CelebratingPublic Sector Excellence

ForewordAs the pressure mounts on public services to keep doing more with less, and the prospect of even deeper funding reductions to come, showcasing the cream of public service innovation this year has moved from becoming a fantastic opportunity to an absolute necessity.

Public services – from local government to blue-light services and partnership bodies – cannot continue in the future without fundamental reform, borne out by the fact that membership of the Improvement & Efficiency Social Enterprise (iESE) has doubled in its second and third years since registering as a not for profit enterprise.

That impetus was personified at what I believe was our most successful event yet – the 2015 iESE Awards, at which we honoured almost 30 teams from authorities, fire services and partnerships around the country for delivering tangible service improvements while reducing taxpayer costs.

Events like this are critical. Local government needs a champion, a voice to remind ministers and taxpayers that local services and councils remain – by a long way – the most efficient, financially innovative area of government.

This is the mission of iESE and its member authorities – to champion the fantastic work going on in local services, and provide a pool of best practice our members can draw on in the future to help them meet the challenges ahead.

iESE is unique. As a not for profit mutual, revenues are reinvested in the sector. Becoming a member is free, and liabilities of ownership are limited to just £1. Yet we have delivered over £600m of savings and improvements nationally. We are about results, not reports.

Of course, these awards wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of our sponsors – Vodafone and Scape, who were our gold sponsors this year, as well as our silver sponsors Trust ID, and bronze sponsors: Need Communications, TMP Worldwide, Laser, Perducta and Waste Consulting.

So it is with real optimism that I congratulate all our winners in 2015 – and with real excitement that I look forward to what we will see over the next 12 months from a sector that is truly coming into its own.

Cllr Paul Bettison, Leader, Bracknell Forest Council & Chairman, iESE

“In an era where it is becoming ever more apparent that public services are having to make significant savings, it is wonderful to hear about such ground breaking and innovative solutions as those shortlisted for iESE’s Improvement & Efficiency Awards 2015. Every project represented at these awards is a testament to the ability of our local authorities, police and fire services as well as their private sector partners. Your efforts really do show that despite difficult circumstances new innovative approaches can ensure that the service given to residents continues to be at an outstanding level.

It is imperative that we use ceremonies such as this to promote the good work that is currently being done, and use this as a way of sharing best practice knowledge across the country. it is great to see the achievements that are being made, and I’m pleased that iESE is able to provide such a platform to show case this.”

Kris Hopkins MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government

Awards and Winners1. Connecting PeopleThe Connecting People Award is for the organisation, department or project deemed to have done most in transforming the way local people access services

WINNER: Bracknell Forest Council - The e+ multi-application smartcard including a recycling incentive reward scheme

The e+ scheme connects numerous services using a single smartcard. DEFRA funding supported the council to inform residents and encourage recycling with e+ reward points for each correct collection. Residents redeem points electronically for rewards including composters, library and leisure activities at council sites or donate them to local causes.

2. Innovation Award This award is for the organisation developing and / or bringing to market new innovative technologies and / or services that can transform the delivery of a local public service.

WINNER: Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service - ST15 Firefighting Nozzle

In November 2014 a new firefighting branch was brought to the fire sector market developed through a partnership between SFRS and FireBug Company Ltd. Bringing private and public sector thinking together resulted in a branch 65% more water efficient and more versatile than others available in the marketplace.

3. Transforming Local Services The Transforming Local Services award is for the organisation or department with a project deemed most innovative in transforming the way services are delivered.

WINNER: Aylesbury Vale District Council - Moving IT to the Cloud AVDC is a Local Authority early adopter of Cloud IT. This is enabling it to deliver the flexibility in IT Service Delivery required in a period of significant change, facilitating the flexing of IT provision to meet customer needs while providing an “Anytime Anyplace Anywhere” IT Service at reduced cost.

