Benjamin Dixon

Really helpful practical tips on how to do co-design in the public sector by Leon Cruickshank. You can now re-watch his talk at the #PublicPolicyDesign events library here.... https://lnkd.in/eQ9Qmf7T

25

Some great practical advice here from Gill Pipkin about bid writing. Well worth a read!

1

Can we talk about HSF reporting? Because for the last 3 years we've had an opportunity to truly understand levels of local welfare assistance need, but if HSF4 reporting is anything to go by, we've squandered this opportunity in favour of quick wins. Following on from our blog on HSF3 figures, from which we learned only that distribution varied widely (like, bonkers wildly), Kate Elizabeth C. has taken a crack at HSF4 reporting and found the same - a loss of a learning opportunity. In a shock to no one, at Policy in Practice we're all about the data, and HSF is one of the best examples of how proactive data use can allocate funds without stigma or complexity, and still be used to understand who we've helped. HSF statistics provide nothing meaningful on demographics, nothing about economic need or income levels, and nothing about outcomes. Better use of admin data could fix this. Local welfare assistance is a policy to watch and will speak volumes about the government's intentions towards local government and people in poverty. Hopefully with better insight that HSF 🤞 https://lnkd.in/etbKm3uh

6

A new report by Localis calls on councils to make use of the new Procurement Act, which comes into effect in February, to make better use of their collective annual £72bn spend on goods and services. The act stresses the importance of the ‘most advantageous tender' to unlock a wider concept of value for money that involves social prosperity and inclusive growth. Councils are also advised to use dynamic contracting, whereby local contracts are equipped with mechanisms that allow for the periodic review and adjustment of commercial terms to meet local needs. Key report recommendations for central government include: calls to conduct economic and social impact studies to better direct local strategic capacity; greater clarity on legal definitions and scenarios under the new legislation; supporting a local government capacity building programme for council procurement departments. https://lnkd.in/dHifuEM6

20

1 Comment

There has been very little commentary on the 25th anniversary of devolution in wales, it’s passed relatively unheralded so good to see this piece from Wales Centre for Public Policy | Canolfan Polisi Cyhoeddus Cymru prof Steve Martin. Pretty fair summary of the first 25 years. Lists tye achievemts. (charging for carrier bags, thanks Steve!!) and the big issues still to be addressed, and there’s are some big fundamentals to improve. Key will be what is next and whether another 36 politicians will make a bigger difference ? #wales #politics #devolution

🚨📰🚨📰🚨 In my latest Local Government Chronicle Briefing for Localis we argue the devolution agenda must be grounded in the reality of resource and capacity at local and regional level. 🆙The UK government is pushing for devolution and reorganisation, with plans to shift strategic planning upwards to combined authority level. 📈This has sparked debate about the balance between local democracy and efficient planning. 🔜The government's intentions on power transfer and financial governance are expected to be detailed next week in the upcoming English Devolution White Paper and the 2025 Comprehensive Spending Review. 🤔However, this ambitious agenda must be grounded in the reality of available resources and recognise the English local government workforce has shrunk significantly since 2010, leading to capacity constraints and a loss of experienced staff. 📉This depletion of resources and trained and skilled staff poses a significant challenge to meeting the increasing demands in local service areas. Our report last week "Restoration and Resilience" for South East Councils South East Employersproposed several strategies to address this workforce crisis, including: * Collaborative training programs * Shared frameworks for recruiting temporary staff * Joint procurement for training or specialist local authority outplacement services * Strategic and integrated workforce planning * Better succession planning and workforce analysis * Workforce flexibility, such as four-day work weeks Despite the importance of workforce capacity and capability, these issues are often overlooked in discussions about devolution. What we talk about when we talk about devolution isn't really staffing and resourcing in the new age or a trained professional cadre to vouchsafe financial governance complex single settlements - as we argued in our recent report with Grant Thornton UK LLP 'Present Tense: renewing and reforming local government finance'. This brings into question how combined authorities will be adequately resourced to handle the increased responsibilities and financial governance demands. Regardless of future structures, the success of devolution and public service reform hinges on a capable and dynamic local government workforce. So its incumbent on the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Workforce Development Group and the sector to proactively address the workforce challenges of the emerging local and regional future. 👏👏 many thanks Kirsty Weakley 👏👏

