Following last week’s publication of the government’s Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, the Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) and Norse Group have today released new research which reveals that ongoing uncertainty around local government reform is disrupting decision-making and spending choices in many councils.
Service Delivery in Uncertain Times, which surveyed senior representatives from councils currently undergoing local government reorganisation (LGR), found that more than 3 in 5 councils say that LGR influences their decisions to outsource, insource, establish joint ventures or maintain current arrangements in service delivery.
For some councils, this influence stems from a desire to align service delivery models with neighbouring councils that are likely to be part of the new unitary authority. For others, this is due to LGR prompting an acceleration of planned changes to ensure their delivery in advance of ‘reorganisation proper’.
For many councils, however, LGR has resulted in the abandonment of planned changes to service delivery due to the impossibility of delivering them under the necessary timeframes. This is exacerbated by uncertainty over the future geographies of new unitary authorities and concerns of potential delays in the reorganisation timetable.
As the government consults on local government reforms across finance, governance and accountability as well as public procurement (backed by the Deputy Prime Minister in a recent speech here) – today’s research has found that UK Government guidance is seen as relevant to council decisions across just 24% of the councils surveyed.
Where past decisions were based near-exclusively on savings, capacity, and service quality, current decisions are increasingly disrupted by the realities of local government reorganisation. However, 61% of respondents agreed that LGR presents an opportunity to reset relationships with service providers.
An executive summary of the report is included below and an embargoed copy of the full report is available upon request.
Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive, LGiU, said: “This publication, aptly titled Service Delivery in Uncertain Times, sheds light on the impacts of reorganisation (so far) on service delivery decisions. Though we are still at the beginning of this journey, these reforms are already having far-reaching effects on councils poised for reorganisation.
Ensuring best value and high-quality services during and after this period of change is an immense logistical challenge. However, local authorities remain fully committed to achieving this goal. And LGIU stands ready to support our members throughout the process with our ongoing resources and research.
This report is a useful reminder, if one were needed, that nothing happens in local government without the hard work of council staff. So we must thank them for their steadfast efforts as we continue on this journey together.”
Justin Galliford, Chief Executive, Norse Group said: “Service Delivery in Uncertain Times offers an invaluable perspective on the demands, frustrations, and appetite for change among local authorities as we navigate this once-in-a-generation challenge of reorganisation together. While new unitaries are forming, it’s vital that frontline services remain focused on the needs of communities.
At Norse Group, this has been a key focus since the publication of the Devolution White Paper. With a strong track record of successful joint ventures with local authorities, we recognise that despite ongoing change and financial pressure, keeping communities at the heart of service delivery is essential, and reorganisation presents a valuable opportunity to renew and strengthen partnerships.”
