Welcome

Welcome to the fourth edition of the Audit Commission's National Studies Update. This newsletter, published four times a year, contains information about recently published Audit Commission national reports and an update on studies in progress. You can also find information about our national studies on our website.

The next edition of National Studies Update will be published in October 2007. If you would not like to continue to receive this bulletin, please click unregister above.

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Recently published national studies

View all Audit Commission published national studies. Publication dates are shown in brackets.

• Innovation in Local Public Services - Seeing the Light (May 2007)
  
  This report is intended to encourage local authorities to consider innovation as one way of achieving sustained performance improvement. By providing practical advice and support, based on authorities' own experiences of innovating, it aims to assist in creating the conditions in which innovation is fostered, developed and managed effectively. It will be most valuable to senior managers, elected members and officers in local councils and fire and rescue authorities, and will be of particular interest to those managing strategic business processes or those involved in overview and scrutiny arrangements. It also has relevance for other local public bodies, particularly those involved in local strategic partnerships.
  
  The report says that innovation rather than incremental improvement is the key for local authorities in meeting growing public expectations and financial pressures.
  
  The study found that many councils are innovating successfully, with pressure to improve efficiency being the main driver. Outcomes of successful innovation have included improved performance, increased democratic engagement and better value for money.
  
  The Commission has identified four key stages of innovation which authorities should follow. These are: identifying opportunities, embedding creativity, taking well-managed risks and sharing innovative practice. A set of case studies which demonstrate the successful implementation of these processes across a range of services has been web published alongside the report to give authorities concrete examples of good innovation.
  
  For more information contact Alastair Evans, 020 7166 2399.

• Changing lanes: evolving roles in road safety
  
  
Launched at RoSPA's road safety congress on 26 February 2007.
This report says that recent reductions in road casualties and fatalities have been impressive - but that many of the problems that remain require more emphasis on changing road users' attitudes and behaviour. This in turn requires that councils, police forces and other local agencies carefully co-ordinate their various contributions. The report sets out a framework of questions that these partners should ask in order to review key management activities.

A dedicated website area, http://www.audit-commission.gov.uk/roadsafety/ gives access to a range of fourteen case studies from the eight council areas visited; the website was re-launched in June with more material for key local agencies, including questions to stimulate improvement.

For further information contact Geoffrey Rendle, 020 7166 2784 or Tim Aldridge 020 7166 2783.

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Studies in progress

View detailed information about all our current studies. Indicative publication dates are shown in brackets and are subject to change.

Studies nearing publication

• The role of the voluntary and community sector in public service delivery (Summer 2007)
Government has high expectations of the voluntary and community sector and the contribution it can make to improving public services.

This study examined how effectively local authorities commission the voluntary and community sector to deliver public services. In-depth qualitative research took place in July 2006 on 14 fieldwork sites. The study team completed 108 interviews with council officers and representatives from local voluntary organisations and councils of voluntary service.

The study team completed an initial draft of the report in November 2006 and engaged with key stakeholders on the findings during December 2006 and January 2007. The team has revised the report in the light of stakeholder comments and new government reports issues between December 2006 and May 2007.

Key Findings from this study are:


• The voluntary sector's involvement in public services is steadily expanding.
• Government initiatives to strengthen the voluntary sector's ability to deliver public services have had limited success.
• A few, highly effective commissioners adopt intelligent commissioning, rather than offer special treatment, to get the best from the voluntary sector.
• Commissioners need to develop a better evidence base to demonstrate value for money.

We anticipate publication of this report in late July 2007.

It is likely that the results of this research will also feed into the development of the use of resources block for the Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA).

For further information contact Marilyn Lister, 020 7166 2177.

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Studies being drafted

• Practice Based Commissioning (Autumn 2007)
  
  This study will continue our examination of the implementation of practice based commissioning (PBC), following on from Early Lessons in Implementing PBC (June 2006). It will focus on financial management issues and has two overall objectives: to assess whether PBC is enabling PCTs to better manage their financial risks (covering resource management and incentives to provide care in alternative settings); and to examine the financial management aspects of PBC implementation in depth.
  
