Agreement

Agreement was reached last night for South Holland and East Lindsey to move five of our services into a jointly owned company. The new arrangement will give considerable savings to us both and help to secure frontline services through this period of public sector cost cutting. Staff transfer to the company on 1st August and will phase changes in service delivery over the next few months. Those who receive services from the two Councils should not be aware of the changes.

SHRE(C)KLAND

I was asked at the weekend if the joint work between South Holland and Breckland was going to be branded Shreckland?

London Mozart Players

performed at South Holland centre last night including an item with our local community choirs - brilliant

Shaping the future

Yesterday was a significant day in shaping the future of South Holland. The Cabinet supported transferring services onto our joint company with East Lindsey and also to move forward with shared chief executive and senior management with Breckland. They will be recommending this to the Council. These are two building blocks in securing a sustainable future for the Council and enabling it to protect frontline services. A memorable day rounded off for when I returned to my office to find that a former member had left for me one of her legendary lemon drizzle cakes! A perfect end to the day.

Revd John Pares

Many staff and elected members of South Holland will remember former colleague John Pares who left to train for the priesthood. Last weekend I went, together with former colleague Ansar Ali, to Norwich Cathedral where John was ordained as as Deacon in the church of England. He's now off to the church in Diss to be their assistant curate.

Top tips for making savings without cutting services

Improved procurement
Sharing services
Reducing senior management costs
Rationalising asset base
Lean service design
Avoid duplication
Challenge spending
Less consultants

These were the recurring themes at today's seminar. Nothing new but some good examples. The challenge is not what we need to do it's about getting on with it!!

More and more examples of Council's sharing customer services facilities. I hope we might expand this into some pleasurable examples than the tax man and the dentist!

Prime Minister's letter is trash!!

I attended a meeting at Government Office first thing this morning where I was handed a copy of the letter which the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister are sending to all staff in the public sector. I was surprised when I got back to my office that there was not an email with a copy of the letter waiting for me. When it still hadn't arrived by the end of the day I made some investigations and found that my computer had decided that this letter was "trash" and filed it accordingly. I make no comment! If you'd like to read the letter here is a link to it.