20

1 Comment

Lots to digest in today's budget! https://lnkd.in/etes2zfE The Federation for Industry Sector Skills and Standards (FISSS) welcome the focus on stimulating economic growth and on long-term funding for growth-driving sectors. The evidence is clear – a government that is serious about achieving its economic growth ambitions also needs to be serious about investing in #skills. The £300m for further education and £40m to transform the Apprenticeship Levy into a more flexible Growth and Skills Levy are a welcome first step. As government continues to develop its plans, a focus on responding to employer skills needs must remain a priority.

37

4 Comments

This morning we have published new statistics on public service productivity. This was estimated to be 2.6% lower in Quarter 2 (Apr to June) 2024 compared with the same quarter in 2023; this was caused by inputs growing faster than output. This means Public service productivity is estimated to be 8.5% below its pre-coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic peak in Quarter 4 (Oct to Dec) 2019. Annualised quarterly estimates of public service productivity growth were revised from 2.6% to 1.0% in 2022, indicating that the recovery of public service productivity from the pandemic is taking longer than previously estimated. https://lnkd.in/ejA4jugw

22

1 Comment

NEW RESEARCH: How are local authorities responding to unprecedented financial pressures? Beyond the headlines of a few councils going bankrupt, research with International Public Policy Observatory and New Local is exploring how the sector is grappling with the challenges it is facing. Our latest output over the summer set out early findings- read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eJJX7Fhv The nature of the challenge facing #localgov has many dimensions: - Insufficient & short term funding cycles - Rising demand, with certain areas of spending facing extreme pressure & volatility including children’s and adult social care, housing and SEND - Broken provider markets driving up costs and driving down quality - Lack of shared understanding over prevention across services in a place. Collective pressures mean prevention is often reduced to demand management rather than upstream or more holistic early intervention. There are some core trends emerging that reflect how councils are responding: - Using existing financial levers to create social & community value - such as community wealth building approaches which nurture local supply chains & by working with anchor institutions to keep public spend local. - Recognising diseconomies of scale - shifting away from large scale outsourcing to pragmatic insourcing such as direct provision of domicilary care or children’s homes when the market is weak or costly. - Shifting towards more distributed models of working with communities at hyperlocal level - many are structuring provision & resources around neighbourhoods, and enabling pluralistic approaches that adapt to different circumstances in each. - Taking a whole-system approach - using granular data analysis & projections of population change, to develop collaboration with other public services and the VCS. These range from borough-wide strategies to identifying specific populations in need of a different approach, such as families in temporary accommodation and developing new ways of working around their needs. The next stage of our research will include case studies demonstrating how councils are responding in practice, and make both practical and policy recommendations for how we can develop sustainable routes out of deep financial stress. Please do share any responses on our early findings that you would like to contribute- we would love to hear your views and experiences.

92

6 Comments

The battle of ideas over public control / provision of public transport is over. The big question now is what public control / provision will look like in practice and whether or not the opportunity that now presents itself will be realised. My new thinkpiece sets out what big thinking for this new era could look like including: - a national InterCity network - a fares proposition that can capture the public’s imagination - municipal bus companies free of unfair, predatory or race to the bottom competition https://lnkd.in/ekMHGTfX

16

6 Comments

Great to have our annual snapshot report out - highlights include a sepsis detection spinout and new applications for fusion tech! Plus lovely stats on the types of software/inventions/data assets etc. we're helping to exploit for those who enjoy that kind of thing

6

This is going to be a brilliant event. Never mind the creeping impostor syndrome for sharing the stage with such giants :) Looking forward to discussing and learning more about the future of data.

