The case study below shows how local authorities are working together across the tiers of Local Government:

Summary of the Project
This is one of five pathfinder projects, funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government, in which counties and districts collaborate to deliver enhanced two tier working. The partners in the Buckinghamshire pathfinder are Aylesbury Vale District Council, Buckinghamshire County Council, Chiltern District Council, South Bucks District Council and Wycombe District Council.


Objectives
The councils have committed themselves to coherent Buckinghamshire public service provision, while retaining their local democratic strength and decision-making on policies and priorities. They foresee that efficiencies will be achieved through an integrated approach to the design and delivery of services.


Programme
The councils were awarded pathfinder status in July 2007. The programme is governed by a legal agreement signed by all five councils. It focuses on six services: shared support services; customer services; transport; waste; procurement; and community engagement. Each of the five chief executives leads at least one of the workstreams. The programme is overseen by a joint improvement board made up of councillors from each council.


What was the outcome of this project?
The programme is still in its early stages of a five year programme. Each of the main projects is going through a process of research and option appraisal. Nick Cave, the programme director, says that all options, including in-house delivery, outsourcing and joint ventures, are being fully explored. Contrasting the momentum developed by the partners in Buckinghamshire with the progress elsewhere with shared services, Cave says that there is “a lot of hesitancy with the shared services agenda and often little about this – there’s often not enough pressure on organisations people to make a step change”.


For more information, please contact:

Name:  Mr Nick Cave
Position:  Pathfinder Director
Authority: Buckinghamshire County Council
Telephone: 44 (0) 84 5370 8090
Email:  ncave@buckscc.gov.uk
Website: www.buckscc.gov.uk