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| Councils try innovative ways to cut spending | |
| (3 days later) | |
| Councils are facing hard times as they prepare for budget cuts. But while thousands of jobs are at risk, some local authorities are also trying innovative ways of saving cash. | Councils are facing hard times as they prepare for budget cuts. But while thousands of jobs are at risk, some local authorities are also trying innovative ways of saving cash. |
| More than 25,000 council jobs in England alone are at risk over the next three to five years, a BBC survey has revealed. More than 70% predict spending cuts of between 5% and 20%. Libraries, the arts and leisure appear most at risk. Children's social services seem safest. | More than 25,000 council jobs in England alone are at risk over the next three to five years, a BBC survey has revealed. More than 70% predict spending cuts of between 5% and 20%. Libraries, the arts and leisure appear most at risk. Children's social services seem safest. |
| On Monday, the Communities Secretary John Denham set out steps councils should take to protect services before swinging the axe. But here are a number of examples where they are already thinking outside the box. | On Monday, the Communities Secretary John Denham set out steps councils should take to protect services before swinging the axe. But here are a number of examples where they are already thinking outside the box. |
| 1. ON YOUR BIKE... KIDS | 1. ON YOUR BIKE... KIDS |
| Norfolk says its free bicycle plan is not just about saving money | Norfolk says its free bicycle plan is not just about saving money |
| Norfolk County Council says it needs to save £1.3m on home-to-school transport. But it still needs to get children to their classrooms every day. | Norfolk County Council says it needs to save £1.3m on home-to-school transport. But it still needs to get children to their classrooms every day. |
| Its solution? To offer 22,000 young people who live more than three miles from school a free bicycle to keep. Any school student who currently gets bus or taxi fares paid will qualify. Electric bikes are being loaned to older pupils who have further to travel. | Its solution? To offer 22,000 young people who live more than three miles from school a free bicycle to keep. Any school student who currently gets bus or taxi fares paid will qualify. Electric bikes are being loaned to older pupils who have further to travel. |
| Mary Roche, the transport policy manager, believes it's a win-win solution. | Mary Roche, the transport policy manager, believes it's a win-win solution. |
| "It does help towards health and wellbeing as well as keeping cost down for us," she says. "It's much cheaper to provide a cycle than a bus pass." | "It does help towards health and wellbeing as well as keeping cost down for us," she says. "It's much cheaper to provide a cycle than a bus pass." |
| Whether the children will agree on a dark and rain-drenched morning remains to be seen. | Whether the children will agree on a dark and rain-drenched morning remains to be seen. |
| 2. WALL OF THOUGHT The royal borough says it is embarking on a policy of continuous improvement | 2. WALL OF THOUGHT The royal borough says it is embarking on a policy of continuous improvement |
| Outsourcing is nothing new for local authorities, but one council is going further than others - employing a consultancy firm to instil some innovative thinking. The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead has brought in the Unipart Group - "a pioneer of lean thinking" - to encourage "a culture of continuous improvement". | Outsourcing is nothing new for local authorities, but one council is going further than others - employing a consultancy firm to instil some innovative thinking. The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead has brought in the Unipart Group - "a pioneer of lean thinking" - to encourage "a culture of continuous improvement". |
| One innovation is a Wall of Thought on which council activities are displayed so officials can spot overlaps and inefficiencies. Another example is the council inviting motorists to bid on eBay for a prime space near the exit of a multi-storey car park. It also believes that £40,000 a year can be raised by selling advertising space at car parks. | One innovation is a Wall of Thought on which council activities are displayed so officials can spot overlaps and inefficiencies. Another example is the council inviting motorists to bid on eBay for a prime space near the exit of a multi-storey car park. It also believes that £40,000 a year can be raised by selling advertising space at car parks. |
| Residents of the Conservative-controlled administration are being promised a drop of 4% in council tax with no cuts in services. But local Liberal Democrats say the savings have been offset by hikes in parking and homecare charges. | Residents of the Conservative-controlled administration are being promised a drop of 4% in council tax with no cuts in services. But local Liberal Democrats say the savings have been offset by hikes in parking and homecare charges. |
| 3. SELF-SERVICE LIBRARIES | 3. SELF-SERVICE LIBRARIES |
| Once they get the hang of it, library users seem happy with the system | Once they get the hang of it, library users seem happy with the system |
| The county which claims to have Britain's first exclusively self-service supermarket, Northamptonshire, has extended the philosophy to its libraries. | |
| Readers in most of the county's libraries can use the terminals to take out or renew books and check which titles they have on loan. | Readers in most of the county's libraries can use the terminals to take out or renew books and check which titles they have on loan. |
| The council claims that, by saving on staff costs, its libraries can stay open longer. | The council claims that, by saving on staff costs, its libraries can stay open longer. |
| "We want to provide libraries as efficiently as possible," says Sue Grace, head of customer and cultural services. "he cost per head here is as tight as any in the country." | "We want to provide libraries as efficiently as possible," says Sue Grace, head of customer and cultural services. "he cost per head here is as tight as any in the country." |
| 4. JOINED-UP CARE | 4. JOINED-UP CARE |
| In Suffolk, the county council and the NHS have set up a pilot project to see if they can save money and improve care for an ageing population at the same time. | In Suffolk, the county council and the NHS have set up a pilot project to see if they can save money and improve care for an ageing population at the same time. |
| Local GP Dr Paul Bethell says it has led to "99 cases where we've prevented a hospital admission, with all the costs and upheaval to the patient. And we've reduced admissions to nursing or residential homes." | Local GP Dr Paul Bethell says it has led to "99 cases where we've prevented a hospital admission, with all the costs and upheaval to the patient. And we've reduced admissions to nursing or residential homes." |
