Apply Total Place approach to procurement, says government task force

More widespread use of the Total Place approach, harnessing of collective buying power and joint chief executives are among the actions that councils should consider in their bid to protect frontline services, a government-appointed task force has suggested.

Led by the Mayor of Lewisham, Sir Steve Bullock, and the leader of Manchester City Council, Sir Richard Leese, the task force identified ten steps that councils should consider taking when looking to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of their organisation. They are:

1.Council services must be focused on the customer. “They come first”.

2.Take a Total Place approach to frontline services.

3.Make services more efficient – cutting out waste and unnecessary duplication. “Especially in two tier areas”.

4.Check performance against others and learn from who is doing it better.

5.Buy goods and services in groups and use that buying power to create local benefits and involve the third sector.

6.Reduce the number of council buildings by locating more services together.

7.Motivate staff to help to perform to the best of their ability.

8.Make managers leaders of innovation to improve services.

9.Streamline management. Consider splitting senior posts with other councils or Primary Care Trusts.

10.Share professional expertise and ensure council staff are able to be flexibly deployed.

The task force said a more radical approach was needed to protect services, and that traditional approaches to cutting budgets would not be enough. Its report also warned that adopting a “salami-slicing” approach would fail residents.

Sir Richard Leese said councils had real choices in how to manage inevitable budget reductions. He added: “This report urges council leaders to avoid the superficially ‘easy’ options, ask some hard questions, look at what the best councils are already doing and make sure that budget management starts and finishes with the needs of the citizen.”

Sir Steve Bullock added that central government departments would have to change by giving vastly greater autonomy to their frontline if we are to seize this opportunity.

Communities Secretary John Denham said: “Councils have some tough choices in the next few years as things become tighter. But that is no reason to lower their sights on the service quality people rightly value. The government is working hard to make sure councils have explored every possible option before resorting to wholesale budget cuts that will affect frontline services and jobs.”