In this month's Improvement Service eNewsletter, we look at major changes proposed in North Lanarkshire, progress on common efficiency measures and the launch of a new shared services community. Plus there are links to the latest resources on the Improvement Service site.

Please note, some subscribers may have earlier received a copy of last month's newsletter. This was mailed accidentally as we were fixing some technical problems. Please accept our apologies for any confusion this caused.

ACROSS SCOTLAND

Good progress on common efficiency measures
Scottish councils, the Improvement Service and COSLA have produced 35 draft efficiency and productivity measures for use across all local authorities.

North Lanarkshire approves five-year change programme
A programme designed to bring £50m efficiency savings, better services and a new organisational structure has been approved by North Lanarkshire Council.

Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire begin joint procurement initiative
Councils committed to sharing expertise and the roll out of an electronic system.

Advances in Scottish A - Z and Knowledge Base
A Scottish Services List, Scottish Navigation List and Scottish A-Z now available to download.

First phase of PSIF begins
The Public Service Improvement Framework (Phase 1) was formally inaugurated on 4 December with the group of public service providers which will take forward Phase 1.

EVENTS

Local Government Operational Management Development Programme - 19 January 2007, COSLA Conference Centre, Edinburgh

The Improvement Service commissioned a combined study in 2005 to look at leadership and management development in local government in Scotland. One of the main feedback themes that emerged was the need to research and identify good practice in developing operational management development capacity within the public sector and ensure that this is disseminated to councils.

The Improvement Service has partnered with Sensa Scotland Ltd to develop an innovative management development programme for Operational Managers. Edinburgh University is looking at accrediting the course to give a professional qualification.

Whilst the training materials will be made available to the organisational development community in Scottish Local Government, to satisfy any quality assurance with future awarding/professional bodies councils will need to have received approved centre status from the Improvement Service to gain future accreditation/endorsement. An initial step to becoming an approved centre will be to attend a management consultant programme. This is an excellent opportunity for existing experienced management development professionals who wish to develop and / or enhance their management consultancy skills. The training will consist of high calibre coaching, dual delivery support and assessment of the Organisational Development professionals design and delivery expertise as well as subject knowledge.

LATEST RESOURCES

An Introduction to Action Learning

National Programme for Shared Services: Workforce Planning Update

Engaging Children and Young People in Community Planning - New Documents


SHARED SERVICES COMMUNITY NOW LIVE!

The National Shared Services community website is now live at www.improvementservice.org.uk/shared-services. This website provides a way to share information on the National Shared Services Programme and to support local authorities to take forward projects in the National portfolio. We will also be issuing a Shared Services newletter - to receive your copy of this, please update your subscriptions.