| The Ipswich-based scheme has been named Total Care and involves 100 elderly people. Community matrons in the town work closely with a social worker, GPs from five practices and other professionals to cut out duplication and ensure all-round care. | The Ipswich-based scheme has been named Total Care and involves 100 elderly people. Community matrons in the town work closely with a social worker, GPs from five practices and other professionals to cut out duplication and ensure all-round care. |
| NHS Suffolk is now looking to fund social workers - who would normally be paid for by the county - because it is making greater savings from the partnership than the council. | NHS Suffolk is now looking to fund social workers - who would normally be paid for by the county - because it is making greater savings from the partnership than the council. |
| By joining up services, council workers and health workers say they can respond more effectively to elderly people's needs. | By joining up services, council workers and health workers say they can respond more effectively to elderly people's needs. |
| "A lot of patients say it's given them a lot of confidence," says Dr Bethell, clinical director of Ipscom, a consortium of GP practices. He says the scheme has helped them manage their long-term condition and given them a single point of call if there's a problem. | "A lot of patients say it's given them a lot of confidence," says Dr Bethell, clinical director of Ipscom, a consortium of GP practices. He says the scheme has helped them manage their long-term condition and given them a single point of call if there's a problem. |
| 5. LIGHTS OUT Norfolk says the switch-off will shave 10% from its street lighting bill | 5. LIGHTS OUT Norfolk says the switch-off will shave 10% from its street lighting bill |
| In Norfolk, 28,000 street lights are being switched off at night - between midnight and 0500. It is hoped the move will save £168,000 a year - a not insubstantial 10% of the county's street lighting bill. | In Norfolk, 28,000 street lights are being switched off at night - between midnight and 0500. It is hoped the move will save £168,000 a year - a not insubstantial 10% of the county's street lighting bill. |
| Some residents are concerned that the darkened side streets could cause an increase in crime. But the council says the lights will stay on in areas with high crime rates. Lights will stay on along main roads. | Some residents are concerned that the darkened side streets could cause an increase in crime. But the council says the lights will stay on in areas with high crime rates. Lights will stay on along main roads. |
| Similar switch-offs are happening, or planned, in five Leicestershire villages and rural parts of Devon. | Similar switch-offs are happening, or planned, in five Leicestershire villages and rural parts of Devon. |
| 6. INDEPENDENT LIVING | 6. INDEPENDENT LIVING |
| Oxfordshire says it has turned to technology to save money while allowing older people and those with disabilities to be able to live independently. | Oxfordshire says it has turned to technology to save money while allowing older people and those with disabilities to be able to live independently. |
| Russell, who is 29, has epilepsy. It would cost the county £2,000 a week to put him up in a specialist care home. | Russell, who is 29, has epilepsy. It would cost the county £2,000 a week to put him up in a specialist care home. |
| Instead it has kitted out a flat in Banbury with gadgets to ensure he can summon help and that support staff are alerted if smoke alarms, extreme heat sensors or movement detectors are activated. | Instead it has kitted out a flat in Banbury with gadgets to ensure he can summon help and that support staff are alerted if smoke alarms, extreme heat sensors or movement detectors are activated. |
| A bed sensor can detect if Russell is having a seizure. Without it he wouldn't be able to live on his own. | A bed sensor can detect if Russell is having a seizure. Without it he wouldn't be able to live on his own. |
| While the initial outlay is substantial, Oxfordshire says it is saving £700 a week in its care costs for Russell. | While the initial outlay is substantial, Oxfordshire says it is saving £700 a week in its care costs for Russell. |
| Russell himself says the flat has changed his life, saying "now I'm like a man standing on my own two feet." | Russell himself says the flat has changed his life, saying "now I'm like a man standing on my own two feet." |
| 7. MAINTAIN YOUR OWN WC Pete Whaley believes that Heysham could not let its toilets close | 7. MAINTAIN YOUR OWN WC Pete Whaley believes that Heysham could not let its toilets close |
| When Lancaster City Council decided nine public toilets might have to close, the villagers of Heysham thought something would have to be done. | When Lancaster City Council decided nine public toilets might have to close, the villagers of Heysham thought something would have to be done. |
| The neighbourhood council agreed to do up the toilets (which will save the council £100, 000) and split the day-to-day running costs. | The neighbourhood council agreed to do up the toilets (which will save the council £100, 000) and split the day-to-day running costs. |
| Pete Whaley, a member of the neighbourhood council, says the "village needs toilets. We got together, had a meeting and decided that we can do this." | Pete Whaley, a member of the neighbourhood council, says the "village needs toilets. We got together, had a meeting and decided that we can do this." |
| The city council says it's willing to listen to similar proposals from other community groups. | The city council says it's willing to listen to similar proposals from other community groups. |
| 8. BISCUIT BAN | 8. BISCUIT BAN |
| Salford Council decided that biscuits were not essential | Salford Council decided that biscuits were not essential |
| Jammy dodgers and custard creams are off the agenda at Labour-run Salford Council meetings. And there will be no more tea or coffee. A council spokesman says, simply, they were not regarded as essential. | Jammy dodgers and custard creams are off the agenda at Labour-run Salford Council meetings. And there will be no more tea or coffee. A council spokesman says, simply, they were not regarded as essential. |
| But the council has maintained some flexibility in its approach - at meetings where visitors are involved and civic gatherings "where there's an expectation of hospitality" tea and biscuits will still be served. | But the council has maintained some flexibility in its approach - at meetings where visitors are involved and civic gatherings "where there's an expectation of hospitality" tea and biscuits will still be served. |
| The ban on refreshments will reportedly save £30,000 a year. | The ban on refreshments will reportedly save £30,000 a year. |
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