Making South Lakeland the Best Place to Live, Work and Visit Power Up Your Community Case Study Simon McVey Assistant Director Policy & Performance

Making South Lakeland the Best Place to Live, Work and Visit Background to setting up the scheme Why iChoosr ? Setting up the Project Procurement & Legal Advice Publicity & Marketing Registration The Auction Next Steps Lessons Learned

Making South Lakeland the Best Place to Live, Work and Visit Background to setting up the scheme Drive from Environment Portfolio Holder Desire to get on and deliver rather than sit back and wait for others Fuel prices have doubled in less than 7 years 13,000 households in South Lakeland estimated to be in fuel poverty (28.3%) “confident consumers” who are proficient at sourcing better deals are in the minority Local Authorities are well positioned to reach a wide audience and can deliver a social procurement element Cabinet report 27 th June on SLDC website

Making South Lakeland the Best Place to Live, Work and Visit Meeting organised by DECC and Consumer Focus iChoosr gave a presentation on a Belgian /Dutch social procurement model Not previously tried in UK iChoosr met SLDC officers and Members March 2012 Buy in to the concept established but the challenge was for a Local Authority to make it happen Project team set up to deliver by Autumn 2012 Which project was underway at that time iChoosr could deliver SLDC requirement for a social element Why iChoosr?

Making South Lakeland the Best Place to Live, Work and Visit Setting up the Project Policy & Engagement Procurement Legal Customer Services Communications IT (website)

Making South Lakeland the Best Place to Live, Work and Visit Procurement & Legal Advice Procurement and Legal advice was key to this project Arrangement is more akin to a service concession than a procurement External advice sought to confirm this view Localism Act enables the council to have no doubt as to its power to enter into this type of arrangement The Council would not have had power to charge iChoosr commission without the Localism Act Contract negotiation / translation issues Legal agreement (produced by SLDC legal team) contains fee details and confidentiality clauses

Making South Lakeland the Best Place to Live, Work and Visit Publicity & Marketing Maximum publicity for minimum cost Engaged local radio station as media partner News stories rather than paid for advertising National publicity MJ etc Council Newsletter Attendance at Roadshows / events Local Area Partnerships Strategic Partners Social Media

Making South Lakeland the Best Place to Live, Work and Visit Promotion Activity

Making South Lakeland the Best Place to Live, Work and Visit Registration Process Registration available from 1 st August to coincide with publication of South Lakeland News Major sticking point was the issue of telephone registration SLDC insistent that a telephone option was available – potential show stopper 600sq miles – phone by far the preferred method of contact with the Council End result was SLDC contact centre staff receiving training, taking calls and registering 20% Registration closed midnight 17 th September, 1,669 households registered (3.2%)

Making South Lakeland the Best Place to Live, Work and Visit The Auction Auction held 18 th September 4 Categories – dual fuel (online) (offline) electricity only (online) (offline) OVO energy won each category

Making South Lakeland the Best Place to Live, Work and Visit Next Steps All registrants to receive or letter giving details of the OVO offer Responses due from householders by end of October Switching process then begins over a 5 week period Evaluation survey planned for December Consideration of a future auction Determine strategy for the ring-fenced commission which will most help the fuel poor Find a way forward with fuel cards Produce a detailed case study

Making South Lakeland the Best Place to Live, Work and Visit See Lawrence’s article in MJ (13 th September) Biggest barriers were our own internal mechanisms and self confidence Use the Localism Act to take opportunities and explore other avenues that might have languished on the too difficult pile Lessons Learned

Making South Lakeland the Best Place to Live, Work and Visit Any Questions