Shared Services for Local Government:
Prepare to Share

Date: Wednesday 7^th February 2007
Venue: Barbican Conference Centre, London

Public Servant Events will be scheduling a series of unique events in 2007 designed to provide a thought provoking and stimulating environment for public sector managers with responsibility for policy and implementation.



Each event is focused on delivering expert insight into current issues, whilst providing an opportunity for the exchange of information and views where delegates learn, share and network through a combination of conference, workshops and consultation areas.

Government must move to a shared services culture - in the front office, in the back office, in information and infrastructure, and thereby release efficiencies through standardisation, simplification and sharing.

A new shared services approach is needed to release efficiencies across the system, and to support delivery, focused on customers' needs. Technology now makes this far easier than ever before. Shared services provide public service organisations with the opportunity to reduce waste and inefficiency by re-using assets and sharing investments with others.

Transformational Government implementation plan

The public sector spends £7bn a year on finance and human resources. The Cabinet Office estimates savings of 20% a year through adoption of shared services across the nine identified sectors:

• Local Government
• Education
• Health
• Home Office
• DWP
• Defence
• HM Revenue and Customs
• Multiple agencies within Defra, DfT
• Rest of Whitehall

November is the deadline set by the Transformational Government implementation plan published in spring. The shared services approach is one of three 'Key transformations' to be achieved through the plan, with the intention of releasing efficiencies through standardisation, simplification and sharing.

As a first step, the November deadline is for public agencies to draw up plans for implementing shared services within their sector. These plans will form the 'vehicles of delivery' for shared services for the next three to seven years. The deadlines for November include:

• Procurement principles and procurement strategy to be launched;
• Publications of lessons learned from pilot applications of mobile technology in central and local government;
• Chief technology officers council to agree a three year programme of standards and technology development across government;
• Performance reviews to be carried out on 13 of the most strategically important suppliers;
• Each department to review its websites and propose ways of converging on DirectGov and Business link;
• Common Infrastructure roadmap published.

This event will provide a platform for discussion concerning the practical implications of delivering the "vehicles of delivery" plans and developing a shared services culture across local government. With expert speakers discussing a range of important issues around the shared services agenda, workshops exploring approaches to achieving Best Value and Best Practice in sharing services, and a delegation comprising senior personnel from around the country, Shared Services for Local Government is a must-attend event for anyone with a role in carrying forward the agenda over the coming years.