By Graham Clews
6 August 2009
The 13 geographical areas piloting the Total Place ‘healthcheck’ have announced the categories in which they will seek to make savings.
With only around two months before interim reports on potential savings are due to be submitted, the 13 are examining the levels of public money that is being spent. The categories announced include areas as diverse as tackling gang culture and improving road safety.
The aim of the Total Place project is to identify duplication in public service provision and find savings. It is run jointly by the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Local Government Association, the Leadership Centre for Local Government, and the Improvement and Development Agency.
Communities Secretary John Denham has sent a letter to council leaders in the pilot areas, co-signed by Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liam Byrne, and LGA deputy chair David Parsons, telling local authorities that they will be ‘pushing at an open door’ where they suggest innovative reform of services.
Byrne said: ‘They have the freedom to think radically about reforms that can deliver better public services at less cost by acting together.’
Nicky de Beer, project manager for Total Place at the Leadership Centre for Local Government, told Public Finance that each pilot area was undertaking a ‘high-level’ analysis of all the public money coming into a geographical area.
They were also conducting a ‘deep dive’ analysis, looking into how money was being spent ‘from the bottom up’ by recipients.
Following the interim reports, due in time for this autumn’s Pre-Budget Report, each pilot will have to produce a final report in February. They will be required to include a headline figure of total potential savings, expected by March next year.
6 August 2009
The 13 geographical areas piloting the Total Place ‘healthcheck’ have announced the categories in which they will seek to make savings.
With only around two months before interim reports on potential savings are due to be submitted, the 13 are examining the levels of public money that is being spent. The categories announced include areas as diverse as tackling gang culture and improving road safety.
The aim of the Total Place project is to identify duplication in public service provision and find savings. It is run jointly by the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Local Government Association, the Leadership Centre for Local Government, and the Improvement and Development Agency.
Communities Secretary John Denham has sent a letter to council leaders in the pilot areas, co-signed by Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liam Byrne, and LGA deputy chair David Parsons, telling local authorities that they will be ‘pushing at an open door’ where they suggest innovative reform of services.
Byrne said: ‘They have the freedom to think radically about reforms that can deliver better public services at less cost by acting together.’
Nicky de Beer, project manager for Total Place at the Leadership Centre for Local Government, told Public Finance that each pilot area was undertaking a ‘high-level’ analysis of all the public money coming into a geographical area.
They were also conducting a ‘deep dive’ analysis, looking into how money was being spent ‘from the bottom up’ by recipients.
Following the interim reports, due in time for this autumn’s Pre-Budget Report, each pilot will have to produce a final report in February. They will be required to include a headline figure of total potential savings, expected by March next year.