  For further information please contact Rajesh Kishan, 020 7166 2746

• Financial management in health from Back Office to Frontline (Autumn 2007)
  
  This study will examine financial management from two different perspectives. Firstly, it will look at how finance staff will need to adapt to embrace the challenges presented by the new NHS. Secondly, it will assess how non-financial managers can play a part in understanding and contributing to the effective management of finances.
  
  For further information please contact Emma Knowles, 020 7166 2747

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Studies in research

• Competition and contestability in local public services (Autumn 2007)
  
  This study attempts to identify how councils can develop and use competition and contestability in local government service provision for the benefit of both users and taxpayers. The research is being carried out by the Centre for Local and Regional Government Research at Cardiff University. Fieldwork is in progress and will be complete in the summer. We will publish a national report in autumn 2007. The report will be followed up with practical tools, providing local public service commissioners with guidance on how to make effective use of competition and contestability to drive service improvement.
  
  For further information contact Stuart Deaton, 020 7166 2200.

• Payment by Results - the first three years (Autumn 2007)
  
  This study will continue the Audit Commission's commentary on Payment by Results (PbR), providing an update of the issues and themes identified in Introducing PbR (2004) and Early Lessons from PbR (2005). The study will focus on acute (including foundation) trusts and PCTs, and will also evaluate: the effect and impact of PbR on activity levels and how demand is managed; how NHS trust and PCT financial management systems are responding to the changes brought about by PbR; and what they can do to improve.
  
  For further information please contact Charly Goldman, 020 7166 2751

• NHS End of Year Review 2006/07 (November 2007)
  
  The study aims to give a summary of the financial performance of NHS organisations and provide a commentary on 2006/07 financial issues. It will contain the ALE results, including a comparison with last year's results, areas for improvement and case studies showing notable practice. The study will also detail the Department of Health's response to the Audit Commission Review of the NHS financial management and accounting regime.
  
  For further information on the study please contact Emma Knowles on 020 7166 2747

• Charging for Local Public Services (Autumn 2007)
  
  In 1999 the Commission's report The Price is Right? found that fees and charges levied by councils were important, but often not well managed, and not used to their full potential. Our current study looks at what progress councils have made since then and how councils are now using charging and trading powers to achieve strategic objectives. The study team are currently busy analysing the data collected from 13 fieldwork sites and a survey of local council finance directors. During June and July this will be supplemented by findings of a survey of Scrutiny councillors and research with local people to find out what they think about the topic. The findings from the study will be published in Autumn 2007 together with resources to help councils make the most of the opportunities charging and trading powers present.
  
  For further information or to share interesting examples of charging and trading activity please contact David Pottruff on 020 7166 2384 or see www.audit-commission.gov.uk/charging/

• NHS Modernisation: Invest to Improve (Interim briefing Autumn 2007; full national report Spring 2008)
  
  This joint study, with the Healthcare Commission, will examine the extent to which acute trusts and PCTs have responded to the national system reform agenda (that is, foundation trusts, payment by results, practice based commissioning, plurality and workforce contracts) to deliver improvement through local service redesign and/or achieve greater efficiency. It will focus primarily on the acute sector and the primary/secondary care interface.
  
  For further information please contact Gwen Nightingale, 020 7166 2525

• Efficiency of back-office functions in local government
  
  This study examines how councils are improving the efficiency of back-office services. It will review whether councils are taking a strategic approach to managing efficiency gains in the back-office, and the costs and benefits of different approaches to improving efficiency. The study will identify the approaches that deliver the highest efficiency gains and their key characteristics. It will also assess the impact of back-office efficiencies on the delivery of local public services. The findings will help councils to improve and maintain the efficiency of their back-office functions.
  
  Contact Agnieszka Scott for more information 0844 798 1108.

