Dorset consults on future delivery of legal and other support services
Dorset County Council has launched a consultation on the future delivery of legal and other core support services as it searches for further savings.
The local authority has been conducting a review of legal, HR, IT, customer services, business support and finance since July as part of its Forward Together programme.
“The aim was to decide how the council could access effective support services but at a lower cost,” Dorset said. “The support services also need the skills and capability to help the council continue to change the way it delivers services.”
The four options being considered by the council are:
1. Continuing to deliver support services mainly through council staff. “This would mean the council working to improve its support services on its own, buying in additional skills as required.”
2. Entering a shared service with other local authorities. This could also lead to the establishment of centres of excellence.
3. Recruiting a single partner to work on a ‘risk and reward’ basis to help the council transform. The partner would only get paid if savings are delivered to agreed quality standards.
4. Letting a contract to a commercial partner to deliver the support services for the contract. “This would see all or some of the support services outsourced to a company, which would then provide them for the council.”
Dorset said it was only at an early stage in its thinking. “We are therefore considering a range of options and it may not be that we will go with only one option, we may combine two or more options or adapt ideas.”
The consultation, which runs until 16 November, comes against the backdrop of Dorset’s need to save £45m overall in the next three years. The council has already saved £6.5m in support services in the last five years.
The results of the consultation, along with further analysis the council is undertaking, are to be considered by Dorset’s Audit and Scrutiny Committee on 24 November and the council’s Cabinet will take a decision on the way forward on 2 December 2015.
Cllr Robert Gould, leader of Dorset, said: “The council support services do a vital job in helping deliver services to residents. Much has been done already to save money in this area….. However, we need to look for new ways of working to ensure the council has the support it needs while continuing to save money.”
He added: “At this stage we are considering a range of options, all of which have pros and cons. To help us decide we would very much appreciate local people’s views.”
