Volume 40. No3
Local Government News www.LocalGov.co.uk
Procurement problems Deep concerns unveiled in highways procurement
End of an era Is local government really falling out of love with outsourcing?
Children in crisis Why councils are being forced to slash preventative services
September 2018
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Contents
Editor Laura Sharman T: 020 7973 4644 l.sharman@hgluk.com Sales Executive JamesTyson T: 020 7973 4638 Commercial Manager Jason Pidgeon T: 020 7973 4645 Commercial Manager Samantha Marsh T: 020 7973 4619 Head of Local Government Sales Kasia Brzeska: T: 020 7973 4769 Sales Co-ordinator Adrian Bradnam T: 020 7973 4646 a.bradnam@hgluk.com Production Tim Malone t.malone@hgluk.com Production Editor Trent Nicholson Marketing Mustak Kothia m.kothia@hgluk.com Subscriptions Maggie Spillane m.spillane@hgluk.com Editorial Director Michael Burton m.burton@hgluk.com Managing Director Bill Butler b.butler@hgluk.com
finance
The top actions that local authorities could take in order to address the financial pressures they currently face P14 It & technology
The Mental Health (Amendment) Bill should soften financial and operational pressure on local authorities, but will it still leave them open to legal exposure? P17 It & technology
What VAR can teach us about technology-driven transformation in local government P19 procurement & efficiency Local Government News (ISSN: 02615185) is published by Hemming Media, a division of Hemming Group Ltd, 32 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 2SS. Local Government News is published on a quarterly strictly controlled circulation basis and sent free of charge to readers who meet the publisher’s registered terms of control. To register, readers should call 020 7973 6694. Maximum life of registration is three years. Other readers can take out an annual subscription of £55.00 in the UK or £69.00 overseas (including Eire). Every effort is made to ensure that the contents of this publication are accurate but the publisher accepts no responsibility for effects arising there from. We do not accept responsibility for loss or damage arising from unsolicited contributions. Opinions expressed by the contributors and advertisers are not necessarily those of the publisher. This publication is protected by copyright and no part may be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher.
How councils can empower their supply chains through fair payment P22 built environment
The government’s long-awaited social housing green paper may have promised a ‘new deal’ for the sector, but what will it actually mean for local authorities in reality? P24 public realm
Councils are being urged to adopt pollinator action plans, which could save them money and protect the country’s bees P30 The latest Highways/FiTZ INDEX survey has revealed deep concerns within the highways sector about the nature of procurement P33 adult and children’s services
With the Government failing to produce its green paper on adult social care as promised, the Local Government Association has given up waiting and has published its own proposals for reforming the sector P34 With councils being forced to spend more money on children in crisis, this often comes at the expense of preventive services P37
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September 2018
News in brief this month Laura Sharman rounds up the most popular news stories from our website www.LocalGov.co.uk
Councils urged to offer staff low interest loans
Up to 130 jobs at risk at Somerset Council
Council pension funds invest £9bn in fracking industry
Local authorities should offer staff low interest loans that could be paid back through their payroll system, according to a new report by ResPublica.
Staff will be forced to take two days unpaid leave and up to 130 jobs could be lost under a package of proposals by Somerset County Council to save £13m.
More than £9bn is being invested in the fracking industry by council pension funds, new figures have revealed.
Councillor designs ‘virtual’ Facebook councillor
Council-owned company spends ‘thousands’ on luxury events’
Council takes football club to court over £80,000 loan
An investigation has been launched after it was revealed a company belonging to Northamptonshire CC spent ‘thousands’ on luxury events.
A council has launched legal action against a football club over money for a new stand which it says should have been repaid.
The Redditch councillor who set up David Cameron’s official Facebook page has designed his own chatbot service to help local people communicate with the council.
September 2018
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Web news
Councils ‘struggling’ to provide services for most deprived
Councils defend use of fake Facebook profiles
Local government still male dominated
Councils in North Wales have defended their right to use fake Facebook profiles to gather information on illegal activities.
There has been ‘virtually no progress’ in women’s representation in local government with nearly all councils being dominated by men, a damning new report has revealed.
Surrey signs joint venture to deliver ‘thousands’ of homes
Voter ID scheme could cost up to £20m per general elections
LGA defends bonds agency supports
Surrey County Council has signed up to a 15-year strategic joint venture with the hope of delivering ‘thousands’ of new homes.
