1. 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

2. 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

3. Essex’s 2 tier complexity

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

5. Top 3 pressures over last 5 years 2010-2015 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

6. Chelmsford’s Grant Reduction

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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”.

11. 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

13. Efficiency & Income Initiatives

14. Commercial approach

15. Making our assets work for us

18. Any questions?