Main Conference

Registration and refreshments

Opening remarks from the Chair

Working in a political and public environment

 Local government’s core values are to serve the community, demonstrate community leadership and meet government objectives. It is crucial for you to understand how the public sector operates, how it is governed and how it differs from the private sector, particularly in relation to public scrutiny and accountability. Local government has to manage and efficiently work in a constantly changing environment where leaders from different political parties have control. How can you balance changing national policies with local priorities?

Understanding the structure and processes of local government

Local government consists of a complex web of roles and departments, all performing different and important functions. Are you clear on an elected member and officers’ duties and responsibilities? In order to understand the environment you’re working in, having answers to key questions about roles, relationships and governance issues are imperative. What is the relationship between officers and elected members? What are the processes for decisions to be made? What does the chain of accountability look like? In light of the forthcoming Decentralisation and Localism Bill, how will council members and officers’ roles evolve and expand?

Discussion, question and answer session

Morning refreshments

Where does the money come from?

Gaining clarity on the basic frameworks of local government finances is crucial to meeting government objectives and delivering  essential services to your community. Where are the main sources of government income? What does it mean when grants are no longer ring fenced? Communities Secretary, Eric Pickles has announced that £1.2 billion in funding cuts will hit local government. Achieving a solid grasp of the financial implications will enable you to rationalise the delivery of services with limited amount of resources available. What impact will the Comprehensive Spending Review have on local government finances? How is money going to be spent in the next three years? How are you going to prioritise services?

Put your knowledge into practice: Interactive scenario session:

Your council has worked out the impact of the national budget locally. There has been a 30% cut to available funding. Work with your peers to come up with a plan to recommend to elected members; Which services are you going to prioritise and why?

Feedback, question and answer session

Lunch

How is local government assessed?

At the heart of implementing governmental policies and serving the local community sit stringent rules and regulations. Elected members and officers alike are all held publically accountable to central government and the laws that govern the country. What is the purpose behind internal performance measures? Who inspects local government and what do they want to see? Various external regulatory bodies such as the Audit Commission and the Care Quality Commission exist to ensure that procedures and policies are being strictly adhered to. Following the coalition government abolition of the Comprehensive Area Assessment, what will follow? How will success be measured? What are the reporting structures?

Local Partnerships: How do they work?

Local government has to continuously adapt to an evolving environment, especially during a challenging economic climate. There is a strategic drive to work with your public sector partners to pool resources, ensure savings and deliver key services. Who are the key public bodies and organisations whom you can partner with? How can you align common objectives and work together? How do services become integrated? What roles do Local Strategic Partnerships play? Identify innovative ways in which you department can secure potential funding by meeting national targets through national indicators such as Local Area Agreements. What is Total Place? What will Total Place look like in the future?

Discussion, question and answer session

Afternoon refreshments

How are services provided?

Commissioning helps to increase the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of services being delivered and is especially important in a climate of limited finances. How is the era of commissioning going to change in the current climate? What is the difference between commissioning and procurement? How do you effectively procure goods and services with the current budget without compromising on quality? How can working with the private sector enhance the output of your services? How can local government develop commercial acumen when purchasing and supplying products and services? 

The role of ‘Big Society’ under the new government

A clear commitment from the coalition government is to devote greater power, financial autonomy and responsibilities to local government. This includes a shift in power to local community groups and citizens, encouraging them to play a more active role in decision making. It is essential to offer the right type of relevant services to your community. As a consequence of drastic budget cuts, the public sector may not be able to deliver all its services. How can the delivery of services traditionally run by local government be transferred to the community? What is ‘Big Society’ and what is the role of a democratic local government within it? How can we overcome potential barriers to achieve the best possible result through closer collaboration with the third sector?

Discussion, question and answer session: Have your objectives for the day been achieved? Have all you questions been answered?