The national rollout of the government’s voter ID plans could cost up to £20m per general election, new analysis has revealed.
Corby refuses to sign Northants unitary plans
Council chiefs to launch campaign to recruit female councillors
Local authorities are struggling to provide services for rising numbers of people facing disadvantage, with the most deprived areas hit hardest.
Corby Borough Council has refused to sign up to Northamptonshire’s proposed local government overhaul.
www.LocalGov.co.uk
Local government leaders are set to launch a campaign to recruit more women as councillors.
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The Local Government Association (LGA) has defended its support of the struggling UK Municipal Bonds Agency, as unveiled by The MJ.
Children face adoption ‘postcode lottery’ Children going into care face a postcode lottery for the opportunity to stay with relatives, a family law firm has found.
September 2018
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News feature
A sign of cutting corners? With figures revealing the number of complaints about local councils are on the rise, what does this say about the performance of the sector? Neil Merrick investigates.
M
ore people are complaining ab ou t loc al gover nment . Both ombudsmen in charge of investigating complaints against councils received more complaints in 2017/18 than the previous year and there is a stronger likelihood of these being upheld. The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman received 17,452 complaints last year, up from 16,823 the year before. While fewer detailed investigations were carried out, 57% of these led to the complaint being upheld, up from 54%. The Housing Ombudsman, which oversees social landlords, received 2,067 complaints against local authorities (up from 1,741). Maladministration was found in 29% of determinations involving councils, up from 28% in 2016-17. Local Government Ombudsman Michael King says the grievances investigated by his office are more serious than before, with many involving systemic failure rather than just poor service for individuals. This is often down to councils cutting corners or looking for cheaper ways to deliver services, including outsourcing. ‘Increasingly the complaints we uphold are about systemic error driven by local authorities looking to save money,’ he says. ‘We are
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finding local authorities telling us they can’t do things in the way they want because they don’t have the resources.’ Social care and homelessness have taken over from planning as the services most likely to feature in complaints. It is not unusual for councils to be criticised over charges for adult social care or for education, health and care plans drawn up for children with special educational needs. Homelessness complaints may uncover people living in Dickensian conditions, says King, as well as councils colluding with landlords over unlawful evictions. ‘There are small district councils that are not used to dealing with this,’ he adds. About one third of determinations by the Housing Ombudsman in 2017/18 involved councils. Thirty-nine per cent of complaints against local authorities were upheld, compared with 44% made against housing associations. Councils and housing associations had predicted an
increase in complaints due to welfare cuts and reduced rent income. Last month’s social housing green paper calls on social landlords to investigate and resolve grievances sooner. The ombudsman is encouraging landlords to improve procedures, so complaints by tenants are more likely to be resolved internally. ‘Where people see complaints procedures working, they’re more inclined to use them,’ says interim Housing Ombudsman David Connolly. By and large, says Michael King, councils against which complaints are upheld ‘take it on the chin’ and make efforts to improve. In May, North Tyneside agreed to backpay 171 special guardians, who look after children on behalf of parents, after the ombudsman found the council had been underpaying since at least 2010. But is the increase in complaints part of a shift in culture where customers are more inclined to seek redress for shoddy service? King says not, believing that people require ‘tenacity’ to
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make a complaint through an ombudsman. Very often, they are not only thinking of themselves but want others to enjoy better service in future. ‘People raising concerns about public services is not just a quick fi x,’ he says. ‘It should be about public accountability and how people engage with the state.’ n
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman received 17,452 complaints last year. This is an increase of 16,823 complaints from the year before. Detailed investigations led to 57% of complaints being upheld.
September 2018
Outsourcing is becoming a far more perilous market for local government to invest in, and with the downward turns of several outsourcing firms making headlines, Ciara Cook takes a look at the forecast for the sector.
