Audit Commission urges councils to be ‘creative’
Local councils should be more ‘creative’ if they are to realise £4.9bn in efficiency savings
Local councils should be more ‘creative’ if they are to realise £4.9bn in efficiency savings
Local councils must develop a more open-minded and creative approach to the
market to realise a £4.9bn in required efficiency savings following this year’s
Comprehensive Spending Review, according to the newly published Audit
Commission’s report,
Healthy
Competition.
The report reveals most councils lack the necessary information, skills and
mindset to use the market effectively to drive down costs and improve services.
‘Councils should no longer let dogmatic views stand in the way of service
improvement or offering value for money,’ Michael O’Higgins, Audit Commission
chairman, said. ‘Competition is now a two-way street where services may
sometimes be improved by councils being able to offer a competitive threat to
commercial providers.’
To provide value-for-money services without reducing standards or quality,
the report urges councils to adopt a pragmatic approach, using market
mechanisms, including competition and contestability, where appropriate
alongside other ways of improving services; improve their commissioning and
procurement skills; and collect and use better information about service
performance and cost, and information about public service markets.
Further reading:
Audit Commission calls for better quality public data
The numbers you crunch tell a story. Your expertis...
16yEmbracing user-friendly AP systems can turn the tide, streamlining workflows, enhancing compliance, and opening doors to early payment discounts. Read...
View articleOrganisations can enhance their financial operations' efficiency, accuracy, and responsiveness by adopting platforms that offer them self-service cust...
View articleIn a world of instant results and automated workloads, the potential for AP to drive insights and transform results is enormous. But, if you’re still ...
View resourceDiscover how AP dashboards can transform your business by enhancing efficiency and accuracy in tracking key metrics, as revealed by the latest insight...
View articleAs we get closer to the Budget and there is talk of public spending reduction to fund his proposals, we think a cut by the Chancellor to the headline ...
View articleTechnology industry leaders are pressing the government for substantial investment to prepare the next generation with essential digital and AI skills...
View articleUK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has hinted at the possibility of further tax cuts in the upcoming spring Budget, during his time at the World Economic Forum...
View articleEffective corporate reporting on sustainability will prevent greenwashing issues and deliver more data for better implementation of climate policies R...
View articleCGT receipts have increased by over 100% in the past five years and reached a record level of £18bn in the last year alone, and a further 18% increase...
View articleThe Office for National Statistics reported that inflation in the UK dropped to 7.9% in June Read More...
View articleAccording to the senior Conservative, the Tory party must have one eye on the next general election in deciding the future of the off-payroll working ...
View article23% of business owners having hastened their plans to either sell or wind down their businesses Read More...
View article