When a review of the LGBF data for 2023/24, led by its Chief Executive, showed Falkirk Council’s Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF) was underperforming in key areas, the council approached the Improvement Service (IS) for support. To address the issues, the council took part in a peer collaborative review with the IS, COSLA and high-performing councils to identify and implement improvements.
Peer collaborative improvement (PCI) is a process by which experts from similar fields review each other’s work to identify areas for improvement. The IS peer collaborative improvement programme supports local authorities to improve a specific area of focus with guidance and collaboration from peer local authorities.
“Peer collaborative improvement represents a maturing in local government’s approach to sector-led improvement, and a significant shift towards self-improving councils”, says Emily Lynch, Local Government Benchmarking Framework Programme Manager at the Improvement Service. “The approach provides an opportunity for local government to build on existing sector-led approaches to improvement and accountability, including the LGBF and self-evaluation.”
The challenge
Falkirk Council’s SWF performance in 2023/24 was significantly below the Scottish average both in processing times and proportion of budget spent:
- Crisis Grant decisions within one day: 59% vs. 93.5% (Scottish average)
- Community Care Grant decisions within 15 days: 41.5% vs. 86% nationally
- Proportion of budget spent: 71% vs.130%
In its own assessment of the challenges affecting SWF delivery, Falkirk Council identified funding (spend and staffing), staff welfare, staff retention, and applicant engagement and expectations. While it felt that some improvement had already taken place, particularly around staffing levels, it hoped the peer collaborative review could increase the pace of change and create a culture of continuous improvement within the team.
Recognising the underperformance gave us a chance to make positive changes to improve by working with other local authorities and learn from their successes
Approach
The IS facilitated a peer collaborative review, engaging high-performing councils – East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde and Midlothian – alongside COSLA.
The review aimed to examine Falkirk’s existing processes, identify areas for improvement, and provide recommendations to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the service.
Initial activities included:
- Gathering contextual information from Falkirk Council
- Self-assessment of all staff involved in SWF delivery
- Reviewing LGBF performance data, reports from COSLA and Ipsos Scotland, and the peer councils’ own approaches and learning.
In May 2024, the peer review team met with Falkirk Council to discuss the key themes for improvement they had identified. These were:
- Budget underspend and its impact on customer satisfaction
- Staff welfare
- Communications with both customers (around the decision-making process) and staff (addressing gaps in team knowledge such as budget KPIs and priority levels)
- Service delivery efficiency
- IT system integration and flexibility
- Reducing SWF dependency
- Opportunities for face-to-face service
- Alignment with the SWF Action Plan alignment
Following this, the peer reviewers and council worked together to gather further information about existing processes and systems, application volumes, staffing arrangements and costs.
Recommendations from the peer collaborative improvement team
The peer review team submitted several recommendations aimed at improving service delivery, processing times, customer experience and staff welfare. The key suggestions were:
Call handling redesign: transfer call handling from the contact centre to SWF assessors to minimise double handling and ensure information is captured at first point of contact.
Service hours adjustment: restrict application lines to 9 am-3pm, allowing staff time to process decisions in the late afternoon. Limit online applications for crisis grants to business hours.
Application forms: consolidate and simplify application forms.
IT system integration: extend Civica software to include SWF processing
Strengthen financial controls: through closer budget monitoring and corporate checks
Case closure: improve procedures and guidance for closing applications in the IT system
Staff support and engagement: create a shared desk/workspace for the SWF team; establish back-up staffing for busy periods; build stronger communications and involve staff in the process changes
Raise the profile of SWF: link SWF to broader poverty reduction strategies and include it in corporate performance reporting.
Other improvement opportunities
Further recommendations were identified by the council itself.
- Explore a ‘cash first’ model for community care grants. This would allow applicants to opt to receive cash to purchase their own goods rather than the council purchasing and installing goods on their behalf.
- Recruit a part-time administrator to support SWF assessors.
