Sharing the Gain report by CIPFA

Paul Jackson from CIPFA introduced the ‘Sharing the Gain’ report to delegates at the conference, here’s what he said:

“Public service leaders and managers are finding the increasing pressures of making budget cuts whilst maintaining their front-line services a tough balancing act.

In responding to this challenge, many local authorities are already embracing Shared Services, through which greater collaboration with other bodies offers a route to reducing costs whilst preserving the quality of the services delivered.

Based on the CIPFA Shared Services Survey 2009 CIPFA also anticipate a rapid take-up of the Shared Service arrangements over the next few years.

The immediate challenge for public service professionals is to find a starting point and define an approach that will work for them.

CIPFA’s report Sharing the Gain: Improving cost-effectiveness through collaborative working (January 2010) demonstrates the viability of Shared Services through a selection of case studies of local authorities already benefiting from various collaborative models. The report has been written in partnership with the Society of District Council Treasurers, and sponsored by the Department of Communities and Local Government and the West Midlands, East Midlands and Yorkshire and Humber RIEPs.

The report has been conceived with local authorities in mind, to assist them in:

• Understanding the drivers for a collaborative framework
• Redesigning processes and organisational responsibilities to capitalise on
collaborative working opportunities
• Building a business case for change
• Managing procurement and legal issues pertaining to a Shared Services model
• Managing the transition to Shared Services and associated risks

The report is free to local authorities and will be available from 20 January 2010.”

The report will be sent to all delegates that attended the conference and made available on the IEWM website www.westmidlandsiep.gov.uk.

View Paul’s presentation here.