www.wiltshire.gov.uk
Members Update - 9th April 2008
This week a paper about amalgamating some services prior to April 2009 was taken to the JIT. The services specifically mentioned were ICT, Procurement and Elections. The reason for considering early amalgamation is to ensure that there is clear accountability in those areas which are critical in either delivering Day 1 requirements e.g. ICT and Elections or offering an early opportunity to deliver savings e.g. procurement. JIT agreed that the work can progress, however there remain significant challenges to address, not least those relating to staff. A further planning meeting is to be held on 13 May, with a more detailed report produced for the JIT on 16 May. All staff will be regularly updated on developments.
George Batten
Transition Programme Director
What will we be like?
There is still a week left for you to let us know your thoughts about the document Wiltshire Council - What will we be like?
We would be grateful if you could take some time to consider the following questions:
- What would a great council mean to you?
- In order to make it a great council
- how can customer focus be improved?
- how can the organisation be more open and transparent?
- what should the key leadership qualities be?
- What should the customer expect as standard practice?
We'd like to receive your comments by Friday 16 May. Please let us know what you think by emailing your comments to onecouncil@wiltshire.gov.uk with the words "What will we be like" in the title of your message.
A members seminar will be organised in due course to discuss and agree core values.
Parish Meet and Greets
The parish meet and greet sessions are now complete. The sessions were well attended with some lively debate and interesting issues raised. Questions and answers from these meetings can be viewed on the One Council website . All papers that were handed out at the meet and greet sessions canalso be found on the same web page.
Dates for your diary
22 May Implementation Executive Details to be confirmed
22 May Members seminar - Customer Focus - 6.30pm-8.30pm Corn Exchange, Devizes
3 June Members seminar – BMP 4pm-6pm
NB The above seminars are open to Members from county and district councils.
Workstream news…..
Business Management Project (BMP)
Work is now starting on the implementation stage of the BMP project. The BMP team has now been joined by Jane Strange, Performance Team Lead and David Heap, finance team member.
A BMP seminar for members is planned for 3 June – details will follow in due course.
Resources Workstream
The following changes have been made within the Resources Workstream:
- Internal audit will now sit within the Resources Finance workstream
- Design & Print will sit within the Communication workstream
- Customer Contact & Webworkstream will now be located within the Customer Focus workstream
- The Internal Governanceworkstream will now consist of Complaints and Corporate Standards only
- Elections is now a separate project and is not linked as a sub project of Democratic Services.
Frontline Services Workstream (FLS)
The workstream is working alongside the CL&G Workstream to identify how frontline services could be designed to fit the Area Board model. Work continues of what services could be delegated to Town & Parish Councils.
The Members seminar on spatial planning and development control took place on 24 April. All feedback from the workshops will be circulated to all members to invite additional comments and views. A seminar to present options to all members is being planned for early June. Overview & Scrutiny’s final recommendations will go to the Overview & Scrutiny Transition Board and the Implementation Executive in June.
Community Leadership and Governance (CL&G)
A member Learning and Development Programme is being developed; funding has been secured from the Wiltshire Improvement Partnership and the IDeA. As part of this a “Compass” workshop event is being planned to discuss the values and visions of the new Council and the new roles for unitary councillors.
Customer Focus
The Customer Focus Workstream is now working on understanding and determining the full needs of customers. A researcher will be recruited to lead on this work.
Contact Details
By Post
Programme Office,
Wiltshire County Council
Bythesea Road
Trowbridge
Wiltshire
BA14 8JN
By Email
By Telephone
01225 713017
Notes: This is a communication from the Towards One Council Joint Implementation Team on behalf of Kennet District Council, North Wiltshire District Council, Salisbury District Council, West Wiltshire District Council and Wiltshire County Council. Minutes of the Towards One Council Joint Implementation Team are available on the extranet or by contacting us at the Programme Office.
