Sir John Arbuthnott has recommended closer working between Scottish councils and health boards as part of his review of shared services across the Clyde Valley.
Sir John was commissioned by the eight councils in the Clyde Valley Community Planning Partnership to examine existing shared services initiatives and identify opportunities for further development of shared and joint working. Sir John was also asked to prioritise areas most likely to deliver improved services and savings and identify how that could be achieved.
The review's key recommendations include:
- closer working between local authorities and health boards to create an integrated health and community care service in each local authority area
- an integrated approach to waste management
- a single social transport solution
- a joint and streamlined approach to fleet management and maintenance
- a shared roads maintenance programme
- property sharing and management in local hubs
- a joint approach to "back office" services
- joint workforce planning
- a common charging framework
Sir John stressed that not all initiatives need to be implemented across all eight councils and that any joint working should take account of local circumstances. "The eight councils can decide to deliver as an eight on some things, or it may be appropriate for other initiatives to be delivered among two or three or even on an individual basis with partners. Throughout my review I have been determined to minimise impact on the people of the Clyde Valley and also to ensure that local accountability for councillors is maintained," he said.
Councillor Jim McCabe, Leader of North Lanarkshire Council, one of the Clyde Valley authorities, said: "There is no doubt that we are facing a challenge that has never before been seen and it is vital that we are as efficient as possible and that we work as a genuine partnership. Sir John has left us a framework for change and it is vital that we adopt that framework as a matter of urgency. It's also vital that all partners play a full role in the process."
The eight Clyde Valley authorities - East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire, North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow and Inverclyde - will now examine the report in detail before meeting later in the year to establish a way forward.
