1. www.socitm.net
Responding locally to the
Operational Efficiency Programme
Martin Ferguson
Head of Policy, Socitm
Socitm Conference, Edinburgh, 12th October 2009
2. • Sense of crisis?
• Opportunity?
Information management
Self service
‘Lean’ services
Portfolio management
Efficient ICT services
Restructuring operational
budgets to deliver change
www.socitm.net
3. Purpose and structure of session
To debate Socitm Policy Briefing: A local response
• Socitm’s policy planning framework
• OEP: final report
• Socitm Policy Briefing: local response
• Five areas for action – discussion and feedback
• Wrap up
• Outcome: better understanding of how OEP can be
addressed positively at the local level
www.socitm.net
4. Policy related activities
What do we do?
Influencing policy – stakeholders and partners - specialist
programme boards and steering groups, events,
networking, lobbying, campaigning, interviews, articles,
speaking, chairing, roundtables
Formulating policy – horizon scanning, thought leadership
- facilitating, briefings, responses
www.socitm.net
5. Policy related activities
What do we do?
Policy support, leadership, consultation and advice –
members, regions, Socitm Futures, Local CIO Council,
Board of Directors, National Advisory Council, Membership
Board, Commercial Board, Business stream
managers/workshops/etc.
www.socitm.net
6. Strategy for Policy
- planning framework
Intro text (24pt)
Information assurance Efficiency and sustainability
• Slide bullet point text (20pt)
Envisioning,
shaping and
• Slide bullet point text (20pt)
championing
• Slide bullet point text (20pt)
‘Tomorrow’s public
• Slide bullet point text (20pt)
service organisation’
• Slide bullet point text (20pt)
Citizen engagement Infrastructure
• Slide bullet point text (20pt)
www.socitm.net
7. Operational Efficiency Programme: final
report (April 2009)
Five key areas:
• Back office operations and IT
• Collaborative procurement
• Asset management and sales
• Property
• Local incentives and empowerment
www.socitm.net
8. OEP: final report
Key points
• Public sector savings to be delivered 2011-12 to 2013-14
• IT savings of £3.2bn out of total spend of £20bn
• £4bn savings on back office services
• Improved governance of IT-enabled change projects
• Standardisation and simplification of IT systems, desktops,
infrastructure and applications
• Continue to develop IT capability and professionalism
www.socitm.net
9. A local response
Socitm’s reservations
• Central government view of public services – limited
consideration of the purpose, conditions, tasks and
opportunities presented by local public services delivery
• Lack of detailed guidance on the share of savings in ICT
expenditure expected at the local level
• Lack of guidance about the need for investment in
radically transformed local public services to achieve
significant efficiency improvements
• Assumption that ‘digital switchover’ is a major component
of the way forward – can we rely on universal broadband
availability?
www.socitm.net
10. A local response
Socitm takes on board
• Cost reduction imperative (and better services)
• Changing our approach:
- need for policy alignment
- better use of information
- elimination of duplication
• Risk management
• Benchmarking
www.socitm.net
11. A local response
Socitm’s proposals
Short term – economy ‘spend less’ – what decisions
should we take now for medium term implementation?
Medium term – efficiency ‘spend well’ – what decisions
should we take in the last quarter of 2009 and early in 2010,
after some further investigation?
Long term – effectiveness ‘spend wisely’ – what strategic
direction should we set in the run up to and immediately
after the next general election?
www.socitm.net
12. A local response
Short, medium and long term
• Do more with less
• Work more closely with citizens
• Work together with other organisations
• Maximise the value we get out of existing assets and systems
• Governance and programme management
www.socitm.net
13. Action areas
Discussion
• Review actions
• What do you agree with?
• Is there anything you disagree with?
• What’s missing?
• Can you offer any examples?
• Feedback
www.socitm.net
