Shared Services
There are many potential benefits in sharing the delivery of regulatory services either within or across local authorities, such as increased flexibility, economies of scale, improved access to experience and expertise, and higher levels of staff satisfaction due to a greater variety of work. Once established, effective partnerships can drive innovation and deliver value to all parties.
A seminar was staged by LBRO in May 2011 to discuss collaborative approaches to the delivery of regulatory services. The four presentations given follow, accompanied by some reflections on them, and an information sheet that was provided to attendees, covering issues such as leadership, governance, strategy and capacity.
Service Delivery Models in Challenging Financial Times
Rob Powell, Director, LBRO
Collaboration: How Far Could You Go?
Sue Blakeley, formerly Corporate Director of East Staffordshire and Erewash Borough Councils
The Stafford Borough Experience
Robert Simpson, Principal Environmental Health Officer, Stafford Borough Council
Maurice Cann, Head of Regulatory Services, Hambleton and Richmond Councils
Reflections on the Four Presentations
Sharing Regulatory Services at District Councils
The findings of research from LCS Limited into the benefits of and barriers to shared services are provided below, together with a checklist to use as a prompt for discussion when considering an initiative of this type, and two relevant practice examples.
Strategic Implications of Shared Working in Regulatory Services
Current Practice of Shared Working in Regulatory Services
Operational and financial benefits have resulted from the creation of a joint trading standards service.
Worcestershire Regulatory Services
A county-wide initiative in Worcestershire has led to the sharing of regulatory services and built a firm foundation for the unification of environmental health, licensing and trading standards. The following presentation on this development was given during a seminar staged by LBRO in October 2010.
Worcestershire Regulatory Services - Steve Jorden, Head of Worcestershire Regulatory Services