W
ith Carillion’s compulsory liquidation earlier this year costing the public purse an estimated £7bn, there have been many questions raised on whether tax payers are getting a fair deal when it comes to outsourcing. The UK’s public sector outsourcing market is worth billions and is one of the largest in the world, second only to its American counterpart. Sharing the profits of this is an ever shrinking group of businesses that continue to win contracts by offering cheap prices that can’t be matched by smaller companies. However, last year, amid shocking profit warnings and losses for a number of outsourcing companies – local authorities have started to try to move away from the, as before unquestioned norm of outsourcing on the local government stage. Or at least talking about it, but does this translate when looking at the figures? In 2017 the outsourcing giants Mitie, Interserve and Capita all reported losses of £4m, £244m and £513m respectively. With Amey seeing their profits drop to £12.9m, down by 77% from 2016. These businesses that have grown exponentially and who we rely on for services ranging from healthcare to transport to prisons, are now faltering which could have consequences across the country, especially in the local government sector. Forecasts for the amount being spent by local authorities until 2022 on a number of outsourcing companies seem to loosely support the rhetoric we are hearing from a number of bodies about moving away from outsourcing. Amey, however is the only one of the group who – on its current trajectory, would see a rise in the amount local authorities pay it. Although only slight, this does buck the trend and shows a positive for the possible future for outsourcing. Compared to the other three Amey’s reliance on those infrequent, big contracts is negligible. They maintain their month by month spending fairly regularly
September 2018
rather than the high peaks and low troughs you see with Capita, Mitie and Interserve. But, due to PFIs and the length of some of the contracts that local authorities enter into with these companies, it may be that we are yet to see the true impact that blows such as the Carillion collapse, and the profit warnings will have on these contracts.
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Capita, Mitie and Interserve are predicted to see a decline in local government contract payments, with Mitie showing the steepest decline in spending. For Mitie, they will be much more dependent on securing those infrequent, large contracts in order to maintain any meaningful stake in the local government sector.
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News feature
invoices. As companies dealing with large contracts we would expect to see this – and this is a pattern replicated by the other businesses mentioned above.
“Capita, Mitie and Interserve are predicted to see a decline in local government contract payments, with Mitie showing the steepest decline in spending.”
Shock to the system?
However, within this top 25% only five individual local authorities have been invoiced, representing 6.6% of their total authorities invoiced. This is compared to Capita who also have 92.5% of the money in the top 25% of invoices, however they have 224 local authorities invoiced at this level – representing 64% of the total local authorities invoiced. This shows the heavy reliance on PFIs with just a few authorities. Any mistakes or unforeseen circumstances in these contracts would spell disaster for Amey and the organisations they serve. They would feel the full effects of just one of these local authorities no longer using their business for outsourcing contracts. This shows a reliance on a system that does not have a lot of competition and where contracts are all but guaranteed. If a change in culture is indeed happening, businesses such as Amey may have to rethink the way in which they structure their local government sector contracts. n
Data collected using MYB Public Spend: •
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However, this uncertainty could drive more of a competitive market in bids on the local level which would see the outsourcing market return to the original design it was supposed to achieve. A competitive market driving up standards and money efficiency. Take for instance Amey and Capita, they have a combined annual turnover of £6.4bn.
www.LocalGov.co.uk
This makes it very hard for other companies to outbid them, reducing competition. There then becomes no incentive for these business to develop sustainable plans because the market simply does not force them to. Looking closer at local government spending with Amey we see that 96.6% of all their money comes from the top 25% of
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•
To download the full report Local Authority Spending On Outsourcing July 2018 please go to www.mybpublicspend.com
September 2018
News feature
The future of the high street Tiffany Cloynes and Gillian Duckworth explore how councils can support the increasingly fragile high street, finding out why Sheffield City Council has put itself at the forefront of centre shopping development.