WINNER: Bracknell Forest Council

PRESENTED BY: Alderman Gavin Robinson

WINNER: Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service PRESENTED BY: Cllr Paul Bettison

WINNER: Aylesbury Vale District Council

PRESENTED BY: Cllr David Burbage

The Delivering through Efficiency award is for the organisation, authority, department or project that has instigated the most impressive programme of shared working with other organisations, local authorities, local businesses or national organisations.

WINNER: South Hams District Council and West Devon Borough Council South Hams and West Devon Councils are pioneering a new working model to protect local services. Costs are reduced by redesigning services around customers using new technology, while a smaller workforce reduces the need for offices. Starting in December 2013, the first of the three phase programme is now complete.

Sponsored By Vodafone

The Transformation in Health & Social Care award is open to public sector organisations or their voluntary sector partners and presented for the project, department or partnership showing the most progress in developing care markets and services in the last year.

WINNER: The Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead - Living well: transforming dementia care in the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead

A portfolio of projects under RBWM’s Dementia Strategy to address need and enable residents to live well with dementia. Projects include training, directories, dementia environment improvements and work across libraries, the Windsor & Royal Borough Museum and arts & leisure centres. Outcomes include 600 people trained, 2000 directories distributed to residents diagnosed with dementia and environment improvements to 17 care homes and two-day centres, regular Singing Memories sessions & Dementia Reading Group.

6. Police Project Of The Year This award recognises the Police Service or member of staff deemed to have delivered an innovative project in transforming Police Services.

WINNER: Essex & Kent Police Support Services Directorate

Kent and Essex Police Diversity and HR Strategy Team have partnered with the Essex Coalition for Disabled People to provide a work placement scheme for disabled individuals, matching skills and aspirations to organisational roles. providing opportunities for individuals to develop and build confidence; helping them return inta the work environment.

WINNER: South Hams District Council and West Devon Borough Council

PRESENTED BY: Cllr David Brown

WINNER: The Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead

PRESENTED BY: Douglas Grierson, Head of Public Sector Acquisition, Vodafone

WINNER: Essex & Kent Police Support Services Directorate

PRESENTED BY: Cllr Steve Bowles

4. Delivering Through Efficiency

5. Transformation In Health & Social Care

7. Fire & Rescue Project Of The YearThe Fire & Rescue Project of the Year is for the Fire Service or member of staff deemed to have delivered the most innovative project in transforming fire services.

WINNER: East Sussex Fire Authority - Community Volunteer Service: Health & Wellbeing Project

A strategic partnership between East Sussex Fire Authority and 3VA recognised by the Department of Health for the innovation and cross-cutting nature of the delivery of Health and Wellbeing visits and ability to reach vulnerable people to advise and change their health outcomes by use of Fire Service community volunteers.

8. Transformation In Waste & EnvironmentThe Transformation in Waste & Environment award is for the project, department or partnership showing the most progress in developing waste management and environmental services. This award is open to private or third sector organisations.

WINNER: Shepway & Dover District Councils - Shared Working for Recycling & Waste Collection Services Delivering a 50% improvement in the recycling rate, to around 50% of all waste collected being recycled, and with £30m savings to East Kent taxpayers over 10 years, the waste project led by Shepway and Dover has succeeded through a mix of public engagement, visionary leadership, and innovative joint working.

9. Working TogetherThe Working Together category recognises the organisation, department or project that has instigated the most impressive programme of shared working with other organisations, local authorities, local businesses or national organisations.

WINNER: Christchurch and East Dorset Councils

Christchurch and East Dorset councils formed a partnership in 2011 and the enduring strength of the partnership is characterised by strong political commitment, integrated service delivery focusing on customer needs, the delivery of sustainable savings and bringing about the behavioural changes necessary to thrive in an uncertain economic climate.

WINNER: East Sussex Fire Authority

PRESENTED BY: Cllr Paul Barrington-King

WINNER: Shepway & Dover District Councils

PRESENTED BY: Cllr Tony Page

WINNER: Christchurch and East Dorset Councils

PRESENTED BY: Cllr Neil Parkin

10. Council Of The Year 2015

Sponsored By Scape Group

This award recognises the Council deemed outstanding in terms of improving its performance and/or increased efficiency over the previous year.

