Contact: Stuart Jarvis, ext 6124 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 A review of the Environment Department's discretionary services is proposed, including activities which do not directly relate to a statutory requirement and not previously subject to Best Value Reviews. This review will, using Best Value principles, pilot a new methodology based on an initial strategic overview and mapping exercise to identify service areas which will form the focus for a more detailed stage review. This report advises Members of the Review Brief (attached as an appendix), and invites nominations from the Committee to participate in the consultation part of the review process. A number of Executive Members will also be interviewed as key stakeholders in the evidence gathering part of the review.

2. Corporate Strategy

2.1 This report supports Aim 5 (Improving Services) of the Corporate Strategy by contributing to a service review intended to improve procedures and levels of stakeholder satisfaction.

3. Background

3.1 The purpose of the review is to identify, consider and assess the broad outcomes and benefits of the discretionary areas of work undertaken by the Environment Department. Completion of the review should enable closer cross-cutting and integrated service planning and delivery, which in turn would generate more efficient and effective working. The review will also provide a more disciplined framework for assessing existing and proposed new or additional areas and levels of service delivery, on the basis of the contribution they make to the County Council's service delivery, reputation and engagement with local communities. In short the review, together with future work on the levels of service on statutory service areas, will help to provide a rigorous framework within which the shape of future services which the Department will need to deliver in the future can be defined.

3.2 To reflect the proper emphasis of the review process, the review will be undertaken to test the proposition that its discretionary work is what makes Hampshire County Council an excellent authority. The review will particularly focus on outcomes and seek to clearly identify a robust framework for the operation of services in these areas. These services have a potentially critical role to play in a number of key future areas for the Department, such as community engagement, responding to local needs, enhancing the quality of life for Hampshire communities and delivering sustainable development. There is now a wealth of experience from the operation of these service areas over a number of years, the services having changed and evolved over time to reflect changing needs and circumstances.

3.3 It would be appropriate to review this experience to see what conclusions can be drawn and whether recommendations can be made for changes in approach or improvements in procedures.

4. Review Brief

4.1 A copy is attached, it covers the process of data collection, workshops, consultation and developing recommendations.

5. Conclusion

5.1 The continuing need to address service improvement and for the Department's service delivery to be responsive to changing needs has now prompted a review of discretionary services in line with other Best Value service area reviews. It is suggested that Members should note the proposed review and nominate five representatives to participate in the consultation process. A report will be submitted to the Committee when the review is concluded.

Recommendations

1. That the proposed Discretionary Service Areas - Service Review Brief and process be noted.

2. That five Members of the Committee be nominated to take part in the consultation part of the review.

303/SJ

APPENDIX

ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT

DISCRETIONARY SERVICE AREAS - SERVICE IMPROVEMENT REVIEW

REVIEW BRIEF

Purpose of the Review

To identify broad outcomes and benefits of the discretionary areas of work undertaken by the Environment Department and assess how they are valued. Completion of the review should enable:

o closer cross-cutting and integrated service planning and delivery, which in turn would generate more efficient and effective working;

o a more disciplined focus on making a case for new areas of service delivery or dropping areas of delivery which no longer have, or fail to demonstrate, a benefit to the County Council's service delivery;

o the shape of future services the Department will need to deliver within the next five years to be defined. In forward planning of the service delivery, core skills and staff recruitment could be targeted to fill the gaps and take the Department forward into new ways and areas of working in response to the changing environment in which Local Government will need to work.

The review will be undertaken to test the proposition that the County Council's discretionary work is what makes Hampshire an excellent authority.

The review will focus principally, but not exclusively, on the following service areas:

· Landscape Planning

· Ecology

· Environment Strategy including Climate Change

· Spatial Strategy

· Natural Resources

· Coastal Activities including River Hamble

· European Initiatives

Review Process

1. Preparation

Preparation work will include the following.

