www.worcestershire.gov.uk worcestershire county council update vcs meeting 3 rd december 2014

www.worcestershire.gov.uk

Worcestershire County Council update

VCS Meeting3rd December 2014


Cllr Adrian Hardman

Leader of Worcestershire County Council

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Financial challenge • Need to save £25m per year for at least the next 3 years.

• £5m saving needed to balance 2015/16 budget.

• Central Government funding continues to reduce.

• However – not just about taking money out, we are investing in key areas.

• More change is coming but we have a plan…

• Innovation and doing things differently is here to stay – eye on 16/17, 17/18 onwards.

• Different expectations – skills and behaviours.

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Success through austerity• We have... Taken £70m off bottom line by cutting out waste,

reducing red tape and doing things differently.

• Whilst doing this we have managed to...

• Not close a single library so far.

• Invest in the highway network.

• Focus on the Economic prosperity.

• Get ahead of schedule to bring Superfast Broadband to at least 90% of Worcestershire homes and businesses.

• Cope better in the floods due to the investment in flood prevention and pulling together to make less go further.



Key Projects within Growth Plan


Malvern Hills Science Park

South Kidderminster Enterprise Park

Redditch Eastern Gateway

Worcester Technology Park

Hoobrook Link Road

Worcestershire Parkway Station

Bromsgrove Rail Station

Southern Link Road

Broadband – further improvements to achieve 95% superfast coverage by 2017


Transformation a Reality

Cllr John Campion

Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Transformation and Change


Driving economic prosperity

•Strategic Economic Plan

Securing £47m from central government for the implementation of significant infrastructure and employment land projects to drive up economic growth and create jobs.

•WorldClass Worcestershire

Starting this Autumn a targeted inward investment and national profile plan will be implemented to dramatically improve Worcestershire’s national reputation and attract external investment.



An excellent commissioning authority• Design Unit

Transfer of the function to the international architecture firm Jacobs which will save the tax payer money and open up potential new career opportunities for staff transferred over.

• Support Services

Volume services such as HR and finance transactions being commissioned from more cost effective providers.



Protecting the most vulnerable• Children’s Safeguarding Redesign

A review of the Looked After Children strategy focused on keeping vulnerable young people safe.

• Shift to Targeted Early Help

Helping those who most need it most to nip problems in the bud.

• Personal Choice Rolling out mechanisms whereby service users needing Adult Social Care can control their own budgets making their own choices as to how their needs are met.



Clare Marchant

Chief Executive - Worcestershire County Council



What our residents say…

Residents top three priorities are:

• Maintenance of the Highway.

• Protecting vulnerable young people

• Protecting vulnerable older people

The FutureFit Corporate Plan and resultant transformation programmes reflect these priorities.



Moving Forward You will see us change...

•A commercial approach – getting the best from those delivering to you on our behalf,

•Working with others – libraries and floods have shown us we aren’t always best placed to help.

•Continuing to listen to residents, businesses, staff & partners.

You will see our people change...

•Members – even greater visibility looking for local solutions.

•Staff – a more commercially driven ethos ensuring the best service is delivered for the best price.



Opportunities for 2015 – 16

• Act Local• Transport Operations and Fleet

commissioning• Infrastructure, skills and inward

investment• Deliver Strategic Economic Plan • Project Optimise• County Enterprise

• Testing and completing the new website• Rolling out the digital inclusion strategy• Further integration of adult social care

and health services• Ensuring appropriate skills and capacity

to implement New Models of Care• Developing a sustainable market for adult

social care• Commissioning of in-house adult social

care provider services• Commission a simplified, integrated

drugs and alcohol recovery service

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Opportunities for 2015 – 16

• Waste Management• Street Lighting• Libraries and Learning• Culture and Countryside• Highways Structure and Winter

Maintenance

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• Developing a Core Learning & Achievement Service

• Early Help Services including Connecting Families

• Community Health Services• Positive Activities• Redesign of Children’s Social

Care



Questions to the Panel

www.worcestershire.gov.uk worcestershire county council update vcs meeting 3 rd december 2014

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