No single action delivers change to organisations as complex as local authorities. CDW has a long track record of contributing and helping to "make a difference" including work with the following authorities and their partnerships.
Facilitate meetings between central government teams (from Employment Service, DSS, Inland Revenue) and local authorities to explore the proposition that joint one stop shops could be established.
Local authorities had, even in 1999, the capability to support joint working with central government agencies. The greater challenge in terms of 'joining up' lay within the three central government departments, one of which already had two completely separate IT systems.
The profiling of local government ICT capabilities showed relative strengths in information-sharing and control over the ICT infrastructure, but much weaker self-assessments came though in considering customer-orientation, process-orientation and workflow support.
ONE did not progress beyond the pilot stage although a pilot One Stop Shop was established in Southend. This had separate desks, HR conditions and IT support for each service and was not, in that sense, a true one stop. Much of the original thinking behind a multi-service OSS did not come to fruition until JobCentrePlus.
Assess readiness among the multi-tier partnership for e-government
The study was interesting because one District, pushing forward with typical district council energy and initiative, had already installed broadband. At the same time, the County were in the early stages of commissioning a CRM system. Among other partners, there were those in favour of pushing forward with speed and those in favour of caution. The need was to consider how far each partner was ready, in organisational terms, to make best use of technologies.
The study produced one of the most detailed overviews of the whole e-government area. An accurate, if broad-brush, picture of each authority’s position was gained. The report considered points of strength and weakness in developing a partnership. Common threads, useful directions and areas for further work were identified. These were fully debated internally at CEX level.
The study format made it possible to hold clear discussions with Chief Executives and contribute to early stages of development of the partnership.
The County remains an interesting model for some of the arrangements and service agreements put in place between the front line receptionists and service teams.
Develop awareness raising and visioning for all Chief Executives and follow through with individual districts as required
The County has made consistent attempts to foster development with all its partners. The seminar for Chief Executives from both tiers was positioned early in the awareness and "visioning" process. Subsequent baselining work led to recommendations for joint working and, in the case of Teignbridge, an ICT Review for single access working.
The County has appointed a customer services specialist who is now part of the Transformation Team. The County has been a major participant in the EIP Group and has been using both formal sessions and networking to contribute to its development planning.
Review position of all districts and county in respect of readiness for service led organisational change
The study examined partnership issues within and beyond the county boundaries. It exposed the extent to which some of the districts, particularly the ones bordering on Peterborough (unitary) and Cambridgeshire (county) already had partnerships running beyond Norfolk County boundaries. It also highlighted the extent to which people living on the fringes of, for example, Great Yarmouth, associated more closely with that authority than with their own district.
Results were taken into portal planning and into continued development of one stop shops and local information points in the county.
CDW has continued to work in Norfolk in a number of related actions at the local, county and regional levels.
This site is published by and © CDW & Associates, 2006. Last updated 26/06/2006