WINNER: Aylesbury Vale District Council

Aylesbury Vale District Council has been thinking differently with its New Business Model approach to redesigning services, recreating and initiating new sources of revenue. All services of the Council, including statutory and regulatory services are required to review their areas under the model with the aim to continue to improve services to the customer; working with insight into their needs and values and genuinely engaging them in future delivery options. With our New Business Model we are now on target to achieve £10.5 million through savings and increased income between 2011 and 2016.

11. Chairman’s AwardThis award is presented to an individual marked out as making an outstanding contribution to local governemnt within the realm of improvement and efficiency.

WINNER: Dr Elmer Bakker

At iESE we understand the need to continually find new ways to deliver local public services. Sharing services as a way to enhance quality and reduce costs is one of the things we have all improved on. We have been fortunate enough to support the first voluntary merger of the management of two councils, two of our founder councils, Adur District Council and Worthing Borough Council. We have worked with councils and with suppliers to create the first online marketplace for care services.

We have also created the first shared service under Teckal, the rule now becoming law that authorities can create a joint company and, through it, create a shared department. This is our Shared Procurement Service, which started with three founder councils and with more showing interest. The key in this case is that it is councils sharing capacity and thereby reducing costs. It isn’t one council selling to another, with often many wanting to sell and few wanting to buy.

This years award recipient, Dr Elmer Bakker, was instrumental in the formation of the Shared Procurement Service and with his extensive procurement expertise helped to underpin its principles to allow authorities to share in it’s benefits. As the service developed, Elmer has worked closely with authorities, identifying and developing the delivery of efficiency opportunities from procurement activities and advising them on strategic procurement issues in order to implement significant savings.

Outside of iESE, Elmer is internationally recognised for his knowledge and understanding of procurement and this was formally recognised when he achieved a Louis Brownlow award in March 2014 for contribution to Public Administration Review – a top international public sector management journal. This was awarded for research conducted with an international team on collaboration and its evolutionary stages.

WINNER: Aylesbury Vale District Council

PRESENTED BY: Steve Elkin, Chief Operating Officer, Scape Group

WINNER: Dr Elmer Bakker

PRESENTED BY: Cllr Paul Bettison

Cllr David Tutt, Leader of Eastbourne Borough Council Dr Elmer Bakker, iESE and Jochem Hollestelle, Cheshire West & Chester Council

Cllr Neil Blake, Leader and Andrew Grant, Chief Executive, Aylesbury Vale District Council

Silver Award Winners

Connecting PeopleWychavon District Council - ICT Shared Service

Delivering Through EfficiencyFareham Borough Council & Gosport Borough Council Environmental Health Partnership

Innovation AwardBuckinghamshire Law Plus

Fire & Rescue Project of the YearSalford City Council Community Risk Intervention Team (CRIT)

Transformation In Waste & EnvironmentWarwickshire County Council Recycling centres’ partnership with Age UK Warwickshire

Working TogetherPlymouth City Council Plymouth - Social Enterprise City

Transforming Local ServicesEast Sussex Fire Authority Community Volunteer Service – Health & Wellbeing Project

Transformation In Health & Social CareSouth Gloucestershire Council: Reaching Out

Police Project of the YearSenior Minority Outreach Team

Council Of The Year 2015South Hams District Council andWest Devon Borough Council

Bronze Award Winners

Transformation In Waste & Environment Lewes District CouncilThe Zero Hero project

Delivering Through EfficiencyWarwickshire County Council Recycling centres’ partnership with Age UK Warwickshire

Council Of The Year 2015Christchurch and East Dorset Councils

Working TogetherCheshire West and Chester CouncilSupporting social enterprises in transforming the high street

Innovation AwardPlymouth City CouncilPlymouth Energy Community

Connecting PeopleMaidstone Borough CouncilDelivering Improvements to Street Cleansing using Smarter Technology

Transforming Local ServicesRoyal Borough of GreenwichGreenwich Local Labour Programme

