Majority of councils adopt strategic commissioning role

Author: Dermott Calpin, The MJ - Sep 28, 2011

More than 80% of councils are planning to take on a strategic commissioning role for the delivery of local services, according to Localis.

A survey of over 100 council leaders and chief executives carried out by the local government think-tank found that 81.6% said they were adopting a more strategic role.

Researchers also found 58.3% of councils said they combined a fairly even mix of in-house and contracted out services with just 35% saying they delivered mainly in-house services.

Localis has published its findings in report entitled ‘Commission Impossible? Shaping places through strategic commissioning’ at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool.

It suggests that councils have a once in a generation opportunity to reinforce their positions as community leaders by taking a ‘provider-neutral’ approach to strategic commissioning, focusing on the needs of local residents and the best ways to address and deliver public services.

Speakers at the event will include Labour’s former Communities Secretary Hazel Blears who has written a forward to the report and said:’ By commissioning more effectively and collectively not only will councils benefit from greater efficiencies that will allow savings to be made in a difficult financial climate, but working with local people and giving them greater involvement and responsibility over the way that their money is being spent will bring together service providers and service users in partnership to drive continual improvement.

‘The report’s conclusions are relevant for central government and councils of all political persuasions, and will undoubtedly become increasingly pertinent in the years ahead.’

Sir Howard Bernstein, the chief executive of Manchester City Council, and Cllr Steve Reed, leader of Lambeth LBC, also spoke at the launch of the report.

Alex Thomson, chief executive of Localis, said: ‘The time is right for councils to radically rethink how services are delivered.

‘Government’s plans to decentralise power from Whitehall to local government, coupled with current economic pressures have set the stage for councils to move towards a strategic commissioning approach.’

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