• Housing Association Procurement Practice (Winter 2007/08)
  
  This study will examine how housing associations are developing creative and effective approaches to procuring goods and services. It will focus on the strategies used for management, repairs and maintenance contracts, e-procurement, partnering, and on the impact of consortia. The study is now in its research stage. We are visiting case study Housing Associations and private sector comparator organisations. An e-survey will go out to housing associations with stock over 500 units in management and there will be an anonymous telephone survey of 50 housing association chief executives.
  
  Contact Janet Williams for more information, 0844 798 1164

• Waste management (Spring 2008)
  
  The EU Landfill Directive will progressively reduce the amount of Biodegradable Municipal Waste (BMW) that can be disposed of through landfill. The most important measure that the UK government has put in place to implement this Directive is the Landfill Allowance and Trading Scheme (LATS). Exceeding landfill allowances will result in financial penalties, so many councils need to increase their recycling rates and introduce new waste treatment facilities. The study will review progress against meeting targets and allowances, model the costs to councils under different scenarios, and evaluate the quality of strategic planning and local decision-making. Fieldwork is in progress and other information collection is in preparation.
  
  Contact: Denise Davies (020 7166 2460), Phil Hall (020 7166 2785) or Cameron Paton (020 7166 2502)

• Local Public Service Workforce - Recruiting and retaining staff for the future (February 2008)
  
  This study will focus on how councils and their partners can ensure their workforce is fit for the future by looking at their approaches to recruitment and retention. The study has completed its scoping stage and fieldwork is about to commence. Data will be gathered largely through case studies, supplemented by interviews with HR Directors, focus groups with Chief Executives and Members, and a workshop to assist in analysis of the data. One County Council used as a pilot fieldwork site has outsourced its recruitment function. This has enabled them to reduce costs and improve their recruitment processes. Another authority has worked with a range of partners to establish courses at a local university to train future health and social care staff. We plan to review private sector approaches to workforce planning (having regard to recruitment and retention) both within England and internationally.
  
  For further information please contact Gina Cutner, 020 7166 2528.

• Children's Trusts - Resource Management and Governance
  
  By 2008 all single tier and county councils are expected to work with their partners to establish Children’s Trusts to oversee, coordinate and deliver children’s services within an area. This will involve structural change and the development of new ways of working and accountability. This study will focus on two distinct areas: governance and accountability arrangements; and the resource management issues for children's trusts. The study will explore the wider policy context for the governance of children's trusts, and the relationship with local strategic partnerships, local area agreements, and neighbourhood arrangements. It will also seek to assess the effectiveness of governance, accountability and scrutiny arrangements. The study will also explore the effectiveness of the management of resources across agencies in a locality, and assess the value for money that children's trusts are delivering to improve outcomes for children and young people. We recently held the first external advisory group meeting for the study and have appointed an external contractor to undertake a national survey of key Children’s Trust stakeholders.
  
  Contact Sarah Wilson for more information, 0844 798 1134.

• Procurement through partnerships (winter 2007)
  
  This study examines whether and how strategic service delivery partnerships between councils and private sector suppliers can lead to more efficient and effective services. The study is currently undertaking fieldwork in 14 local authorities and with a range of private sector contractors, based predominantly on qualitative and quantitative data collection. The three main research themes are: the value for money of strategic service delivery partnerships; governance and accountability; and performance management.
  
  If you would like to know more, or want to contribute to the study, please contact Nigel Terrington (project manager) on 020 7166 2439.

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Studies being scoped

• Improving Medium-term Financial Planning in the NHS (Autumn 2007)
  
  This study aims to assess the current performance on medium-term financial planning within the NHS and to identify how medium-term financial planning might be improved. It will assess the impact and demands of changes in the NHS on the need for NHS bodies to improve their medium-term financial planning and identify any obstacles and examples of notable practice. A national report is aimed to be published during 2007 and will be supported by a series of briefing papers aimed at specific target audiences.
  