S
ince the decline of major retailers such as Woolworths in 2008 and then, more recently, BHS, there has been an everincreasing number of high street retailers facing difficulties. This year alone has seen House of Fraser, Mothercare and Marks & Spencer announce plans to close stores alongside a number of well-established chains closing down altogether. It has been estimated that since 2008, 11,000 high street outlets have gone under with at least 35,000 retail jobs lost or put at risk of redundancy this year alone. So, what has caused the high street to suffer? How does it affect the local community? And what can be done by local authorities to support the increasingly fragile high street? Reasons for the continuing decline of the high street include; the growth of online retailers, ever increasing business rates (a propertybased tax affecting only those with physical
September 2018
stores), the introduction of out-of-town retail parks and increased costs of city centre parking. Changes in spending habits since the recession have also played a part, with people still cautious about overspending and using any spare cash on leisure activities and holidays as opposed to retail. Thriving retail developments can play an important role in maintaining healthy and successful communities, so the decline of the high street and closure of many retailers continues to have an impact on local communities through the loss of jobs and opportunities for local people, and a loss of community cohesion. In many towns, once vibrant centres are now shadows of what they were, with many units empty and boarded up, causing investment to slow, and people to abandon the area. Last month central Government announced the appointment of a panel of experts to
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diagnose issues currently affecting the health of our high streets and to advise on the best practical measures to help them thrive. The review will look at the current challenges and work out options to ensure our town centres remain vibrant. A local authority might be able to assist in developing and shaping its high street in a variety of ways. The extent of their involvement will depend on the needs and requirements of their particular area and their appetite to intervene. Ways in which a local authority could assist include: • Considering applications for planning permission for retail development; • Being a landowner of site(s), which could be developed for retail and possibly other uses to supplement the retail market; • Distributing funding to third parties to assist with the development of the high street; and
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News feature
• Acquisition of parts of the high street to enable
the local authority to be actively involved in its management and future sustainability. A local authority should take a strategic approach to city centre development and management to achieve an environment which is best suited to the current and future needs of its community. An area that was developed many years ago may have limited attraction to a community that does much of its shopping online but might be keen to have access to work opportunities and cultural and leisure facilities in a city centre. The obligations imposed by the Well-being of Future (Generations) (Wales) Act 2015 makes it particularly necessary for Welsh public bodies to take account of the impact of their actions on future generations, and it would also be reasonable for English local authorities to do so. Expanding the high street to more than just retail has been key in redefining some high streets to ensure they can continue to be sustainable. Increasing the number of restaurants, and leisure and cultural activities around retail has been found to help attract visitors and encourage them to stay in cities for longer. In addition, research has shown that in strong city centres, the dominance of office space provides greater footfall each day for retailers and leisure businesses while city
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centres dominated by shops struggle to provide enough daily footfall on their own. Whatever the nature of the local authority’s involvement, there will be a number of legal considerations to bear in mind. Firstly, a local authority needs to ensure it takes reasonable decisions. This means it must consider all relevant matters, disregard irrelevant factors, observe procedural requirements, act for proper purposes and not act in bad faith. Disposals of land will be subject to the requirement for the local authority to obtain the best consideration reasonably obtainable (unless it falls within the general consent) together with any other specific requirements for particular types of land i.e. open space or assets of community value. Public procurement and state aid rules will need to be considered if the local authority is considering entering into a contract with a third party for the provisions of services, goods or works. Sheffield City Council has shown just how their continued input into their high street in developing the cultural and leisure community as well the retail has helped it to flourish. Sheffield was at the forefront of centre shopping development with the Meadowhall complex (at the time the second largest in the country and soon due to be expanded to the fourth largest).
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The council also had plans with a developer for large scale retail development in its city centre but those were put on hold with the financial crisis in 2008, but the city council did not stand still, putting its focus into encouraging development of non-high street sectors, bringing disused and run-down industrial buildings back into use, particularly around the universities, and attracting diverse independent retailers. It also rejuvenated its public spaces including creating the Golden Route from the rail station, the award-winning Grey to Green and Sheffield’s forthcoming Knowledge Gateway to encourage private development. Relocation of the city’s main market led to redevelopment of the Moor, a shopping area that had been in decline for a number of years, which is now also home to a cinema complex and restaurants. Although the pause caused by market crash was not welcomed progress is now being made at pace with Sheffield City Council in a prime position through its Heart of the City Two development to provide the resilient mixed-use city centre that retail needs for the future. n Tiffany Cloynes is partner at Geldards and Gillian Duckworth is director of legal and governance at Sheffield City Council
September 2018
Finance
Facing up to financial distress Christian Wall outlines the top actions that local authorities could take in order to address the financial pressures they currently face.
