Local Government Reorganisation Workshop

THURSDAY 5 MARCH 2020 Welcome Please do not feel obliged to shake hands

PLEASE HELP YOURSELF TO A TEA, COFFEE AND A BISCUIT •

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• Introduction

MEL USHER Scene Setting

MAX WIDE, CONSULTANT TO FUTURE OF LOCAL GOVT. IN Choices for Somerset What are the real issues?

Max Wide What will save most money? Future of Local Government in Somerset

Savings (up Implementati Payback • FOLGIS report Option Called Comprising Payback start criticises a lack to) on costs duration of joint vision As per • Figures heavily 1 As is Existing Councils Deficit As individual Now individual caveated MTFS • Based on Existing Councils ‘Get fit’ + collaborate £32m 1 year In 2 years algorithms 2 & 4 share then £80m Then combined new approach +£16m 3 years In 4 years authority

3a One Unitary County only £47m £82m 3-4 years In 3 years BANES/North Som 3b or c 2 Unitary £80m £111m 3-4 years In 3 years As is County BANES/Mendip 3 d 3 Unitary North Som/Sedge £80m £111m 3-4 years In 3 years South Som/SWAT Is it really all about savings? A not so pretty picture of Somerset

• 25% of children live 16 to 24 Years Environment in poverty • Widening gap for • Journey to net zero • In pockets 38% affordable housing very challenging • 14,000 troubled • Likely to leave the • Rurality and car use families – x11 costs County for better • Flooding • Attainment levels 22 opportunities • Housing energy months behind efficiency

• Low productivity • Huge increase in • Poor digital proportion over 85 connectivity • Older people over 65 • Wages £2226 lower with long term health than national conditions cost equivalent • In 2019 £300m • by 2035 £424m Childhood Economy Older age 65+ A sustainable future?

• “….if, in a worse-case scenario, we add together • the cumulative costs of a growing and ageing population, • + the potential additional costs of supporting more troubled families, • + helping more people who cannot access affordable housing, • + the necessary investment in trying to meet environmental targets, • + cost investing in digital technologies and in creating the connectivity infrastructure, • then it becomes apparent that the scale of the challenge is likely to be greater than the savings that might be achieved by reorganising local government.” Are services the answer? What will make a difference?

• The evidence that ‘services’ are often sticking plasters: • That crime is not much diminished by policing • That health is not much improved by medicine • The key is to • Create sustainably prosperous places • Develop inclusive and cohesive communities • Make the most of all of the assets of places • Ensure that people are not isolated or excluded • Encourage people to be active and engaged What is the potential for Towns and Parishes? Healthy ageingOpportunities

• Being lonely has been found to have the same adverse impact on health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. • Loneliness can affect people at all ages and in all circumstances, • living alone, • low income and transport, • Network of 400 volunteers • is highest in the more • Last 3 years in Somerset, hospital admissions + 29%, deprived communities.” in Frome -17%

• Conclusions • All the options offer savings, different timescales and payback periods • The scale of the challenges, the increases in demand will quickly overwhelm the predicted savings • The challenge is to create a new model, joint action at scale with local knowledge and networks • The benefits for an enhanced role for Towns and parishes, for those that want it, is already proving itself THANK YOU Thoughts from County Council

LEADER OF SCC, DAVID FOTHERGILL One Somerset: One Council

City, Town & Parish Council Meetings

March 2020 Our Somerset Community Challenges

Disadvantaged Young People The Economy Children 16-24 • Social Mobility Low Wage/Low Skill • Higher Education • • Poverty and Low Productivity • Self Harm • Deprivation Digital Connectivity • Affordable Housing • • Troubled Families • Travel • Affordable Housing Fact: our young people are twice as likely Fact: 14,000 troubled families to end up in hospital as a result of self Fact: Average earnings are £2,226 less Fact: 529 looked after children harm per year than the national average

Older People The Environment • Increase in Older People • Quality of Health • Carbon Neutral Councils Isolation • Carbon Emissions • • Flooding Fact: 30% increase in people aged 65-84 by 2035; 88% increase over 85s The Scale of our Challenge

This isn’t just a problem for the County Council: • We are one large interdependent system (local government, health, police, fire, business, further/higher education, central government) • Demand and costs are rising for all local services • The challenges for our communities need all 5 councils and partners to act

Funding is likely to get tougher: • Resources are likely to be reduced nationally from services, that whilst locally valued, are regarded with less priority in Whitehall Why Change ?

• The one thing all councils agree on; we can’t continue as we are

• Research commissioned by 5 Councils: • That change needs to happen • All councils agreed that change needs to happen • No change is not an option - the only real question is what changes we need to make and when • The option for improved collaboration between the five councils hasn’t worked in the past Why Change ?

