Posted on March 1st, 2010
Kent
Organisations involved
- Kent County Council (KCC)
- Ashford Borough Council
- Canterbury City Council
- Dartford Borough Council
- Dover District Council
- Gravesham Borough Council
- Maidstone Borough Council
- Sevenoaks District Council
- Shepway District Council
- Swale Borough Council
- Thanet District Council
- Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council
- Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
- Medway Council are also involved in parts of the programme
- West Kent Primary Care Trust
- Eastern and Coastal Kent Primary Care Trust
- Kent Police Authority
- Kent Police
- Kent Fire and Rescue
- Jobcentre Plus
- Kent Probation
- Learning and Skills Council
- South East Economic Development Agency
Theme
Kent has identified three projects which will delve deeper into specific local issues in order to identify new ways of tackling them, with the emphasis on extending joined-up solutions and collectively tackling the obstacles to:
Gateway multi-channel
This strategy was based on the exploration and modernisation of the ‘face to face’ customer service channel, and has more recently extended to include service improvements for telephone and web channel access spanning the wider public sector and the full range of public services. It builds on previous operational development and investment made by Kent County Council with district and borough council partners.
Single asset management strategy
This will test the scope for the reduction of duplication of back-office transactional activity and the simplification and convergence of business processes generating a reduced requirement for property and other physical assets. (Exact parameters still to be specified, but suggestions include local government, health, police, fire, government departments and agencies, churches/faiths and voluntary sector.)
Margate Task Force
Despite the efforts and successes of the regeneration work undertaken in Margate, deprivation levels have worsened in both Cliftonville West and Margate Central wards over the last three years. A number of key local partners have recently come together with a commitment to radically different approaches to joint work in these two most deprived wards. Co-located resources will be pooled in a single management ‘task force’. Key principles include an ‘invest to save’ approach focused on shared intelligence, prevention, better use of resources and customised services.
Aspiration
The Total Place Initiative will provide added impetus to an already well defined set of projects, and will enhance the ability to deliver on the shared aspirations for modern, customer-centric public services in Kent.
The Kent pilot provides a further opportunity for public sector partners to consider ways in which to revolutionise customer experience, generate further efficiency and enhance service delivery through collaborative approaches.
What is Kent currently doing?
The Kent pilot has been endorsed by the Kent Public Service Board and is now being communicated more widely across partnership organisations.
In addition, for the specific work:
- Gateway multi-channel: The constitution of the Gateway Advisory Board is being updated, along with the Gateway Delivery Board, and work sub-groups are also being reviewed to ensure that the authority and representation is appropriate.
- Asset Management: A cross-agency property board is being formed to agree in more detail the details of the asset management project and to oversee development of the work in a mutually beneficial manner.
- Margate Task Force: A steering group has been established and will be led by chief officers from Kent County Council, Thanet District Council and Eastern and Coastal Kent Primary Care Trust (PCT). A full plan is being developed which includes strategy development,operational plans and involving and empowering the community. This will include detailed forms of resource mapping in these two specific wards. An interim director from KCC has been seconded and started on 20 July.
Kent’s final report is now available from the Government Office South East website.
Contact
Tanya Oliver, Kent County Council
email: tanya.oliver@kent.gov.uk
Paul Kennedy, Kent County Council
email: paul.kennedy@kent.gov.uk
Category: pilot
