Efficiency Projects : Cumbria County Council

The EPiC procurement project continues to strengthen as we enter year 3, with the July EPiC meeting dedicated to the participating authorities (the County Council, 6 District Councils and the Lake District National Park Authority) exploring areas for further collaboration.

Use of the electronic tendering system is steadily increasing across the authorities, with Allerdale and South Lakeland recently gaining a greater understanding of the system. Training and support will continue to be provided to all users for the length of the project.

It is hoped that with the extra funding we can enlist the help of a third sector programme manager on a full-time basis to assist in engagement with the Third Sector and extending the County Council’s Third Sector Compact to the other Cumbrian Authorities.

During January – March EPiC hosted the national pilot ran by Society of Procurement Officers (SOPO) and IDeA on Equalities in Procurement training which was the first step in establishing a link between EPiC and the Equalities project. Also with the support of the Climate Change Action Group there continues to be a steady focus on sustainability. Basic Sustainability training has been sourced from Action Sustainability and extended to non-procurement based officers with a roaring response. The project board also plans to take advantage of a low-cost training session which will provide support on Environmental Management Systems.

1.2 Procurement of Taxation & Benefits

Procurement of Taxation and Benefits End of Year 2 Report

Update on progress Feb - April 2010 (29.04.2010);

The project aim is to deliver the procurement of jointly procured Revenues and Benefits Software for Eden and SLDC District Councils. This is hoped to deliver a number of efficiencies. However, it is intended that this will be the first stage of a fully fledged shared service.

Both councils decided in December to procure the same software (Civica's Open Revenue) and signed the contracts in January. SLDC are currently implementing with a target 'go live' date of 31st October 2010. Eden District Councils implementation is scheduled to start after SLDC's ends with a 'go live' date of 30th September 2011. If we proceed towards a shared service the likely start date will be April 2012.

1.3 Shared Customer Contact

Shared Customer Contact End of Year 2 Report

Update on progress November - January 2011 (25.01.2011);

The business case has now been completed and will be updated when necessary to ensure the document is an up to date reflection of the current position. The business case will be used to inform future options.

1.4 Support to Cumbria Waste Strategic Partnership

Cumbria Strategic Waste Partnership End of Year 2 Report

Update on progress April - June 2010 (30.06.2010);

The Cumbria Strategic Waste Partnership Project aims to engage external consultancy support to help identify the opportunities and asses the options for enhanced partnership working between members of the CSWP; Cumbria’s 6 Waste Collection Authorities and the Waste Disposal Authority. The imperative to investigate enhanced partnership working stems from the tightening on public finances, the business case produced will outline the options available for partnership working in Cumbria; evidence from previous research suggests that we can expect to see significant efficiency savings.

The project lead is meeting with the consultants on the 23rd June to receive the draft report. The report will subsequently be reviewed by officers of the Cumbria Strategic Waste Partnership, in order to make any final amendments. The completed report will be presented to the CIEP Partnership Board at a meeting scheduled for the 28th July 2010.

1.5 Cumbria Wide Public Sector Network

Local Government Network End of Year 2 Report

Update on Progress November - January 2011 (25.01.2011);

The Cumbria ICT Managers met at the Lake District National Park Offices in Kendal on 20th December. The main focus of the meeting was a presentation by Lancaster University Network Services (LUNS) on the CLEO (Cumbria and Lancashire Education Online) network. This network is jointly owned by Lancashire and Cumbria County Council and from 1st April 2011 the Cumbrian element of the network will revert back to Cumbria County Council. This network provides connectivity into all the schools within Cumbria and includes major fibre trunk routes. Cumbria County Council reported that any future Cumbria Public Sector Network would need to include the CLEO network primarily because of the investment made in CLEO to date and also because the infrastructure is already in place.

Cumbria County Council are continuing to collate the information provided by the Cumbria ICT Managers within their GIS systems and will provide the results once this work has been completed.

1.6 Joined Up Parking Cumbria 'Parking Connect'

Parking Connect Delivery Plan

June 2010 Performance Framework

Update on progress November - January 2011 (25.01.2011);

The project is going ahead with Carlisle City Council to further develop the business case. It will be taken to Cumbria County Council's Cabinet on Thursday 31st March for agreement and it will then be taken to full cabinet at Carlisle City Council, the date for this has not yet been confirmed.

Informed consultations are still ongoing in regards to legal agreements and TUPE costs.

1.7 Review of Terms and Conditions

Review of Terms and Conditions End of Year 2 Report

Update on progress April - June 2010 (30.06.2010);

The Review of terms and conditions study is complete. It has been agreed that HR Managers will be given the remit to keep the Detailed Analysis an up-to-date ‘live’ document and this will be published on the CIEP website.

Next steps are to determine the appetite in the authorities for this to be taken further. This will be discussed at the next CIEP Partnership Board in August.