Welcome to the Improvement East update

We are pleased to welcome Neil Hayes (on secondment from EEDA) as a member of our team. Neil will be looking into the effects of the recession on economic development activity in our authorities. For more support on dealing with the recession or how we can support you generally on anything to do with economic development read on or check out our website at www.improvementeast.gov.uk

For feedback and comments please contact info@improvementeast.gov.uk

'Winning the contract' - online procurement course launched to help SME's
This is a FREE resource to help businesses (and in particular SMEs) learn about public procurement and how to bid for public sector contracts.
Read more....

*NEW* below-threshold PQQ to support small businesses
A new below-OJEU threshold pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) is now available for download from the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) web-site. 
Read more....

New team member joins IE to support authorities on economic development capacity
Neil Hayes - seconded from EEDA where he is Head of Relationship Management- is leading on a project to investigate the effects of the recession on economic development capacity building in local authorities....
Read more....

BPI and Transformation Skills workshops - FREE to your authority
IWant to know more about Lean and Systems Thinking, Managing Successful Programmes or about Process Mapping and Cost? Have you got an improvement/transformation programme that could do with an injection of funds?..
Read more....

FREE spend analysis - have you received your instructions to join?
District, Borough and City Councils are to receive a free 'spend analysis' service funded by Improvement East, to help them improve procurement decisions in 2010.
Read more....

New Members guide to procurement in Adult Social Care published
The sixth in a series of Members guides to procurement has been produced by the IDeA covering the topic of Adult Social Care.
Read more...

NNDR Shared Service -  is there a business case?
Improvement East has initiated a project to determine if an Outline Business Case for a regional/sub-regional  National Non Domestic Rates (NNDR) service exists.
Read more...

Your help needed for national cost research into upgrade for Care Funding Calculator 
If you are a local authority user of the CFC, this is your opportunity to participate in the research survey by Improvement and Efficiency SouthEast (IESE)
Read more.... 

Social Media - for you, your organisation and your region
Date : 11 February 2010
Venue : West Suffolk House, Western Way, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 3YU

Social media is playing an increasingly important part in the delivery of integrated communication campaigns. The pace of change is fast and relentless as more and more people adopt it in its various guises to meet their communication needs. There are a host of tools at our disposal with new ones emerging on an ongoing basis.

Improvement East is offering communication colleagues in our region the opportunity to participate in a Social Media training course to learn more about how these free communication channels can be used in a positive way.

Course overview:
- a short questionnaire to assess knowledge levels
- overview, tools of relevance, latest developments
- examples of social media at work - risks and rewards
- practical exercises

This will be an interactive/informal workshop to allow questions to flow freely.

Who should attend ?
This may be especially valuable to communication colleagues in District authorities, fire and rescue authorities or those with limited training budgets that wouldn't normally have access to this type of training.

How to book your place ?
This course is free. Places are limited to 22 and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

Please click here to register

National sustainable procurement training programme
Date : 23 February 2010
Venue : EERA, Flempton House, Flempton, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP28 6EG

The need for a streamlined, quality-assured training course on Sustainable Procurement has long been recognised in the UK public sector and Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has responded to this need by commissioning the development and delivery of a training package specifically tailored to meet the needs of UK public sector procurement professionals.

Improvement East is now able to offer the first opportunity to undertake this training programme to our colleagues in the East of England. The full three- day training programme - one day a month over a three month period from February to April 2010 - will be provided FREE.

This training programme is intended to help drive innovation and contribute to the efficiency agenda, whilst also providing positive outcomes in Sustainable Community Strategies, Local Area Agreements and well-being priorities.

Although the course is targeted at experienced procurement professionals who wish to improve their knowledge and skills in this area, it is equally suitable for other public professionals for whom sustainable procurement practices have a significant impact on their job, such as those working in the fields of climate change, environmental management or economic development.

DEFRA, along with the Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnerships (RIEPs), has agreed to fund delivery of this package in six regions for the launch of this important programme. The work will be evaluated as part of the United Nations Marrakech Task Force (MTF) programme to develop more effective sustainable public procurement.

For further information on how to book a place please click here 

Places are limited to a maximum of 16, so early booking is advised to guarantee your place.

