Raising the bar

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• Raising the bar
• programme overview
• fit with strategic priorities
• Colin Whitehouse
• 23 September 2009

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He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp
posts for support rather than illumination
(Anon)
Coverage two objectives

• the case for building Londons capability to use
  evidence for driving sustainable change
• improving measurement and evaluation as enablers
  of change the Raising the Bar programme

The facts speak for themselves (Anon)
Statistical thinking will one day be as necessary
for efficient citizenship as the ability to read
and write (H.G. Wells)
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Developing the London performance agenda-
LAA/CAA (risk-based) support programme
Delivery framework of the future
Data sharing, methodology protocols
4 inter-related pillars

• Context adjusted VFM (LAPS -175 performance
  parameters)
• Practice- based VFM
• (LEC) 127 parameters
• Process intelligence/costs (BPI blueprinting
  Academy)
• Other London expenditure (CRS/OES/ Agency staff
  and Consultancy EKEs)
• London workforce DataMart
• Soft intelligence (e.g. CEX engagement meetings)

Successful partnerships
Sharing expertise sharing success

• Alternative performance management approaches
  e.g. Public value
• Lobbying on behalf of London

• Breadth e.g. facilitated events (SOLACE)
• Depth
• use risk analysis to identify partnerships
  facing complex relationships
• Consider
• -Customer
• -Economies
• -Designing new approaches
• -Better collaboration
• -Integrated planning
• -Improving partner competency

• Identify risks/ potential intervention issues
  for LAA delivery in the Capital
• Locate the expertise
• Shape access to the expertise

Resourced projects
Ongoing research/ maintaining networks
Developing propositions events
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The drivers

• Uncertain climate/rising demand means need new
  insights on impact and effectiveness of delivery
• Need to build on good practice /avoid bad
  practice
• Opportunities/burning platform cooperation is
  aided by common language, standards and
  protocols for knowing what works
• London stakeholders clear that Capital needs
  pan-London intelligence (for CAA, to catalyse
  improvement and efficiency for future
  self-regulation)
• This means better understand relationships
• - outputs (performance) V. inputs (expenditure)
• - other factors (demographic data levels of
  deprivation)
• - area needs use of customer
  segmentation/insight, predictive modelling
• Intelligence rather than data to better
  explain the whys of performance
• Major emphasis on real time (quarterly or
  much better) data refresh reporting
• Some in London independently seeking out
  commercial offerings (e.g. PWC benchmarking tool)

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The landscape confirms the issues
Latest developments
The data is out there but we often lack the
capacity method for using analysing it
We dont coordinate or share information very
well
Local Improvement Advisers all 111 linked to
evidence based delivery includes specialists on
building analytical capability
Sector led guidance on Local Economic Assessment
(LEAs) ONS, CLG others working on
inter-operability web services for exchange
management of data NIS /LAAs/ CAA

• National support
• National statistics
• Central data hubs
• Common schemes
• On line training
• Signposting
• Communities of Practice

• Regional Support
• Regional observatories (e.g. GLA)
• ONS regional units
• Public Health Observatories
• Efficiency Programmes (e.g. LEC)
• Electronic Knowledge exchanges (E.g. agency
  staff, consultants, procurement expenditure EKEs)

• Local Support
• Peer advice
• Local information systems
• Expert networks
• Local e.g. University collaboration

