Building a Smarter Economic Future

The UK Economic Development Conference 2009

7-8 October 2009

Royal Bath Hotel, Bournemouth

Adding strategic value in hard times

Workshop at the The UK Economic Development Conference 20097-8 October 2009Royal Bath Hotel, Bournemouth

Geoff WhiteDirector SQW Consulting

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Context

Tight public spending… in which economic development spend up for grabs… but still a priority given recessionary pressures… the responsibility for which is moving back to LAsNeed for operational efficiency – a familiar litany (Treasury’s

Operational Efficiency Programme report) Roll out Total Place Accelerate joint working in local areas Strengthen LSPs – local flexibility and coordination Improve design and innovation Adopt continuous improvement tools such as Lean

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Issues for economic development support

Need to understand what has worked in the past to spend wisely in the future

… to make the business case for future spending… to work jointly to share costs / services and deal with

functional ‘space’… to engage and use mainstream services to deliver

economic development outcomes… to bring about innovation and flexibility and ensure

quality in the delivery of front-line services

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Increased emphasis on adding strategic value

Making things better for the same / less spend …Strategic leadership and ‘place shaping’

Communicating effectively economic development needs, opportunities and solutions to partners & stakeholders in ways that affect their policy design and strategic priorities

Influence and leverage Affecting the allocation of funds and/or resources by partners &

stakeholders at national, regional and local levels through research, pilot studies and other means

Synergy and engagement Improving knowledge exchange and coordination between

partners, stakeholders and citizens - to reduce duplication, increase innovation and improve trust

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… but what’s the theory of change?

Change mechanisms required to facilitate …

Strategic leadership and place shaping

Influence and leverage

Synergy and engagement

Resource allocation & service innovation

Communication of needs & opportunities

Knowledge transfer & relationship building

More efficient resource allocation and use

Shared priorities & improved service delivery

Effective, accountable & responsive services &

government

Shared assets / services, reduced costs

and better outcomes

Responsive services and empowered

communities

Increased trust and confidence within and between public bodies

Longer term achievement of sustainable and equitable outcomes – social, economic and environmental

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Workshop challenges

Is this theory of change an empty box or one full of riches if we only knew how to open it?

Which elements of the theory are more robustly evidence based than others?

What are the constraints / risks likely to keep this as a theory of change?

How might they be overcome?… and what measurable outcomes can be identified that

can help make the case for dealing with the constraints / risks?

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Contact

Geoff White

Director

SQW Consulting

t. 02073077140

e. gwhite@sqw.co.uk

w. www.sqw.co.uk