Ten ways councils can protect local services
01 March 2010
A new report setting out ten decisive steps that all councils
should act on to protect vital frontline services in an era of
tighter public finances was welcomed by Communities Secretary John
Denham today.
The ten steps include putting customers first, taking the Total
Place approach forward in all councils and cutting waste.
The full list of ten things councils must do to protect
frontline services are:
- Council services must be focused on the customer. They come
first
- Take a Total Place approach to frontline services
- Make services more efficient - cutting out waste and
unnecessary duplication. Especially in two tier areas
- Check performance against others and learn from who is doing it
better
- Buy goods and services in groups and use that buying power to
create local benefits and involve the third sector
- Reduce the number of council buildings by locating more
services together
- Motivate staff to help to perform to the best of their
ability
- Make managers leaders of innovation to improve services
- Streamline management. Consider splitting senior posts with
other councils or PCTs
- Share professional expertise and ensure council staff are able
to be flexibly deployed
Click here to read the article
on the report produced by Communities and Local Government
(CLG).