N
o article about cuts made by local authorities and their financial distress is complete without numerous quotes and comments attributing the woes of the sector to ‘town hall bureaucrats’ and related ills. Such comments are generally due to ignorance, but officers and councillors are often little better. Hackney’s S114 notice reflected senior officers’ refusal to accept the gravity of the situation. That some councillors in Northamptonshire have opposed all cuts despite two S114 notices, shows that even in the face of the sector’s worst financial crisis to date, perceptions of reality varies markedly. Although it is difficult not to decry such views, the temptation should be avoided. They reflect failings by an authority, whether it be budgeting, decision making or communication. Faced with financial problems, whether contemplating emergency measures or long term challenges, the immediate task is to prepare a robust 5-10 year baseline budget projection for both revenue and capital to quantify and demonstrate the long term magnitude of the challenges. This baseline must avoid heroic assumptions and assume no budget changes beyond those currently planned. It has to include structural issues such as maintenance backlogs, pension deficits and necessary investment. At best, failure to include such issues means the authority will find itself in a similar position in the future, probably with greater long term problems. Presentation and narrative are critical. If there was any doubt, Northamptonshire’s plight has shown that securing the understanding and buy-in of all the critical stakeholders inside and outside a council is critical. The baseline must be presented clearly and visually: most people are not able to decipher and comprehend complex tables of tiny numbers in a report written by a computer to be understood by a calculator. Councillors and MPs need it explained until they all understand the challenges - most will and do, and need encouragement to set aside petty politics. Similarly, senior officers and management from all services need to accept
September 2018
“Once savings are identified and the baseline budget turned into a sustainable financial plan, a council must consult, particularly with residents and contractors.” the problems and if they cannot, necessary changes have to be made. Partners, particularly other local authorities, the NHS and external service providers need to comprehend matters and that there will likely be changes to services and funding. In parallel, the council should benchmark its services against statutory requirements and if it has not done so, determine the outcomes that matter most to it and residents. Done properly, this must exploit different means of communication to reach different audiences and avoid bias. Modern market research techniques are extremely useful and improve results. Matching prioritised outcomes to statutory requirements and current service levels provides a firm basis for targeted savings. Amidst all this work, staff must not be neglected. Redundancies are terrible for
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the staff affected, but lack of engagement, poor management and bad HR practices can greatly harm an organisation for many years. Middle managers and staff are a fantastic, but oft neglected source of savings that do not harm services. At the very least, they must be consulted and managed well. Once savings are identified and the baseline budget turned into a sustainable financial plan, a council must consult, particularly with residents and contractors. Not only is securing support necessary, proper consultation negates most threats of judicial review and legal challenge. Faced with emergency cuts and panic measures, most people will respond with anger and opposition, but given full information ahead of time and involvement in planning, the same parties are much more likely to accept even swingeing cuts and contract changes. Financial planning and budgeting maybe tedious, but the financial outlook remains grim and may not improve. All councils are financially constrained, but while there is no magic wand, crises are rarely inevitable. Northamptonshire lurched into a crisis, but others in similar straights have not. A council that has done all it can financially and done it well, is likely to remain stable for longer and in a much better position to secure help from the Government. n Christian Wall is director of PFM UK
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Legal
A missed opportunity? The Mental Health (Amendment) Bill should soften financial and operational pressure on local authorities, but it will still leave them open to legal exposure, argues Morris Hill.
O
n July 17th the Mental Health (Amendment) Bill had its second reading in the House of Lords. The draft legislation, based on a Law Commission report, is designed to streamline the authorisation process for depriving someone of their liberty when they lack the capacity to consent to the arrangements for their care. It aims to make the process less taxing on families, carers and local authorities. Yet, in the absence of a review of the appropriate judicial body for determining challenges to authorisations depriving a person of their liberty, the Bill retains the current practice of such challenges being brought in the Court of Protection. Given the complex and sensitive nature of individual cases, this is often a costly and protracted process for all parties concerned, in particular local authorities, which defend the challenges to their authorisations. A review of the process needs to be expedited and changes included in the Bill as soon as possible – especially if its headline benefits are to be delivered. When the legislation was tabled by the Government it was welcomed with relief. The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) which it proposes to replace have been criticised as not being fit for purpose since coming into force. Currently, councils are responsible for assessing whether a person lacks capacity to consent to care arrangements that deprive them of their liberty and whether those arrangements are in a person’s best interests. This operational strain has created significant difficulties for councils, not to mention a
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“Deprivation of liberty is a sensitive but essential aspect of the care we give society’s most vulnerable people. ” considerable financial burden and a huge backlog of cases awaiting consideration. When the Bill was debated in the House of Lords, one Liberal Democrat peer claimed that 120,000 people were currently waiting for authorisation under the DoLS. Those individuals are, potentially, being unlawfully deprived of their liberty. The Bill will address this by dividing responsibility more evenly and reducing the requirement for repeat assessments. Instead of relying on the supervision and final decision of councils, Clinical Commissioning Groups (or Health Boards in Wales), hospital