Historical
PAT 18 better information 2001 led to vastly
improved sources of small area data
NRU supporting evidence for local delivery
2005-6 CLG Local Information Systems
Support Allsop Review ONS Regional
statisticians
We need to value evidence Its not just putting
information on websites we need to help people to
understand what it means to support positive
change
Private sector develops capability at our
expense!
Regional observatories ( PHOs) 2006 - LG White
Paper 2007 - NIES 2008 - RIEPS
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Took look at plethora of tools offerings
The business requirement
Effective coordinated ability to make
transparent the relationships between performance
and expenditure (VFM) on indicator, service,
authority, sub regional levels to account for
the socio-economic context in which services are
delivered
A coordinated intelligence service to decision
makers as opposed to the addition of a one off
toolkit or software application
Performance NIS data
Customer segmentation/ satisfaction
Social economic context
Expenditure data
PWC, CIPFA, Tribal
ESD toolkit
Compelling case for new methodology to better
integrate available data - a Sector led solution
(measuring what London needs to measure)
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A sector led approach- Local Area Performance
Solution
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LAPS prototype methodology now developed
Further development of data collection/ quality
basic analytical tool - quarterly collection and
analysis of NIS data and cost indicators
Further Development of analytical methodology
e.g. using social context/demographic data
Resources expert sources for development of
strategic analytical service to produce and road
test performance tooling in London
Development and introduction of VfM (cost vs
performance) national analytical application
using published annual BVPI/NIS data
Validation of methodology ( Expert Panel)
Road testing of new methodology Analytical unit
potentially focussing on one service area e.g.
social care cross correlating different data
sources (operational/HR data, customer insight
etc..) leading to scope for predictive modelling
12 months plus
3 months
6 months
9 months
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To illustrate prototype methodology A comparison
with typical existing methodology - real example
(Borough 10)
BVPIs etc show top quartile service delivery
performance
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This borough typically ranked 10th best
performing in London
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With prototype benchmarking method
Average performance scores 100
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Same borough when scores adjusted to account for
levels of income deprivation
Average is 100
Main project concept is LAPS methodology allows
for adjustment for local context (e.g. ethnic
diversity, young people, population churn, owner
occupation, urbanity, region)
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One more example from prototype method using
Borough 10 on VFM
B Benefits C Culture CH
Corporate Health CS Community Safety
H Housing (public) HP Housing
(private) Hi Highways P
Planning PE
Primary Education SSA Adult Social Services
SSC Childrens Social Services SE Secondary
Education TP Public Transport W -
Waste
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LAPS in context of wider Raising the bar
programme

• 1. Development of pan-London perspectives on
  performance
• enhancing capability to challenge, measure,
  evidence through tooling etc
• using development of metrics, benchmarks
  (common language methodology)
• Cultural issues for sharing of data, and
  co-operation needed to better deploy available
  resources
• ability to target investment to support delivery
  of excellent LAAs/ NIS/
• transition to CAA beyond.

2. London Efficiency -consistent measurement
across the 33 - exploiting Londons top calibre
treasurer expertise to challenge using metrics

• 3. Evidence to support target achievement of
  equalities
• meeting citizens needs/
• prevention right first time to better deploy
  available resources

2. Other evidence/tools e.g. To support
process costing (BPI service redesign) workforc
e development procurement strategy
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Raising the bar fit with strategic priorities?

• - Development of evidenced based rationale
  (common language) for driving and evaluating
  ever higher standards of performance and
  efficiency across London
• a key to culture of cooperation in order to
  redeploy available resources
• clearer understanding of where best to target
  effort/investment for high impact
• alignment with desire for self- determination,
  and innovation.

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Annex
London Efficiency Challenge

• What is it ?
• The London Efficiency Challenge is a
  collaborative review of authority performance
• The Challenge teams focus is to identify what
  will most help the authority to save money
• Team members are Finance Directors, efficiency
  leaders Local Government experts
• Challenge teams will have reviewed performance
  before they arrive, getting straight into the job
  
• Each Challenge team has access to a 450,000
  grant for initiating cash-releasing projects

• Whats going to happen ?
• Information provided by staff will be
  confidential kept within the team
• Challenge Team members will be on-site for 1 ½
  days
• (1st) ½ day senior management challenge session
  
• (2nd) full day, workshops, interviews action
  setting with SMT

• What are the benefits for us ?
• Strategic cash-releasing action-plan
• Identification of top-five priorities
• Written summary report for use with members
  staff
• Potential seed-funding for cash-releasing
  projects

Moira Gibb, Chief Executive, Camden BC was
impressed by both the high calibre of the team
and how well the they captured the authority in
such a short time

• Contact Ben Sellar-Moore, Capital Ambition
• Tel [phone]email ben.sellarmoore_at_londonco
  uncils.gov.uk

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Examples of Efficiency Challenge metrics- can be
benchmarked/RAG rated
Annex
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Thank you

• Colin.whitehouse_at_londoncouncils.gov.uk