A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence Frank Sinatra in Local Government or The Ramblings of a Manic Watford Supporter Paul Lankester 3 June 2013

A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence

Frank Sinatra in Local Government

or The Ramblings of a Manic Watford Supporter

Paul Lankester 3 June 2013


My Career to Date

• Temporary Audit Clerk- 1979• Trainee Environmental Health Officer• District EHO• Senior EHO- 1986• Assistant Principal EHO• Principal EHO• Environmental Health Manager- 1989• Environment Manager- 1992• Director of Environmental Services- 1997• Chief Executive- 2001


Vision and Focus

• Know what you want to achieve

• Build a ‘route map’

• Follow the map but be flexible

• Learn the lessons

• The Edison factor

• Remember SH!


Rules, Culture & Being Tested

• Essential, and must follow them…… when appropriate

• The answer is no!!! Sorry what’s the question?

• The undermining senior manager

• Misuse of the Internet

• Immediacy of communication

• Importance of tactics


The Changing Face of The Changing Face of Stratford on Avon DCStratford on Avon DC


The SDC Timeline

2001- £2million deficit on £12million budget2001- £2million deficit on £12million budget

2002- Future Management Paper- culture change2002- Future Management Paper- culture change

2004- CPA- Weak council2004- CPA- Weak council

2005- Senior Management Restructure2005- Senior Management Restructure

2007- CPA- Good Council2007- CPA- Good Council

2009- CAA- Performing Well2009- CAA- Performing Well


The SDC Timeline

2009- Investors in Excellence2009- Investors in Excellence

2009- Future Management and Leadership2009- Future Management and Leadership

2011- Investors in Excellence2011- Investors in Excellence

2011- Most Improved Organisation and Highly 2011- Most Improved Organisation and Highly Commended, Midlands Business Commended, Midlands Business ExcellenceExcellence

2011 – Reduced budget by £1.9 mill on 14.8 mill2011 – Reduced budget by £1.9 mill on 14.8 mill

2011/2 – National Policy changes 2011/2 – National Policy changes

2013 – Reduced budget by £1.4 million and had 2013 – Reduced budget by £1.4 million and had growth in staffing!growth in staffing!


Change and Transformation

• Leading change and managing change programmes

• Unacceptable performance levels

• Staff numbers and performance

• Use of Kotter 8 step approach


Recognising Impact of Change on People

High

Low

Start Middle End

PerformanceEmotions

Time

Goodbye•Need to let go of past•Question past success•Focus is on the past•Concern about the future

Muddling•All pain – little gain•Steep learning curve•Low confidence•Low competence

Hello•Gaining competence•Gaining confidence•Hope in the future•Experience success


Some SDC Changes

• Restructures

• Staffing levels

• Central administration

• Corporate priorities/ Focus

• Balancing the budget

• Staff conditions of Service

• Cutting the council tax


PREPARING FOR WHATEVER…….


The Stratford Approach

• Build in lots of time to do anything;

• The value of the cu!

• Leading not bleeding edge;

• The ‘What if’ test;

• Members/ officers together;

• Getting the best and most from our staff.


Case Study- Future Management

• November 2009- draft for consultation;

• February 2010- approved three transformation strands;

• People

• Assets and Resources

• Infrastructure and Processes

• June 2010- Action Plan

• June 2013- Review of the programme.


But What If….

• You get a notice of motion in February 2010 agreeing to look at a strategic alliance;

• And a new Leader in May 2010;

• And the Strategic Alliance doesn’t materialise.


Case Study- Management Restructure

• Part of the Future Management and Leadership Paper -February 2010;

• Financially driven- CSR considered;

• Review requested following decision not to proceed with senior management merger with Warwick DC- August 2010;

• Staff consultation welcomed and quality of response complimented.


Case Study-Management Restructure

• Four options considered;

• Decided on:-• Option 4- Chief Executive & six Heads of Service;• Statutory Officer roles of Chief Finance Officer and

Monitoring Officer to be at Head of Service level;• Use of consultants to assist selection process;• Implementation date by 31 March 2011

• Actually did it by January 2011!


Case Study-Budget and Financial Strategy

• Comprehensive Spending Review

• 7.1% reduction in grant for four years;

• 0% tax increase 2011/12- reward;

• No actual figures for SDC until December 2010

• So where did that leave the Council?


Case Study-Budget and Financial Strategy 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16

Base budget

14.720 m 13.730 m 13.620 m 13.120 m 12.961 m

Total Savings

1.109 m 1.210 m 0.951 m 0.606 m 0.362 m

Budget Pressures

0.265m 0.343 m 0 0 0

Net Spending

13.347 m 12.863 m 12.669 m 12.514 m 12.599 m

Available resources

13.323 m 12.863 m 12.669 m 12.514 m 12.598 m

Savings required

0.923 m 1.210 m 0.501 m 0.606 m 0.362 m



• Savings up front

• Hierarchy of savings

• Prioritisation or salami slicing?

• Use of new homes bonus and council tax grant

• Published Savings Plan

• New Corporate Strategy



• 2011/12- 45 posts lost

• 2012/13- no posts lost- cut in council tax

• 2013/14- 6.5 posts created


Current Issues

• Shared services

• Politics

• Relationships

• Politics

• Core Strategy

• Politics

• Relationships

• Community Governance Review


SDC Future Challenges

• Big Society and Localism- the ‘p’ word!

• Resource Review

• Capacity and managing risk

• Expectations from everyone/ reputation

• New council 2015


Public Sector Change Agenda

• New Homes Bonus/Business Rates Retention

• Uniform Credits/Council Tax Discounts

• Open Public Services

• Police and Crime Commissioners

• Health and Wellbeing

• Education Agenda


Personal Future Challenges

• Council operating outside personal values;

• Longevity

• 15 more years of this?

• Reinventing yourself/ Moving with the times

• Keeping the network going

• That non-job…..


SUMMARY

• Government forcing change on local government;

• Change for SDC a never ending journey;

• Taking people with you for effective change

• Personal Vision and Focus;

• Celebrate and learn from the successes and mistakes;

• Managing risk and capacity;

• Keep eye on future challenges.


Over to you- questions and comments

Documents

A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence Frank Sinatra in Local Government or The Ramblings of a Manic Watford Supporter Paul Lankester 3 June 2013