managers will undertake the assessments themselves – leaving councils as the responsible body tasked with managing the process in all other cases, such as for those in care homes, supported living schemes and people’s own homes. How this will work in practice is still being ironed out. In the House of Lords, concerns were raised over the proposed system’s ability to act in the best interests of individuals, the circumstances that constitute a deprivation of liberty and what credentials the person charged with authorising the deprivation must have. Putting these valid points to one side,
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however, from a local authority’s perspective, whatever the new system eventually looks like, it should still see operational and financial pressure reduced. To build on this progress and honour the broader aims of the Bill, legislators should ensure the legal challenges that often accompany deprivation of liberty authorisation should be efficient, less formal and proportionate. The Law Commission suggested there should be a review of the appropriate judicial body for determining challenges to authorisations of deprivation of liberty under the proposed Liberty Protection Safeguards, and that it should form part of the wider ‘Transforming our justice system’ review. The hope is that such a review would establish a dedicated tribunal to handle these specialist challenges. It could be staffed by experts from a range of backgrounds and be free from the formality and onerous processes of a courtroom environment. This could potentially speed up decision-making, make the option of disputing the deprivation of liberty more accessible to individuals affected by it and ensure the process is less demanding on authorising bodies. Deprivation of liberty is a sensitive but essential aspect of the care we give society’s most vulnerable people. The legal framework that supports it should allow the process to be conducted efficiently, effectively and without undue strain on councils, the individuals at the heart of the process and their families, friends and carers. n Morris Hill is an associate in national law firm Weightmans’ public bodies practice
September 2018
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10/09/2018 16:03
The VAR revolution
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Toby Hayward-Butcher is a public sector expert at PA Consulting
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www.LocalGov.co.uk
Technology often enables better outcomes, rather than being an outcome itself. For example, the implementation of a new care records system within a local council might increase functionality, but that doesn’t mean the quality of care will necessarily increase as well. Similarly, many thought the introduction of VAR would end controversy in the game. However, far from being a panacea that settles every debate, VAR has added a new talking point to the referee’s subjective, human decisions. The innovative Argenti telecare partnership, which delivers adult social care on behalf of Hampshire County Council and is led by
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F
ootball fans will know that one of the most contentious talking points of the FIFA World Cup has been the introduction of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR). For the uninitiated, the VAR is an extra referee (plus several assistants) who can advise, via video replay, of major refereeing decisions in a football match. The digital agenda and the rapid proliferation of new technologies across local government means there will only be more technologyenabled change programmes in the coming years. And, as with VAR, it’s the way change is brought in that will be the decisive factor in its success.
PA Consulting, has transformed peoples’ lives by using technology to remotely care for adults. We find the right technology to deliver the most benefit to each individual, focusing on their needs. In the first four years, the partnership has 8600 active users, with 98% happy to recommend the service to others. It has also made net savings of £7.1m. The success of this work depended on an outcomes-first approach that looked to empower people to live as independently as possible. Only when we defined the goals did we turn to the technology that made them a reality. This approach doesn’t just follow the shiniest new piece of kit, but applies the most appropriate technology, old or new, to deliver lasting results. For example, we recently trialled Amazon’s Alexa with Hampshire residents. The consumer device
w.
.u co
Toby Hayward-Butcher explains what VAR can teach us about technology-driven transformation in local government.
is used to remind individuals to take medication, make calls to the hospital in an emergency and in turn gives family members or carers piece of mind that their loved one is safe. Much of the debate around VAR has focused on the lack of clarity about its application, rather than the technology itself. This suggests the primary issue is the infrastructure of rules and expectations built around the technology and those who use it. There are key lessons for local government here. It’s not unusual for new IT systems to be introduced in councils only for staff to quickly revert to old ways of working, use the new system inconsistently or find workarounds. In many ways, implementing the technology is the easy part. It’s driving the changes in behaviour that enable that technology to work effectively that takes the most careful management. Technology-enabled change significantly disrupts how people work. In this context, there will always be sceptics who need to be won over. Perhaps the problem with VAR at the World Cup has been its lack of previous testing in less important international games. With the fans’ limited exposure to the technology on such a big stage, confusion has been magnified. So, it’s important for councils that are introducing technologyenabled change to start small and build a compelling evidence base in a low-risk environment before scaling fast. n
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8 16:03
IT & technology
September 2018
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IT & technology
A digital reimagination If a Victorian time-traveller landed in 2018, there is plenty that would leave them scratching their heads. However, one thing that they would be able to navigate relatively easily is our public services — at least according to the Better Public Services manifesto. Here, Graham Smith explores how realistic this manifesto is.
