for a new Health and Wellbeing CIC
which could take on delivery of leisure
services and a number of other
wellbeing services.
Council keen to involve housing
associations, 3rd sector providers,
police, learning institutions and private
sector in the regeneration of
Warrington, particularly those areas
with entrenched problems.
2011: progress towards
community commissioning
Warrington Borough Council is
undergoing a review of neighbourhood
working structures following 4 year
programme of implementation.
The Council, and its partners, remain
focussed on maintaining good levels of
community engagement and
participation.
Statutory commissioners are exploring
a number of options for joint
commissioning of services.
Significant barrier has been data
sharing, which delayed the project by 9
months. However, from January 2012
this matter is now resolved. Statutory
commissioners piloted case
conferencing arrangements for long
term unemployed prior to work
programme commencement.
Good VCSE involvement via the ‘Third
Sector Hub’ represented by Citizens
Advice Bureau. Strategic partnership,
which includes VCSE, continues to
have a leadership role
2012 onwards: towards
implementation
Local communities will play a key role in
the commissioning of local services –
this will be achieved through a number
of different mechanisms ( see outcomes
on following slide)
Statutory commissioners will continue to
play a pivotal role in service
specifications. However this will not
stop the development of alternative
methods of service delivery.
The private sector is heavily involved in
the regeneration of Warrington,
including the development of new jobs
in the area. It will have an increasing
role through corporate social
responsibility to contribute to the wider
community.
VCSE will continue as an active partner
working alongside democratically
elected councillors to support the
wellbeing of the area.
33
Warrington (3): outcomes and resources
Outcomes
Outcomes aimed for
•
Improving the life chances of long term benefits claimants
•
Better integration of public services
•
Greater role for users in the specification and delivery of
services
•
Reduction in long term unemployment and benefit dependency
•
A narrowing the gap between those areas in Warrington which
perform well against a set of key indicators and those areas
which perform least well.
•
Generating efficiencies through more effective commissioning
and personalised services
Progressing towards outcomes
Progress made on narrowing the gap is measured
quarterly and annually against a number of key
indicators :employment, attainment, health, housing
and environment. Analysis of neighbourhood
management to date demonstrates positive results e.g.
a faster reduction in crime and ASB in deprived areas .
Enabling service users to have a greater say in the
nature and quality of services can be achieved via :
personal budgets, neighbourhood budgets, LI S
arrangements, asset transfer, or a CI.C Warrington LIS
is exploring all options.
Resources
Resources mapped, aligned, pooled
Savings
LIS partners have begun the process of mapping the resources related
to individual benefit claimants – this is being done via a case
conferencing approach. This also identifies a lead worker who will coordinate future services to minimise duplication and to obtain the best
possible outcome for each individual and his/her family.
It is anticipated that evidence of local integration
of services relating to employment will be
available by April 2012 (to include less
duplication of activities across organisations and
better use of existing budgets).
Work on regeneration increasingly involves a ‘virtual’ pooling of budgets,
such as aligning housing and neighbourhood improvement works,
alongside community involvement and/or return to work activities, in
order to achieve the overall outcomes. Individual public agencies remain
accountable for their own budgets.
In the longer term it is anticipated that savings
should be seen in worklessness related costs
e.g. sanctions / behaviour control techniques;
direct payments of benefits; loss of income e.g.
through rent arrears.
For further informationeblackburn@warrington.gov.uk
on the Warrington case study please contact: eblackburn@warrington.gov.uk
34