Breakout Session How the UK has addressed changes facing local government Averil Price Director at Chelmsford City Council and Non Executive Director of the Solace Group

A very complex landscape Government sets national policies and the framework within which local councils work Over 400 local councils across the UK Structure varies Providing over 700 services

Essex’s 2 tier complexity

Funding of local government Government Grants Council Tax Business Rates Income from returns on borrowing & investments, interest & capital receipts, fees & charges etc.

Top 3 pressures over last 5 years saw a 37% reduction in national Government funding for local councils Housing, Adult Social Care & Planning hardest hit by spending cuts Size of local government workforce has reduced by over 16% and in most places wages have been frozen for 5 years

Chelmsford’s Grant Reduction

Key pressures over next 5-10 years Financial future looks bleak BUT Growing confidence in local government that we can take control of our own destiny Renegotiating relationship with Government Seeking freedom to reshape local services Bold whole system transformation No single best model emerging so far

Change is the only game in town Wholesale tearing down of professional & organisational silos Aiming for financial self sufficiency and ambition for removing council tax levy Unlocking & stimulating economic growth Replacement of current unaffordable 2-tier structure

An Exciting Future! Radical Innovation and Rapid Change Pooled budgets Radical service redesign Greater use of digital innovation Commercialisation Invest to save Making our assets work for us

Four councils join forces to create new legal service Orbis Public Law applying for a licence to enable them to trade commercially “By creating what is believed to be one of the biggest legal operations in local government, we can achieve greater resilience, reduce cost and deliver savings through economies of scale, avoidance of duplication and income generation”.

Kirklees Council launches Better Off Bringing Welfare & Advice into the 21 st Century: combining benefits and employment into one smart platform – With a welfare advice budget facing a 30% reduction in 2015/16, rising to 50% over the next three years, some radical thinking was required to ensure that Kirklees’ benefits system could still deliver and ensure that nobody slipped through the net

Efficiency & Income Initiatives

Commercial approach

Making our assets work for us

Any questions?