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etter Public Services: A Manifesto and the accompanying green paper were launched at The Institute for Government in March 2018. Both documents examine the state of our public services and why many attempts at digitalisation to date have been lacklustre at best. According to the manifesto, much of the problem is that local authorities are investing time and resources into technology that merely papers over a system that is too outdated to be effective in an internet-enabled landscape. As the green paper states: ‘A Victorian civil servant awakening from a lengthy slumber would find the way our public sector still works comfortably familiar: largely centralised, hierarchical and organisation centric.’
common components. The green paper states that ‘our public services currently operate in hundreds of separate silos and islands of duplicated activities and costs’. By developing a horizontal, modular approach, all local authorities could draw on the same, standardised systems, instead of duplicating effort from region to region. One example of how this is already proving successful in the document is NHS Jobs. A shift from regional job pages to a single, national job service for the NHS has saved the NHS £1bn since its launch in 2003.
Automation of the past
Demand better
The manifesto points out that attempts to digitise and automate the current public service system are ultimately in vain. Creating a system that is connected to the internet is not enough — success comes from being an active part of the internet. Citing the success of organisations such as Amazon, Uber and Airbnb, the green paper outlines how the sector can learn from such open and modular structures. The manifesto suggests that there needs to be a complete restructuring of the public sector to shift from the outdated vertical model and become a ‘LEGO Government’. Put simply, a government which uses a more modular structure with
As well as shaking up government, the authors want to shake up the public too. Part of the problem of ineffectual public services is that our standards are set relatively low. This creeping normality and the acceptance of poor public services must end. Instead of accepting the current situation, people should demand a reimagined public sector that is built on open source systems that work easily with other services they use, such as PayPal.
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Access to skills
could be something that would revolutionise the country. There are plenty of hurdles to getting this plan off the ground though, including access to skills. A study by the British Chambers of Commerce found that 75% of UK businesses experienced a digital skills shortage in their workforce. In addition, the UK Commission for Employment and Skills reported in 2017 that 43%of science, engineering, technology and maths (STEM) vacancies were hard to fill due to a lack of qualified candidates. Having one central source of digital programmes and tools contributes to shrinking this skills gap, and there will be much less reliance on trying to source IT professionals that specialise in niche programmes. In the meantime, these projects will rely on specially sourced IT talent before they can come to fruition. It’s too soon to say whether Better Public Services: A Manifesto sets out a realistic goal. However, it is very exciting and will present a great challenge to the UK’s IT talent pool if the authors can garner enough support. Of course, that Victorian time-traveller won’t be happy, but you can’t please everyone, can you? n
There’s no question that the proposed changes are incredibly ambitious. However, with the right backing, and support from political parties, this
Graham Smith is head of marketing of leading Microsoft recruitment partner, Curo Talent
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September 2018
Victoria Brambini explains how local authorities can empower their supply chains through fair payment.
I
t is now more than seven months since the collapse of Carillion exposed the vulnerability of the supply chain in private and public sector construction projects. The events revealed not just how dependent small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are as suppliers to major Tier 1 contractors, but also just how important the trickle-down effect of work generated through public sector contracts is for small businesses and their financial stability. Not only were many SMEs largely dependent on those contracts, they were also made to wait for payment, some up to as long as 120 days, a shocking and wholly unacceptable delay. This was despite the Construction Supply Chain Payment Charter (CSCPC) targeting a maximum of 30 days for payment. It was a wake-up call for the industry, the public sector and policymakers, who are rightly concerned about the welfare of SMEs, which form the backbone of the British economy and enable the construction industry to deliver. It is now a legal requirement for all large companies to report on their payment terms for suppliers every six months, with the data published on the government’s payment practice portal. As part of its campaign on fair payment, Build UK recently published payment performance data for 24 of its 27 members, made up of some of the largest Tier 1 contractors in the country. Disappointingly, it revealed that none of these leading contractors had achieved an average payment time of 30 days, the target set out in the CSCPC and backed by government. Although there has been positive progress on fair payment practices within the construction industry in recent months, and the problem is at least now widely recognised, there clearly remains much more to do. Local authorities have a role to play in contributing to a drive for lasting change.