• Forming a single unitary will improve service quality, resilience, deliver savings, and remove duplication

• Talking to communities - we want people, young and old, to have their say about service quality and where to target savings

• We’re surrounded – Just about every council around Somerset is already benefiting from unitary. , , Bath & North East Somerset, , , , , . Somerset is missing out

• Change to what? A brand new ‘One’ council. This is not a takeover. Local city, town, and parish councils would be empowered to enable local decision making The Opportunity

• We have the opportunity to transform local government in Somerset. We know that there are significant county issues to be faced and benefits to be delivered • How we work with partners • Redesigning the way we deliver services • How we embrace technology/digital

• The imperative is to create something better for Somerset, not just cheaper – better community outcomes for people and financially sustainable services

• New approaches are needed to help people live better lives whilst reducing demand: • Create a greater sense of community • Helping to reduce isolation • Engage with excluded people and groups • Maximising community resilience The benefits

• Speak with a single powerful voice when dealing with government – end of the current five voices trying to be heard

• Able to act quickly to attract more investment into Somerset – no more district and county council hoops for businesses to jump through

• Far easier for people to speak to us – a single council for residents, businesses and communities instead of the current five options

• Joining digital opportunities, so people can access services 24/7 in one place The benefits

• Help town, parish and city council take on more responsibilities (policy, services, assets) – decisions taken locally

• Give your community a voice, funding and responsibility to deliver the service standards you prioritise

• Give you a chance to have your say on where money should be spent

• Move away from current remote council arrangements based in Taunton, Bridgwater, Yeovil and Shepton Mallett

• Create local community leadership panels across Somerset

• Deliver savings of £20-25m per year How high should we aim ?

• A single unitary will help us to achieve our ambitions for Somerset • We want residents to live healthily, independently, supported in thriving communities, with access to high quality public services. • We prioritise: • Improved student school attainment • More opportunities, courses and apprenticeships in our colleges • Increased numbers of higher value local jobs • Businesses to grow and thrive • More affordable housing • Better broadband, connectivity • Reduced isolation and loneliness; a focus on prevention Questions & Answers? Coffee break

PLEASE HELP YOURSELF Thoughts from Districts

CLLR VAL KEITCH, LEADER OF DISTRICT COUNCIL CLLR FEDERICA SMITH ROBERTS, LEADER OF SOMERSET WEST & TAUNTON COUNCIL Delivering for Somerset

Councillor Val Keitch, Leader, South Somerset District Council Councillor Federica Smith-Roberts, Leader, Somerset West and Taunton District Council Delivering for Somerset

• Our communities deserve the best, not the cheapest. • We will invest to protect and improve services, not cut services. • Working together is bringing more efficient ways of doing business. • We have joined up, county wide plans for affordable homes, more economic opportunity and action on climate change. • Let local communities decide what’s best for them. Next Steps

Keeping the conversation going….

Get in touch – [email protected] / [email protected]

Invite us to meet and speak at meetings or events.

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Write to you MP Lessons from elsewhere

STEPHEN HILL, BRUTON TOWN CLERK LANCE ALLEN, TROWBIDGE CEO 5 March 2020 Dorset Council Drivers for change

•To give Dorset a “stronger voice” nationally •Response to financial pressures; reduce costs (£28m-£66m) to provide frontline services •Reduced Grant; focus on predominantly statutory & community services •Response to & announcement September 15 •Local Political unanimity •Get local political agreement; as far as possible •Align MPs for SoS Parliamentary Order •Safe and Legal: establish Dorset Council by 1 April 2019 •Local Elections May 2019

“The start of our journey” Process

Based on Future Dorset business case but don’t sweat on it; it’s only a plan, reality will be different Cost reduction predominantly: duplication; costs of Democracy (less Committees and Members); assets/accommodation; support services; ICT All Councils to make decisions (risk of JR) Structural Change Order (Feb 17 to May 18): 1 year to implement Dorset Council April 19 Then collectively all councils fund costs of Transition Team Costs (£25m-£54m): Transition Team and implementation eg Redundancy Local Elections timing: May 2019

“The history bit” Governance

Shadow Executive, Scrutiny and Committees Other Member groups: eg Legal, Governance (Boundary) Review, CT Harmonisation (upwards in year one) Transition Team; growing in capacity Officer programme board of Directors: responsibility for other service specific officer groups, defined Actions and Risks (focus on achieving objectives) Keep focus on messages to Customers, Councils; keep people informed Focused on District and Environmental/Highways services; not Adult or Children’s services Sequence for cost reduction: Tansition Transformation

The Plan: Transitional costs and savings Transformation with resources Actual: Savings before Transformation

Natural wastage; takes time but retains resources for Transformation Reduce duplication of officers Redundancy at a cost; loss of corporate knowledge and capacity

We would have: Resourced the programme fully from the start Spent time planning (before ‘doing the doing’!) “If we knew then what we know now!” Engaged more employees earlier in the process Harnessed member enthusiasm more effectively (T&F Groups & Scrutiny could have been better) Invested more in programme communications Integrated the convergence & transformation projects (which were separate) Relationship with local councils

Programme to establish new relationship: Dorset Council with local councils, community/voluntary sectors; Area Boards; Area Committee; transfer of services Use of community capacity; social prescribing and improved health outcomes Programme to transfer service - advantages: local control, more care, less cost, use of community capacity; but must demonstrate securing best value at best consideration Not stopping services, but no longer able to fund Concerns about double taxation Must demonstrate very low overhead costs; MTFP and savings programme; and that all other options for cost reductions explored

Challenges Relationships with town and parish councils Lunch

PLEASE HELP YOURSELF The importance of engagement by parishes

JUSTIN ROBINSON, CEO, SALC Working together as parishes – group work 1. Five reflections from this morning

2. What do the communities of Somerset want/need from LGR?

3. How should towns approach LGR, with confidence or wariness? What services would they like devolved?

4. How can we help smaller parishes?

PLEASE USE THE PENS AND PAPER PROVIDED Coffee break

PLEASE HELP YOURSELF TO TEA, COFFEE AND CAKE Next steps – do we want to work together and implications for timing/resources/campaigning? Thank you for coming

SAFE TRAVELS