Date : 25 February 2010
Venue : the Marriott hotel, Huntingdon

Sponsored by Improvement East, this FREE event looks at what is taking place now and what to expect in the future, as well as good practice examples from authorities in the region.

Sessions include:

• 'The Regional Picture' - Andy Perrin, Audit Commission: A look at the Comprehensive Area Assessments process, the results and what is happening now in the region
• 'The 2010 process' - Andy Perrin, Audit Commission: What is the 2010 process and what should authorities focus on?
• 'Beyond 2010' - speaker tbc: What is the longer term vision on the New Assessment Framework?
• 'The support available' - Jane Sullivan, Improvement East: Find out more about the support that is available to you now
• 'Experiences and reflections':  Examples of the challenges and good practice taking place in the region

There will also be plenty of opportunities to network with colleagues from across the region and to discuss the issues in more detail.

Who should attend?
Local authority staff and their partners who are involved or interested in business process performance, improvement, assessment and transformation.

How to book:
For more information please click here.

Sustainability and Growth - the opportunities and challenges 
Date : 11 March 2010
Venue : the Marriott hotel, Huntingdon

Sponsored by Improvement East, this event focuses on what 'sustainable growth' means for those involved with LSPs and LAAs.  Sessions include:

• Climate Change and the Role of LSPs across the East: David Webb, regional climate change programme manager and Carly Leonard, programme manager, Climate East (Regional Climate Change Partnership) will talk about the challenges to the region around climate change, investigate how LSP's can fulfil their important role in the regions low-carbon, well adapting future and illustrate why considered communication of climate change is so important. 
• Sustainable Communities Act: What does it mean in the East? An update from authorities in the region.
• Creating the Greenest County: Matt Hullis, Specialist Leader - Environment Strategy at Suffolk County Council discusses the work taking place to make Suffolk the greenest county
• The Greater Norwich Partnership Development: Hear more about the good work taking place

There will also be plenty of opportunities to network with colleagues from across the region and to discuss the issues in more detail.

Who should attend?
Local authority staff and their partners who are involved or interested in LSPs and LAAs.

How to book:
This is a FREE event.
For more information, please click here.
 

Meeting the Equality Challenge evaluation event 
Date: 19 March 2010
Venue: The Trinity Centre, The Cambridge Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge 

As 'Meeting the Equality Challenge Regional Support programme' is coming to a close at the end of March, the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA) in partnership with Improvement East would like to invite all those who have taken part in the programme to come along to a free evaluation event.
 
This is to share our experiences, reflect on our successes and take forward any learning to help us shape the future work for the region together. 

We would also like to use this opportunity to thank all of the colleagues who have contributed so much to the project - as workshop speakers, Steering Group members and delegates.  
 
Who should attend?
Authorities who have received in-house support and all attendees and speakers from the following Meeting the Equality Challenge workshops:

• 5 November 2009 - Place shaping, Leadership, Partnership and Organisational Commitment (as part of the Member Development Network event)
• 25 November 2009 - Responsive Services and Customer Care (as part of the Customer Service and Business Transformation Network event)
• 2 December 2009 - Equality Mapping
• 12 January 2010- Community Engagement & Satisfaction
• 2February 2010- A Modern & Diverse Workforce

Further details and how to book:
http://events.eera.gov.uk/EventDetails.aspx?ID=1871

This event is sponsored by Improvement East and there is no charge to attend, but you must book a place in order to take part. Please note - an administration fee will be charged for non-attendance without adequate prior notification.

Please pass this information to appropriate colleagues in your authority so they are aware of this opportunity to hear about the latest developments in this field.

Please note: all registrations made for the original date have been cancelled. To register for the re-scheduled event, please visit the Event listing on our web-site using the link.

The exhibition opens at 10am and closes at 5pm and Emily will be available from 11am until 1pm.  For more information and to book a place please contact  heidi.weight@cambsfire.gov.uk

 
Bringing 'Total Place'forward 
Date : 23 February 2010
Venue : Central London

With the majority of local authorities preparing for spending power cuts of between 10-20 per cent over the next five years (LGC Survey October 2009), the demand to exploit learning from across the 'Total Place' initiatives is significant. And so are the challenges.....

