Rory Mair

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Local Government Futures Challenges and Change

• Rory Mair
• Chief Executive
• COSLA

2
Local Governments Core Agenda

• Rory Mair, Chief Executive, COSLA

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Our Objectives

• Greater share of public sector resources
• Freedom for local discretion
• Part of Scotlands governance
• Reduced burden of inspection regulation
• Community leadership

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Our Challenges

• Local government working together comfortable
  yet disciplined
• Relationship with Government - Balance subtlety
• Shared services innovative and safe
• A cohesive public sector rhetoric to reality

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Local Government Futures Challenges and Change

• Colin Mair
• Chief Executive
• Improvement Service

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Local Government FuturesChallenges and Change

• Colin Mair, Chief Executive
• Improvement Service

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Scope

• What are we heading towards? Spending and demand
  trends
• Opportunities and challenges
• Options for change

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Scottish Budget Projection 2009/10 2013/14
(Real Terms)
Best Case -1 in 2010/11 then zero growth
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Critical Uncertainties

• Economic performance and tax yield
• Impact of non controllable on cash limited spend
  (bank risk, debt interest and benefits)
• Scotlands share of UK spend
• Political and policy continuity
• 2010 UK Election, Referendum, Calman

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Impact on Councils

• Depends on share of Scottish spend Priorities
  and distribution between sectors
• Link between general and sectoral inflation
• Buoyancy of other income flows Fees, charges,
  rent, council tax, etc.

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Demand Projections

• Services for older people 2 real growth to
  stand still (Kings fund Sutherland review)
• Services for children Policy priorities and
  increased spend on children with learning support
  needs/special needs
• Impacts of recession Education social work
  policing and community safety business support
  housing leisure, etc
• Overall, 1 - 2 per annum overall

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Finance Demand 2009/10 2013/14 (Real Terms)
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Implications

• Significant gap between spending growth and
  demand growth
• Pressure for significant efficiency and
  productivity improvement
• Need to focus on corporate and partnership
  priorities Core outcomes
• Need to look whole system.not at elements in
  isolation

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Opportunities

• The Concordat and partnership in governance
• The Outcome Framework
• Established efficiency track record
• Developed focus on partnership and shared
  capacity locally and sectorally

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Challenges

• Balancing short, medium and long term pressures
  and outcomes
• Balancing producer and consumer interests in
  reviewing priorities and service arrangements
• Balancing national and local imperatives
• Balancing localism and openness to change
• Proper Parochialism

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Options for Consideration

• Rethink the structure and governance of local
  public services
• Harder and faster on shared services
• More effective partnership with the private and
  third sectors
• Drive internal change and transformation

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End Points

• It is really difficultlong term
• We cant busk it 20/20 vision
• Commitment to outcomes and local governance