The Improvement Service (IS) is the national improvement organisation for local government in Scotland.
Our purpose is to help councils and their partners to improve the health, quality of life and opportunities of all people in Scotland through community leadership, strong local governance and the delivery of high quality, efficient local services.
Through a series of principles, the IS works to promote improvement in local government and among its partners to support them improve outcomes and reduce the outcome gaps within populations and within areas.
The IS delivers a range of products and services that support CPPs to build their capacity to deliver the public service reform agenda.
The IS has a non-partisan role to support all elected members in Scotland.
Latest Publication
A review of the impact of 2016-17 local authority budget cuts on the provision of money advice services which are funded and/or delivered by local authorities.
As well as news from the Improvement Service other news relevant to local government improvement in Scotland. is also published. The Improvement Service welcomes contributions from Scottish local authorities and partner organisations. If you have a story you would like to share, contact us.
The Improvement Services produces a series of newsletters on a range of subjects, including myaccount, elected members, tellmescotland as well as the main IS newsletter. Subscribe on this page.
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Newsletter
See past issues of the IS newsletter
Find out about all the events and activities organised by the Improvement Service or of interest to Scottish local authorities here. If you would like to add an event to this calendar, please contact info@improvementservice.org.uk
You can quickly browse events from the calendar opposite, or go to the events page for full details of all events.
Services
We provide a number of consultancy and facilitation services to support all councils and Community Planning Partnerships to deliver improved outcomes, as well as services relating to enhancing the learning and skills of officers and elected members, facilitating performance management and improvement and research. A full list of our services is below.
Consultancy and Facilitation
Business Analysis
The Business Analysis Service offers consultation, advice and practical support with business/service change and transformation.
Change Management
Facilitating the Change Managers Network, supporting local authorities' change activities, and sourcing and sharing good practice.
Economic Outcomes Programme
The Economic Outcomes Programme works to help councils maximise the impact of their economic development activities.
Linking Community and Spatial Planning
Supporting the development of closer links between community and spatial planning to achieve better places and outcomes.
Improving Outcomes in Money Advice
Improving the impact of Scotland’s money advice services and supporting councils and their partners in this process.
Organisational Development
Supporting capacity building to improve the performance and effectiveness of organisations.
Roads Collaboration Programme
Exploring opportunities to share services among the 32 roads authorities and Transport Scotland.
Spatial Information Programme
Leading the development of spatial information products and a collective approach to collective data management across Scottish local government.
Tackling Violence Against Women
Supporting the work of the National Violence Against Women Network with Community Planning Partnerships and elected members.
Workforce Planning
Assisting councils and their partners in effective workforce planning.
Learning and Skills
Elected Members' Development
Support for the professional development of Scottish councillors.
Planning Skills
Addressing learning and development needs in planning services.
Performance Management and Improvement
Self-assessment in Community Planning Partnerships
Working with Community Planning Partnerships to support their self-assessment and improvement planning.
Third Sector Interface Community Planning Improvement Project
Helping Third Sector Interfaces to clarify and strengthen their role in community planning.
Research
Research programme
Our research team manages analytical projects, undertakes bespoke analysis, and conducts independent research projects in order to improve the local government evidence base.
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