• Hear about the defining achievements of the completed programme; the outlook for mainstreaming innovations and progress against milestones
• Benchmark your organisation's corporate development in this area and evaluate your action planning against that achieved across the 13 pilots
• Participate in extended roundtable discussions examining the deep dive implications of the pilot's final reports Identify the key programmes risks and issues to ensure adequate resourcing is in place and future programme objectives are met
• Review the links and opportunities between Total Place and other areas of work to capitalise on a more joined-up approach in your locality
• Translate the opportunities, methodologies and solutions to shifting service provision towards prevention and early intervention

Speakers include :

Edward Twiddy, Local Government and Regions, HM Treasury, John Atkinson, Managing Director, Leadership Centre for Local Government, Sue Stevenson, Manager, Cumbria Strategic Partnership, Adrian Smith, Head of Corporate Development, Cambridgeshire County Council, Robert Hardy, Director of Improvement and Engagement, Kent County Council, Becky Hellard, Strategic Director, Corporate Services, Bradford Metropolitan District Council

To book a places please contact : andrew.beevers@capita.co.uk or T: 0207 202 0585 quoting reference TSAB

Learn how you and your organisation can be better prepared to tackle the challenges that you will undoubtedly face over the coming months and years. Learn from practical, evidence based case studies from your colleagues and peers from across all areas of public service and discover what's new from the very best solution providers. Build and strengthen networks to create benefit beyond the event itself.

Speakers include :

Andrew Smith OBE, Chief Executive: Hampshire County Council, Mike Burt, Director of Government Estate Transformation: Office of Government Commerce, Simon Roberts, Corporate Real Estate expert and adviser to Lord Carter of Coles, HM Treasury OEP Adviser (Property) and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

For further details please contact : Ann Reeves on 0800 612 7720 or email areeves@igenium_se.org
 

• help you improve the performance management of culture and sport within your authority, providing step by step guidance and tips
• introduce some of the latest outcome-based approaches to performance management from local authorities across England

The workshop will be facilitated by officers working on the Improvement and Development Agency's (IDeA) national 'Measuring Outcomes in Culture and Sport' project. (The aim of this project is to develop guidance that will assist the culture and sport sector to better measure and evidence its contribution to local priority outcomes).
 
Case studies presented on the day will include:

• the 'Beacon' project for Leicester and Leicestershire, - developing more effective ways to demonstrate the impact of culture and sport on wider outcomes.  Presenting this will be Alison Colledge, Cultural Strategy & Improvement Officer, Leicester City Council and Jayne Jana, Quality and Performance Manager, Leicestershire County Council.

Who should attend? 
Local authority heads of service and service managers with responsibility for performance management in culture and sport in the East of England.

How to book: contact Bev Sammons beverley.sammons@suffolk.gov.uk Tel: 01473 264348

This event is FREE to colleagues in the public sector.

To view a provisional agenda for the event please click here
Places are limited at this prestigious event, for booking details please click here

Local Government Community of Practice (CoP)

A new Community of Practice (CoP) has been established on the IDeA's CoP site, covering all topics related to the appointment of consultants, temporary  / agency staff and interims It can be accessed by any local government employee with an interest in improving value for money and efficiency from their spend on Professional Services. Find out what's happening in this field of work and start networking with like-minded colleagues not only from the region, but nationally too!

To join this group, please visit: http://tinyurl.com/ydrdgss

INTERCHANGE OPPORTUNITIES

Interchange is a scheme for the East of England run for the benefit of the Local Government family. Interchange is the exchange of personnel and good practice between organisations. Interchange can only be used by organisations within the family and their employees. By registering you gain access to search the current opportunities available and be alerted to new opportunities as they arise. If there is nothing that currently meets your requirements, please contact your Interchange Manager who will be able to make a request on your behalf.

Interchange is now hosted at the Improvement East website for full details of all opportunities please visit https://interchange.improvementeast.gov.uk/. All log in details will remain the same

If you have any difficulties accessing the new system please contact: tim.whelehan@improvementeast.gov.uk