Bid number (for
EG use) | EGF/1/1/001 |
Lead bidder | Dundee City Council (on behalf of all
Scottish local authorities) Alex Stephen - Chief Executive
Phone : 01382 434201
E-mail :
alex.stephen@dundeecity.gov.uk |
Brief description of the aims of the
project | Establishment of a Scottish Scientific
Service, joining up the scientific services
laboratories operated by Aberdeen, Dundee,
Edinburgh and Glasgow Councils into a unified
organisation. The laboratories will collaborate
effectively, develop specialisms and centres of
expertise, achieve economies of scale and
re-allocate resources to enhance high quality
service delivery |
Clear description of what the
EGF money would be used to
buy | 75% of the estimated £1,010,000 costs
involved in launching the service: Start-up/transitional costs - investment in
IT - £200,000
- net costs of shadow management team,
recruitment and assimilation -
£110,000
- legal/consultancy fees - £150,000
- marketing/publicity - £10,000
- training, development and client
briefing - £40,000
Investment to bring laboratory equipment up
to agreed standard - £500,000 |
Partners to the project likely to commit
resources | All local authorities will make a
contribution to meet the remaining 25% of these
costs, with each Council's share likely to be
calculated on a population basis. Provision has
been made for a Joint Committee, an Advisory
Group and local liaison forums to oversee the
project. |
Names of other organisations with whom the
project has been discussed (to assist the
introductions process) | The project has been discussed with all 32
local authorities in Scotland and has been
developed under the auspices of
COSLA and
SOLACE. Discussions have
also taken place with officials from the
Scottish Executive's Health Department. |
Evidence that suggested approach has been
deployed successfully elsewhere | Consultants appointed to make
recommendations for the unified service
suggested that this is the first time that any
part of
UK local government has, at
a national level, developed a service delivery
model that it will manage and develop in a
holistic, integrated manner. Although the
approach is innovative, it has been fully
considered through a detailed consultants study
and has been the subject of extensive
consultation. |
Are there any restrictions to enlargement of
the project (
i.e. number of partners) | It is anticipated that all 32 local
authorities will enter into a service level
agreement with the new body. There will also be
scope for the new service to do work for joint
boards, other public bodies and private
organisations concerned with public health and
welfare, consumer safety and environmental
protection. |
Benefits projected from the project | A unified Scottish Scientific Service would
bring about a step change in the way services
are managed and delivered: - uniformity in service standards and
charging arrangements
- access to a broader range of facilities
and expertise. still available through
'one-stop' local service points
- efficient use of resources through
centres of expertise, allowing
cost-effective investment in equipment and
quality accreditation
- capacity to develop services not
currently available at all labs and to
offer more sophisticated types of
analysis
- significant client involvement in
service management and development
- enhanced partnership working between
authorities, achieving greater efficiencies
and economies of scale
|
Estimated financial projections | Total | 2004/5 | 2005/6 | 2006/7 | 2007/8 |
Overall project cost | £1,010,000 | | £1,010,000 | | |
Estimated projected benefits | It is difficult to quantify the projected
benefits in cash terms. The project is aimed
not so much at generating cash savings as
allowing existing expenditure on scientific
services to be used more effectively, ensuring
that the service has the resources to invest in
new equipment and accreditation to maintain and
enhance quality standards and respond to new
challenges and opportunities |
Is a pilot required - see guidance notes | A pilot project is not required. The project
has been developed following recommendations
from a consultant appointed to review the
current set-up and advise on legal, financial
and managerial issues associated with a unified
service. The consultancy included in-depth
consultation with scientific service laboratory
managers and their clients. |
Additionally: why is
EG funding required | To ease the transition to the Scottish
Scientific Service by assisting with
start-up/transitional costs and with investment
in equipment required to bring all the
laboratories up to an agreed base standard.
This would be 'one-off' expenditure,
stimulating the development of an efficient
organisation which would then put in place
sustainable arrangements for future investment
and management, without the need for ongoing
support. 75% funding is requested since the
partnership would involve all 32 local
authorities and lead to a national service of
huge significance in its area of focus on
public health, consumer safety and
environmental protection. |
Is this project complementary in anyway to
other
EG work | The project directly addresses the three
priority areas for the Efficient Government
Fund: - procurement - maximising purchasing
power and improving the cost-effectiveness
of investment in equipment and quality
accreditation
- support service reform - sharing
services and standardising work processes,
quality management and charging
mechanisms
- transitional processing - integration
of the Laboratory Information Management
System and financial management processes
and procedures; development of customer
website for logging and tracking of
samples
|