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Efficient Government Fund EGF)1)1)7 Highland CPP Business Improvement team

DescriptionProject to pilot a regional and cross service approach to identifying and securing efficiencies through creating a Business Improvement Team (BIT) staffed by secondees from across the Community Planning Partnership and beyond.
ISBN (Web Only)
Official Print Publication Date
Website Publication DateNovember 03, 2005

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Efficient Government Fund: Stage 1 application - expression of interest for stage 2 bid development support for a pilot - version 2

Bid number

Lead bidder

Highlands and Islands Enterprise ( HIE)

Bill Sylvester, Partnership Projects Director
Tel (01463) 244313 E-mail: Bill.Sylvester@hient.co.uk

Brief Description

To pilot a regional and cross service approach to identifying and securing efficiencies in Highland using a proven approach. The approach is to create a Business Improvement Team ( BIT) staffed by secondees from across the Community Planning Partnership and beyond. The BIT requires stage 2 bid development support for up to one year in order to develop business cases for efficiencies through partnering in: property and grounds maintenance; joint procurement; co-location of services; IT; aspects of HR; reducing duplication; sharing data and intelligence; and common approaches to legislation and SE policies. Efficiencies would be cash releasing and time releasing.

Clear description of what the EGF money would be used to buy

Up to £140,000 (50% of total cost) is required from EGF towards the running costs of the Business Improvement Team. Specifically funding support is required to permit the back filling of key secondee posts who could not otherwise be released, training, co-location and specialist input.

Partners to the project likely to commit resources

The Highland Council, HIE, Highlands and Islands Fire Brigade, NHS Highland and Northern Constabulary

Names of other organisations with whom the project has been discussed

All of the above plus the remaining community planning partners of SNH, Communities Scotland and Voluntary Action Highland. Negotiations are in hand to draw in other smaller NDPBs located in Highland and Scottish Water on property and grounds maintenance. At the date of the bid, HIAL and Bord na Gaidhlig have been able to express their support for the project

Evidence that the suggested approach has been deployed successfully elsewhere

The BIT model has been in operation for over 2 years within Highland Council to identify internal efficiencies. A range of efficiency savings have been identified and are being implemented.

Are there any restrictions to enlargement of the project

No

Benefits projected from the project (other than

cash or time)

Benefits and efficiencies need to be quantified better by the BIT, with a bid for stage 2 funding anticipated by March 2006. Other benefits include making community planning more tangible and possibly pioneering new models of public service delivery with single access to appropriate services.

Estimated financial projections

Total

2004-05

2005-06

2006-07

2007-08

Overall project cost

Estimated £285,500 maximum

£10,000

£260,500

£15,000

Estimated projected benefits

Estimated

£800,000 to 2008

Estimated £1.8m to 2010

£0

£50,000

£250,000

£500,000 recurring

Is a pilot required?

Yes - the approach is to pilot a proven method across a wider partnership.

Additionality: why is EGF funding required

Without EGF assistance partners will be unable to provide staff resource and other support at an adequate level. In addition the commitment of EGF funding adds a credibility to the project which will make the participation of other partners more likely.

Is this project complementary in any way to other EG work?

Regionally, this project will complement the following:

  • HIEs work with smaller NDPBs in the Highlands and Islands;
  • Internal efficiencies within partner organisations
  • Potential cross boundary and cross agency efficiencies being considered

Page updated: Monday, July 4, 2005