Suffolk County Council Delivering Differently Outsourcing insourcing and

Suffolk County Council Delivering Differently Outsourcing, in-sourcing and divestment The role of HR and OD in radical service transformation Aidan Dunn Assistant Director Strategic Finance and Head of Procurement Suffolk County Council

Our ambition was to take a more commercial approach • To be a smaller and more effective Council • To put a much greater emphasis on commissioning and have much lower levels of direct service provision. • To improve services whilst spending less money

Outsourcing, Insourcing and Divestment • Over a three year period the Council divested eight different services and set up 5 trading companies • Through this process: o Transferred 4000 staff out of direct Council employment o Set up contracts totalling over £ 75 m. • During 2014 SCC in-sourced its Back Office Services from a Joint Venture with BT (700 staff transferred into the Council)

Commercial Council

Commissioning Council • • 65% of our budget is now spent with suppliers 1700+ contracts

Simpler Council

The benefits • • • Financial Commercial Flexibility and service responsiveness Increased Community Involvement Staff Benefit

The Role of HR and OD • HR were an essential part of the team • Large scale and complicated TUPE – capacity planning • Culture Change for divestees and the Council

Meanwhile back in the Council …. . • • • Simplify and standardise Automate and move to self service A smaller council needs fewer staff a business-like culture ‘a managers job is to manage’ 21 st Century Public Servant 9

A Change in Culture and a Change in Skills Internal Service Provision Job Descriptions Internal Service Metrics Control over Staff Contracts of Employment Salaries Performance Development Reviews To be replaced by External Service Provision Specifications Key Performance Indicators Negotiation with service providers Management and control of contracts Invoice processing Provider service reviews

Have you noticed a difference in the library service in Suffolk over the past year? • I think it is about the same 53. 8% • I thinks its got better 39. 4% • I think its got worse 6. 8% I’m amazed that we still have such an excellent service. I moved here from the London borough of Brent where 50% of libraries have been closed. So I know how lucky I am to be here!" Suffolk Libraries Customer