New directions in Government thinking

1
New directions in Government thinking

• Andrew Cozens
• Strategic Adviser, Children Adults Health
  Services
• Time Banks UK Conference, Cardiff
• 4 May 2006

2
Summary

• The main strands
• The new sectors
• People, places and councils
• Analysing two examples
• The opportunities for time banking

3
The main strands

• Reform and choice
• driving innovation and improvement through more
  diverse provision and putting people in the
  driving seat. (Tony Blair)
• Respect
• It is about putting the law abiding majority
  back in charge of our local communities.
• I want to bring back a sense of respect in our
  schools, communities, towns and villages.

4
The main strands

• Responding to societys challenges
• dramatic technological development and global
  competition
• higher expectations of public services
• demographic change, more and diverse households
• accelerating climate change
• need for identity and a sense of place
• continued disengagement from and erosion of trust
  in politicians and governance.

5
Public sector reform

• The key principles
• High national standards and full accountability.
• Devolution to the front line to encourage
  diversity and local creativity.
• Flexibility around the needs of users how staff
  are employed/services fixed.
• Promotion of alternative providers and greater
  choice.

6
The new sectors

• Statutory
• Private
• Third sector (voluntary, community and social
  enterprise)
• Fourth sector user led and managed?
• Fifth sector people shaped?

7
People, places and public services

• I can access the public services I need through
  one front door.
• I can choose the service I need.
• I can influence the design of the service I need
  and ensure its tailored to my individual needs.
• We are able to influence the decisions that
  matter about the future of our village, town and
  city.
• In our area the conditions for economic success
  are in place.

8
People, places and public services

• We get value for money for our taxes and can
  influence how they are spent.
• Our council listens to us.
• I know how to contact my local councillor for
  help when I need it.
• My local councillor is a powerful advocate for
  our area.

9
The new machinery of government

• Local Area Agreements (LAAs) transformed into
  joint delivery contracts, with and influenced by
  local people.
• Neighbourhood governance arrangements to empower
  community organisations and people.
• Differential devolution to cities, towns and
  counties of transport, skills and regeneration.
• Underpinned by more visible and accountable
  elected leadership
• strategic leaders steering the local public
  sector
• frontline councillors as community leaders and
  advocates.
• (Local Government Association)

10
Analysing two examples Respect

• To truly tackle disadvantage and build a dynamic,
  prosperous and socially just society, we must
  offer the support and challenge needed to tackle
  anti-social behaviour, and its causes, and ensure
  that we all pass on decent values and standards
  of behaviour to our children.
• Where people feel confident, safe and supported,
  they will be able to come together with others in
  their neighbourhood to build trust, share values
  and agree what is acceptable behaviour.
• (Respect Action Plan 2006)

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Analysing two examples Respect

• Activities for children and young people.
• Schools improving behaviour and attendance.
• Supporting families.
• A new approach to the most challenging families.
• Strengthening communities.
• Effective enforcement and community justice.

12
Analysing two examples The White Paper

• Key themes independence, choice, diversity of
  providers, well-being.
• Duty of DASS to champion social inclusion in the
  council and community.
• Joint responsibility with DPH to undertake a
  strategic assessment of the health and social
  care needs of the population to support
  commissioning.
• Responsibilities for information, assessment and
  service quality of the services provided in the
  area, included self-funded.

13
Analysing two examples The White Paper

• Choice will mean people will increasingly
  determine what services they want and where.
  Providers that offer these services will thrive,
  those that dont wont.
• Individual budgets will put far more control in
  the hands of people who use social care services,
  affecting the way 6 different income streams can
  be spent around their personal needs.
• Markets will need to be developed to ensure they
  have an appropriate range of services to choose
  from.
• Practice based commissioning will put more
  control in the hands of primary care
  professionals, who develop care packages for
  their patients.
• Payment by results will encourage practices and
  PCTs to commission care safely and more cost
  effectively in the places people choose to be
  treated, encouraging shifts from inpatient to day
  case and outpatient, and treatment outside the
  secondary care sector

14
The opportunities for time banking

• Fresh perspectives on the underlying themes
• Well-being Self-esteem
• Respect Value
• Empowerment Belonging
• Independence Interdependence
• Choice Preference and quality

15
The opportunities for time banking

• Practical model for bringing people together
• Co-production (two way service delivery)
• Getting people talking
• Healthy communities
• Life/work balance
• Building community capacity
• Developing new skills
• Getting the help we really need
• Getting the places we want.

16
Forthcoming Local Government White Paper

• Local government has always had a major and
  unique role to play in helping to define and
  deliver successful communities, making decisions
  and trade-offs on behalf of local people, and
  developing a strategic view of the area and its
  future. Local government is not just about the
  provision or enabling of services. It is about
  shaping successful communities that are socially
  cohesive, economically vibrant and able to
  exercise choice and celebrate their
  distinctiveness........we need to develop a
  better understanding of what the public want - as
  citizens, service users and taxpayers....how can
  we get the balance right between national
  standards and local variation? How can we most
  appropriately balance what the public want and
  what they are willing to pay for and in doing so
  how can we manage pressures most effectively and
  who should be accountable for what?
• (Sir Michael Lyons)

17
New directions in Government thinking

• Andrew Cozens
• Strategic Adviser, Children Adults Health
  Services
• Time Banks UK Conference, Cardiff
• 4 May 2006