The Council has worked with it main partners in the East Riding Local Service Provider (LSP) to produced an Aligned Budget for 2009/10 to 2011/12. The LSP Resource Advisory Group has outlined plans to resource the delivery of the shared priorities. By addressing joint resource issues the LSP is leading the way in terms of partnership working.
The LSP Board agreed that the creation of a Resource Advisory Group would strengthen the role of the Board. The objective of forming the Group was to enable consideration to be given to resource management, funding alignment and enhanced partnership working.
The Group is chaired by the Chief Executive of the Council and membership is extended to the following organisations:
- East Riding of Yorkshire Council
- Connexions Humber
- Humberside Fire and Rescue Service
- Humberside Police
- Humberside Police Authority
- Humberside Probation Trust
- Job Centre Plus
- LSC Humber
- NHS East Riding
During 2008/09 the Council, together with its public sector partners, put in place a risk management strategy for the LSP. All the partners agreed to provide annual written assurance on the management of risk and the effectiveness of controls within their respective organisations. The reason was to achieve the objectives set out in the Sustainable Community Plan (SCP).
The Resource Advisory Group produced and agreed a Risk Management Policy and a Counter Fraud and Whistle blowing Statement. These ensured all partners were clear of their responsibilities and the actions to take if suspicions of fraud or corruption are raised.
Key achievements of the group to date include:
- a joint budget presentation at the LSP Board in January 2009
- alignment of organisational business plans to the Sustainable Community Plan
- the development of a data quality protocol
- the first multi-agency Value for Money (VfM) review of a service in East Riding. This review identified possible savings for funding treatment, and advice and information services for drug users
The Group has made very good progress in a range of areas, such as:
- joint commissioning for services to children and young people
- joint commissioning for consultation and engagement with Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) residents
- agreeing to jointly fund the customer insight project
- an LSP VfM Assessment Strategy
The group continues to strengthen, and following the success of the joint review, the group will continue to identify options for future reviews. Each partner has provided assurance on the management of risk and effectiveness of controls within their organisations in respect of achievement of the objectives set out in the SCP.
Awareness of fraud and corruption issues have been raised by the Counter Fraud statement and each partner understands their roles and responsibilities. Joint training around Risk and Fraud is being arranged as a result of the respective policy and statement.
The Group has been successful due to the commitment of partners, and the support of the LSP Board to a Group specifically focused on resource.
Six monthly meetings are held between the main public sector partners to share best practice and consider opportunities for joint training in relation to both risk management and counter fraud arrangements. This is known as the Risk Practitioners Meeting.