Actions and results
Following the review, Falkirk set up a project group involving the Senior Service Manager, Team Leader – Community Advice Services and the Benefits Coordinator to consider the recommendations and determine priorities for implementation. Their approach focused on quick wins, structural improvements and long-term service transformation.
Enhanced budget oversight and performance reporting
This was amongst the quick wins. The peer councils provided examples of their own financial control practices and reporting, which Falkirk Council was able to adopt. The team leader now shares quarterly performance reports with senior management and attends a quarterly budget meeting with an accountant. She also shares information on budget position and priority level with operational staff.
Streamlining call handling and first contact resolution
One of the most successful changes was transferring call handling from the contact centre to the SWF team. A full-time resource was transferred to answer calls and, along with receptionists in the council’s three advice hubs, has been trained by SWF assessors on the information they need to collect to make an award.
As well as freeing up assessors’ time to process applications, these changes mean all information needed to make an award is captured at first contact, allowing for quick assessment and decisions. Crisis grant applications are now processed on the day of receipt and the backlog in Community Care Grants has been cleared.
In addition, the receptionists now have access to the SWF system and can update customers on the status of their applications immediately, improving customer service.
“This has been a real turning point for us,” says Anna Dick. “ Staff morale and processing times have improved significantly. Calls are now handled by trained staff who can identify any extra support needed, make the appropriate referrals, and manage applicants’ expectations. They can answer general enquiries to help streamline assessments.”
IT system improvements
The council is implementing the Civica SWF module into its IT system, increasing integration with other systems across revenues and benefits.
Strengthening internal processes
The council has strengthened guidance and procedures to ensure cases are closed on time, with an established appeal process for applicants.
The SWF team has a designated shared workspace in the office, improving peer support and communication.
Staff from other teams within revenues and benefits have been trained to provide back-up for SWF during peak periods, improving the resilience of the service.
Raising the profile of SWF
There is a greater focus on SWF within corporate and strategic performance reporting to improve its visibility senior officers, elected members, and the wider public. SWF is also integrated with and featured more prominently in wider tackling poverty strategies and reporting.
Actions not taken
Not all recommendations were implemented. The decision on reducing service opening hours was deferred to allow discussion with senior leaders and upgrade the IT system. With application processing currently meeting targets and the backlog cleared, the council feels this action is not currently necessary.
The simplification of the online application form wasn’t taken forward after user feedback showed that they didn’t find the form complex.
The ‘cash first’ approach involved providing customers with a cash equivalent to cover the cost of goods. However, this approach was rejected due to concerns around cost and efficiency. The council found it could purchase goods and services from suppliers at a lower cost, including delivery and installation when needed, compared to individuals buying locally on their own.
Learning
Peer collaborative improvement demands time and commitment but offers new perspectives and valuable insights. Councils must have leaders motivated to drive forward improvements.
Keeping staff informed and engaged in the process is crucial to success. “Having regular contact with the team and keeping them up to date with what's happening is really important”, says Anna Dick.
Everyone benefits from peer collaborative improvement:
The peer collaborative review has made a significant positive difference to the service we offer. Customers now receive a better experience when applying by phone. We’re better able to set clear expectations, offer appropriate guidance, and provide a more seamless and satisfying customer journey
Even when the work feels like a lot, you’ve got to keep your eye on the end goal. If your service is customer-facing, then it’s really all about them—because in the end, the customer benefits, and so does your service.
Conclusion
Falkirk’s peer collaborative improvement experience demonstrates the power of collaboration and the impact of sector-wide knowledge sharing. The changes have laid the groundwork for sustained service improvement and a more resilient, customer-focused SWF team.
Having recognised the need for change, Falkirk Council welcomed the opportunity to work with the Improvement Service on the peer collaborative review. This is an excellent example of collaboration across councils to improve services we deliver for our communities. It has been a great exercise for us to learn from others through sharing expertise. As a council, we have taken swift action to respond to this review, ensuring a positive impact for individuals and families in the Falkirk area.