  For further information please contact Richard Edwards, 0844 798 2531

• Making better use of information to drive improvement in public services (autumn 2007)
  
  Local public bodies are required to collect large amounts of information for government departments and agencies as well as the information needed to support local decision making. This study will look across local public bodies at how such information is used and provide a baseline for future studies in this area. The study team are currently gathering views from stakeholders, councils and acknowledged 'experts' in information to inform a discussion paper to be published in July 2007. The discussion paper will draw on a number of comprehensive literature reviews and will outline current problems in this area as well as providing examples of good/innovative practice taken from early findings. It will also propose areas of discrete research work for the Audit Commission to undertake in 2007/08. The first of these will commence in Autumn 2007.
  
  Contact Alastair Evans for more information, 0207 166 2399.

• Public sector partnership - funding and financial management (Summer 2008)
  
  Partnerships are at the heart of the government's policy agenda. Almost every new funding stream or initiative requires partnership working. The use of the term 'partnership' nationally and locally hides a widespread variation in the types, roles, memberships, and functions of collaborative arrangements. The strengthening of Local Area Agreements, and the likely tightening of efficiency targets, means there is intense interest in how regional, sub-regional, and local partnership working can save money and improve outcomes for local people. Partnerships deal with large sums of public money, but their approaches to risks and accountability are not always clear. This study will explore the challenges facing partnerships, in their financial management, and governance arrangements. We have commissioned the Local Government Centre at Warwick Business School to do some scoping research for us. This involves reviewing the literature, as well as some interviews with stakeholders. We expect a report in July, and this will help inform the direction of our research. The research is likely to start in the autumn 2007.
  
  Contact Roger Sykes for more information, 0844 798 1157

• Well-being in later life - maximising the opportunities of our ageing society (Spring 2008)
  
  People in Britain are living longer and this trend is set to accelerate. Most of us can expect to remain active, healthy and independent well into old age. Local authorities have a role in enabling well-being in later life; and they will need to plan and adapt in order to meet the needs of their local populations. For example, through the provision of tailored universal services, employment training programmes and adult education, and innovative transport solutions. This study will determine how local authorities, as place shapers, have responded to the opportunities and challenges posed by an ageing population. It will also examine the potential impact of the PSA target for well-being in later life. The findings will help councils to prepare for a community-focused, place-shaping role through which the opportunities of an ageing society can be maximised.
  
  For more information please contact Natalie Penrose on 0844 798 1114.

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Audit Commission events

Our events programme helps those in local government and the NHS identify ways in which they can improve the services they provide. We host events and participate in activities organised by other organisations.

Below are some of the places you can see us over the next couple of months: NHS Confederation Annual Conference and Exhibition, 20th - 22nd June, London

Andy McKeon will be presenting at this conference on 'Local Area Assessments'
Come and see our stand in space A22

Chartered Institute of Housing Conference; Harrogate, 21st June 2007

Janet Williams will be presenting on procurement in housing with some very early findings on the Housing Association Procurement Practice study as well as promoting completion of our housing association e-survey and telephone survey on procurement. We have a stand at the conference where a flyer on the study will be available. To find out more, visit our website.

LGA Annual Conference and Exhibition, 3rd - 6th July, Birmingham
Michael O'Higgins, Chairman, will be presenting in 'Raising our Game - driving improvement panel session' and Steve Bundred, Chief Executive, will be holding a break out session on 'The Role of Education in Local Regeneration'

HFMA FT Annual Conference, Queens Hotel, 5th - 6th July, Leeds
Come and visit our stand.

CLG Conference; Making a real difference: the role of research in delivering improvement in local government practice, London, 20th July
Roger Sykes will be running a workshop on Increasing the impact of research - some experiences from the Audit Commission

Audit Commission representatives present at a number of other events on a variety of topics. To find out more, visit our website.

If you have any queries relating to Audit Commission events, contact the Events team or telephone 0207 166 2231.

Please note, event details are subject to change. Visit http://www.audit-commission.gov.uk/events to keep up to date with the latest event-related information.

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