Transformation In Health & Social CareBeing Well Salford commissioned by Salford City Council

Fire & Rescue Project of the YearStaffordshire Fire & Rescue Service ST15 – Firefighting Nozzle

A Snapshot of the Evening…

Our Gold sponsors for 2015

Scape Group is a public sector owned built environment specialist offering a full suite of national frameworks and innovative design solutions. Bringing together the strongest teams from the public and private sector,

Scape’s rapidly deployed, highly measurable and collaborative approach delivers value for money and quality buildings whilst stimulating local growth and community benefits. Our national framework partners are: Major Works – Willmott Dixon; Minor Works – Kier; Project Management and Quantity Surveying – Pick Everard; Asset Management, Surveying and Design Services – Faithful+Gould, Civil Engineering and Infrastructure – Balfour Beatty

On 1 January 1985, we made the UK’s first mobile call. Within 15 years, we’d become the biggest company in Europe – and the largest of our kind in the world.

We’re now the only UK business to own a global fixed and mobile network – and we’re investing more than £1 billion in it this year alone.

Our integrated network delivers secure, dependable and innovative services that can ensure you get the best from your employees, give your citizens better service and respond quickly to changing market conditions.

The Improvement & Efficiency Awards have also been sponsored by our Silver Sponsors

The public purse is an attractive target for fraudsters, who look to abuse the tax, benefits and grants systems for personal gain. In particular, housing benefit and housing aid are prime targets for criminals and illegal immigrants using false passports, ID Cards and counterfeit visas.

TrustID works directly with a number of UK local authorities who have been able to dramatically reduce the cost of fraud almost immediately following the installation of our Identity Validation Solution. In addition, the local authorities we work with also use our solutions within HR to ensure the people they employ are legally entitled to work in the UK, minimising the potential for fines and the insider threat. Fraud damages communities, the reputation of organisations and undermines trust in public services. The TrustID solution is a proven, cost-effective way to minimise your exposure to fraud.

To speak to us about how Trust ID’s solution can help you meet all current regulations and reduce fraud, get in touch with us today. trustid.co.uk/contact

As well as our Bronze sponsors

LASER is a leading UK public sector buying group dedicated to offering integrated energy solutions for total energy management. We have over 25 years’ experience de-veloping tailored packages and services to compliment and support the requirements of local authorities, NHS Trusts, housing associations and other public-funded bodies. Wholly owned by Kent County Council, we serve more than 65,000 end users with a combined energy spend of over £400 million a year. Our services include energy procurement, invoice validation and billing services, energy management and bureau services and customer relationship management.

Specialising in public sector support, Need Communications delivers outcome-based PR and marketing campaigns that deliver measurable results for authorities. Built by experienced former local authority comms staff, Need has helped deliver for a breadth of organisations including Coventry City Council, Kent CC, Hertfordshire CC, Essex CC and the NHS - as well as working with co-sponsors Perducta, TMP Worldwide, and iESE itself.

Perducta is passionate about improving outcomes for communities and the people who live in them. With a wealth of experience working with local authorities of all sizes as well as private sector clients, we provide the right range of skills to deliver real social improvement. We are proud to sponsor the iESE awards and celebrate innovation and efficiency across the public sector. www.perducta.co.uk

Shave £millions off your recruitment costs

TMP helps employers across the UK to attract and retain better staff more quickly and at a lower cost.

In the past two years we have helped over 70 Local Authorities save a combined £15 million from their recruitment costs.

Services include executive and specialist headhunting, bespoke assessment and internal communications.

To find out how we can help your council, contact Robert Peasnell (07901 591 306) robert.peasnell@tmpw.co.uk

Specialists in waste and resources management with expertise in waste collection, disposal, resources management, street cleansing, parks and open spaces. WasteConsulting has been successfully providing operationally deliverable solutions that improve

performance and reduce cost, since 1998. With a strong track record in partnership working; bringing substantive savings for collection authorities and, more importantly, across both disposal and collection tiers.