22

1 Comment

BBC’s digital radio spin-offs could cost commercial stations £70m. Analysis from economists at Compass Lexecon shows the potential negative impact on competition from the launch of new BBC music radio stations, which will imitate commercial services and could put them out of business. https://lnkd.in/ewhH5SG5

13

The Local Government Chronicle have produced an interesting map outlining the current state of devolution across England. It's worth a look at what is a complex jumble. This was a key theme when I put together the  What’s Next for Local Government report. One of the major challenges with the approach to devolution so far is that it remains highly centralised. What makes a difference? A deep understanding of place, scale, economic geography, political commitment, regional identity, and a focus on the finances of the constituent parts. While regional approaches are important, they must be paired with an understanding that empowering and partnering with communities through "community devolution" is equally critical. Locality matters in making devolution relevant. However, as devolution progresses, we must not lose sight of accountability. Transparency and local input must remain central to ensure decisions are made with communities, not for them. Devolved and regional arrangements must be accountable to the people they represent. https://lnkd.in/eKmg7HzU #Devolution #LocalGovernment #Place #31ten

8

It's a start.

9

In the intricate world of local governance, it’s easy to overlook the critical role played by those of us in committee services. Often overshadowed by more outwardly visible departments like transport or economic development, committee services quietly form the backbone of effective public policy delivery. The Mayor of West Yorkshire recently underscored the paramount importance of delivery in public policy. At the heart of this process is committee services, a department that transcends mere meeting coordination. While organising meetings is a cornerstone of our work, the true impact extends far beyond scheduling. I and my colleagues orchestrate the journey of pivotal documents, assisting officers in transforming raw drafts into finalised papers that carry weighty decisions on spending and investment. These decisions, crucial for West Yorkshire's development, hinge on a delicate process requiring meticulous coordination across various departments within the Combined Authority. The complexity of this task becomes apparent in the careful orchestration required to compile comprehensive papers from officers with diverse expertise. These papers, crafted under tight deadlines, undergo scrutiny from senior directors before advancing to political leadership for endorsement. The decisions encompass a broad spectrum — from pioneering transport infrastructure to growth strategies, economic revitalisation initiatives, and inclusive workplace policies. The meticulous process spans around six to eight weeks, during which proposals evolve from conception to specific decisions requiring approval. Decision making committees not only facilitate the development of groundbreaking plans but also ensure that these initiatives garner the backing needed to materialise. As the Combined Authority implements new policy proposals following the initatives of the new government, those of us in committee services remain committed to supporting colleagues across the organisation to facilitate transformative change.

26

1 Comment

It looks like the Renters' Rights Bill will be introduced into Parliament next week with more substantive debate in October after the party conference recess. The key change to the previous Government's Renters (Reform) Bill is the end of Section 21 evictions will happen immediately when the Bill becomes law, rather than waiting for improvements to court processes. This will be of concern to landlords who are likely to be concerned about how long it will take to evict tenants when they need to. Other measures in the Bill are expected to include: - The right for tenants to request to have a pet. - Greater rights for tenants to challenge rent rises. - Rules to prevent "bidding wars" for available properties. - Expanding "Awaab's Law" to the private rented sector Other reports today suggest landlords are selling properties due to potential capital gains tax increases. The implementation of all these changes, and others including Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards, need to be well coordinated to help keep a thriving private rented sector.

11

An early start to speak to BBC Breakfast live this morning. Here's why early education and care matters in the Budget debate: 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 - more parents could work or increase their hours with more childcare support 🙋‍♀️ - children's personal, social and educational development is boosted by high-quality early education and care 💷 - mothers could earn £11bn more with adequate childcare 📈 - wage and NIC increases put up costs for nurseries 📉 - cost of living pressures on famailies mean nurseries are trying to keep fee increases down ⚖️ - governments across the UK are now the biggest buyers of childcare 👥️ - in England the workforce needs to grow by 35,000 to meet demand If funding rates don't meet rising costs then more providers risk becoming unsustainable and if childcare doesn't work, people can't work.

23

1 Comment