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Building a Better Scotland
Efficient Government - Securing Efficiency, Effectiveness and Productivity
Growing The Economy • Excellent Public Services • Stronger, Safer Communities • A Confident, Democratic Scotland
ANNEX A
EFFICIENT GOVERNMENT FUND
87. A total of 60 million has been made available. By 2006 the fund will be merged with the Modernising Government fund, providing additional funding in years 06/07 and 07/08 of 31m. Outline bidding guidance for the Fund was issued to public sector organisations on 14th October on the procedures for applications, and all Scottish public sector bodies are eligible to apply.
88. Funding will be for efficiency projects which deliver significant efficiency gains, are joined up, have a number of partners and can be replicated. The priorities will be in the following areas
- Procurement
- Support service reform
- Transactional processing
- Productive time.
89. The kind of areas where we would wish to see bids include
- Shared HR services (including common payrolls)
- Shared IT services
- Shared finance services
- Consortium procurement
- Council tax collection and benefit payments.
90. Additionality will be key - the fund will not support projects which are already being implemented or should be funded from core funds.
91. Our objective is to encourage and support larger projects with multiple partners and significant benefits. The minimum size of project will normally be 1m. However, we recognise that there may be projects which contribute to the aims of Efficient Government but which require to be smaller. We will consider smaller projects where funding is justified because of particular circumstances.
92. There will be a two stage application process prior to Ministerial approval. The first stage is to submit an outline of the proposed project, which will allow the Efficient Government team to identify common ideas, and to give early guidance. The first call for stage 1 applications is by mid-January 2005. Stage 2 applications will require a robust business case with project plan, milestones, and benefits forecast. Support may be available from the Fund where required, to allow Stage 2 applications to be developed.
93. Where projects will generate cash savings in future years, the normal expectation will be that some of the initial investment from the fund will be repaid, to generate a source of funding for future years. This will be considered on a case by case basis.
ANNEX B
TIMELINE FOR EARLY ACTION
By January 2005, we will
- Hold a series of Efficient Government Seminars, to develop public sector proposals for EG projects
- Establish an Efficient Government delivery team in the Executive
- receive the first set of Stage 1 applications to Efficient Government Fund
- Initiate a review of public sector procurement.
By March 2005, we will
- Consult stakeholders on streamlining bureaucracy activity
- Publish technical notes for cash releasing efficiency projects
- Identify shared support and transactional service projects with early potential
By May 2005, we will
- Receive the first detailed (Stage 2) applications to the EG fund
- Publish technical notes for time-releasing efficiency savings
- Identify further cash releasing efficiency projects.
By August 2005, we will
- Initiate a range of pilot projects for long term efficiency savings
- Receive the third series of Stage 1 applications to the EG fund
By December 05 we will
- Finalise the first set of shared support and transactional service projects
- Take forward the recommendations of the procurement review
ANNEX C
GROUPS SUPPORTING EFFICIENT GOVERNMENT
REFERENCE GROUP
Willie Rae - ACPOS
Tom Kelly - Association of Scottish Colleges
Angiolina Foster - Communities Scotland
Rory Mair - COSLA
Brian Murray - Highland Fire Brigade
Stuart Bain - National Services Scotland
Gillian Thomson - Office of the Accountant in Bankruptcy
Jim McFarlane - Scottish Enterprise
Lindsay Montgomery - Scottish Legal Aid Board
Ian Jardine - Scottish Natural Heritage
Douglas Sinclair - SOLACE
SCRUTINY FORUM
Audit Scotland
Department of Work and Pensions
BFI
HMIE
Care Commission
Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service
CoSLA
Communities Scotland
HMIC
Society of Local Authority Chief Executives
Social Work Services Inspectorate
Scottish Executive
ADVISORY PANEL OF EXPERTS
George Black,
Chief Executive
Glasgow City Council
Michael Docherty,
Chief Executive
South Lanarkshire Council
Arthur McCourt
Chief Executive
Highland Council
Douglas Sinclair
Chairman SOLACE Scotland
Chief Executive, Fife Council
Tom Divers
Chief Executive
Greater Glasgow NHS Board
Jim Currie
Head of Acute Services
Ayrshire and Arran NHS Board
Ian Jardine
Chief Executive
Scottish Natural Heritage
Colin MacLean
Head of Children, Young People and
Social Care Group, Scottish Executive
Ed Straw
Partner
Price Waterhouse Cooper LLP
Jim McFarlane.
Chief Executive
Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothian
Caroline Gardner
Deputy Auditor General
Audit Scotland
David MacKay
Chairman Unitary Board,
Scottish Rugby Union
Tom Shepherd
Chief Executive
CXR biosciences
Mark Selway
Chief Executive
The Weir Group Plc
Angiolina Foster
Chief Executive
Communities Scotland
Rory Mair
Chief Executive
Convention of Scottish Local Authorities
Shane Rankin
Chief Executive
The Crofters Commission
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