1.1 The first stage will be to map the service areas captured by review. This will compile evidence about the Department's service objectives and how well we achieve these with regard to economy, efficiency and effectiveness. This examination will cover:

o Service delivery plans Action PB

o Budgets held for service delivery, including project and holding accounts Action DW

o Group Structures for each service area Action LTK/through HR

1.2 Prepare an overview of the services captured by review. Action PB /LTK

1.3 Set up an internal focus group/sounding board. Action PB /LTK

1.4 Devise a list of key stakeholder (external/internal). Action PB/LTK

/focus group

1.5 Scope what the future shape and service of the department should be to make it most effective in delivering the aims and objectives of the organisation to a five year horizon. Action Focus group/stakeholder

group/DMT/SMG

1.6 Prepare key criteria on which the business case for each service area is made including:

o Aims and Objectives (what is done and why)

o Performance (how is it delivered? effectively, efficiently)

o Outcomes (what is achieved?)

o Benefits/added value the service brings (a) currently, within the life of the service plan; (b) where the department's service needs to be in the next five years (leadership/culture change)

o links to other areas of service (corporate and departmental aims and objectives)

o Are the objectives relevant, now and for future delivery?

o What does the Department think its stakeholders want?

2. Pilot

2.1 In order to test the business case criteria and contain the resource implications of doing this exercise across the whole of the department a pilot is proposed to be undertaken in one of the service areas which should be more in-depth, including a questionnaire, quality audit, indicator and target delivery achievements, SMG links and interviews with customers/ external stakeholders.

It is proposed that the specific service area is selected following completion of stage one of the review.

Action PB/LTK

2.2 Following thorough testing of the criteria through the pilot (revised as necessary), the criteria could form the guidelines for each future service delivery review business case and improvement plan.

3. Consultation and Analysis

3.1 Circulate proposed review process to focus group/sounding board and invite feedback via consultation meeting and in-depth discussion.

Action PB/LTK

3.2 Hold facilitated discussion group with key staff, partners and stakeholders. Share information on aims objectives/outcomes, performance, and benefits/ added value of discretionary service areas. Seek challenges and thoughts. Action PB/LTK

3.3 Compile findings and views. Identify opportunities for change/ improvement. Identify gaps and links not being made which could improve performance and efficiency. Action PB/LTK

3.4 Share finding with focus group/sounding board and discuss any in-depth issues arising from the consultation process. Action PB/LTK

4. Report to Departmental Management Team

4.1 Prepare report outlining key recommendations to DMT. Action PB/LTK

5. Reporting

5.1 DMT report of 22 February 2005 to get agreement to start review.

Action P Brown

5.2 Environment Policy Review Committee - secure nomination of Member contact for review. Action S Jarvis

5.3 Fortnightly progress meetings SJ/PB/LTK.

5.4 DMT internal report of progress - upon completion of stage one.

Action P Brown/S Jarvis

5.5 DMT report with outcome of review October 2005.

6. Programme

6.1 This will be developed in more detail as the review progresses but the main milestones identified at the inception stage are as follows:

Inception briefing 27/01/05

DMT report to initiate review 11/03/05

Scoping and evidence gathering w/b 21/03/05

Present Brief to Environment PRC 23/06/05

Commence pilot study of specific service area mid July

Focus group/sounding board meeting late July

Stakeholder group meeting early Sept

Focus group/sounding board meeting mid Sept

Final report to DMT with recommendations 02/10/05

7. Key Personnel, Consultees and Resources

Review Sponsor Stuart Jarvis

Review Leader Linda Tartaglia-Kershaw

Review Manager Peter Brown

Staff Focus group/sounding board consisting of:

Keith Willcox, Bryan Boult, Tim Cheesebrough, Colin Taylor, Damien Offer, Rosalind Rutt, Dave Wootton, Jane Page

Consultees to include Elected Member representatives for Environment PRC (Scrutiny) and appropriate Cabinet (Executive) Members

Key service partners

Key service customers

Representatives from amenity groups

Any other groups/people as appropriate