Councils as fair payment champions Sub-contractors on local authority projects are, in most cases, local SMEs and make a vital contribution to the local economy. By ensuring that their suppliers get a fair deal through the
September 2018
Fair payment champions contracts they commission, local authorities are better equipped to achieve their ultimate social and economic objectives for their communities. Local authorities are also uniquely placed to influence outcomes for the supply chain through their purchasing power. As fair payment champions, they can drive change across the supply chain through their construction projects. Many authorities are already doing this in a substantive way, not just by setting payment terms, but also through active involvement in the ongoing management of the supply chain during a project. For example, local authority clients can ensure that a Tier 1 contractor supports suppliers with prompt and regular payment, even whilst payment negotiations
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between the client and main contractor take place. Local authorities should also strive to do better than payment within 30 days. As set out in our recent Essential Infrastructure report, Scape is calling for a commitment from commissioning clients to ensure payments to Tier 1 contractors within 14 days, for contractors to pay Tier 2 suppliers within 19 days and Tier 3 suppliers within 23 days, improving upon the current requirements of the CSCPC. We know that this is possible, because we performance manage our framework delivery partners to meet these ambitious targets across the ÂŁ4.5bn of live commissions for our public sector clients across the UK. Currently 90% of payments to Tier 2 suppliers on Scape
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Procurement & efficiency
where public sector organisations are seeking to drive fair payment best practice. As well as introducing new methods, the public sector and the industry must work together to end unfair practices. Cash retentions are an outdated yet lingering practice on many construction projects, and should no longer need to be adopted; procuring contracts in a better way that assures quality removes the need for withholding payment. There is an ongoing public consultation on retentions, which is certainly a positive step in the right direction, but retentions impact the livelihoods of people all over the UK, so the decision must be made with haste.
Now is the time for action Paying people fairly and in good time is critical to the survival of small businesses and to the long term future of our economy. As the industry and the public sector reflects on the lessons to be learned from the collapse of Carillion, we must acknowledge the role that all parties to contracts have in creating efficiencies and ensuring better outcomes for SMEs. What has become clear is that the public sector, and in particular local authorities, should not rely entirely on the private sector to ensure better management and support for supply chains. By endeavouring to become fair payment champions, local authorities can empower local suppliers and drive substantive change. With Brexit on the horizon, we can expect a sustained period of economic uncertainty to continue. Now more than ever, local authorities must provide stability and certainty for their supply chains through fair payment practices. n Victoria Brambini is managing director at Scape Procure frameworks are made within 19 days, and where not achieved we work closely with our framework partners on improvement plans. These include improvements to contractors’ systems and processes, which can in turn benefit the entire supply chain if adopted.
Innovation through procurement As well as setting ambitious payment terms, local authorities are also driving change through innovative procurement methods that support SMEs. E-invoicing is a way to speed up payment, and has been successfully adopted by a number of local authorities. If this digital approach were to become a more accepted practice as part of councils’ transformation plans, it would help to
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deliver efficiencies for both client and supplier. As suggested by the European Commission, the adoption of e-invoicing by the public sector could also act as a catalyst for the wider economy, by encouraging the use of digital practices within the supply chain. Project bank accounts are yet another way in which councils could support their supply chain. By putting funds into a single account from which subcontractors can draw down, clients can ensure all parts of the supply chain receive their payment much more quickly. Project bank accounts do require a change in administrative procedure for clients, and although used by organisations such as Crossrail and Highways England, there remain some practical barriers to their use. However they are a good example of
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September 2018
Built environment
Is the new deal also a good one? The government’s long-awaited social housing green paper may have promised a ‘new deal’ for the sector, but what will it actually mean for local authorities? Neil Merrick reports.
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he good news is the Government finally appears to be recognising the importance of social housing. Jolted by last year’s fire at Grenfell Tower, it makes it clear in the social housing green paper that something must be done to remove the stigma felt by tenants at the same time as more homes are built for social rent. In 2016/17, 5,900 homes were built by housing associations and local authorities in England for social rent, down from 39,560 in 2010/11. Not that you would know this from reading from the green paper, published on August 14. Instead, while talking about building a new generation of council homes, the paper makes little effort to distinguish between social housing and housing for affordable rent (up to 80% of local market rents). Nevertheless, it promises councils more flexibility in spending right to buy receipts and confirms they will not be required to sell high value stock or to offer fixed-term tenancies to new tenants - both included in the 2016 Housing and Planning Act but never brought into force. ‘It’s a sea change. A change in direction,’ says John Bibby, chief
September 2018
executive of the Association of Retained Council Housing (Arch). ‘It will create much more certainty for local authorities in terms of developing new build plans.’ On right to buy (RTB), the green paper admits the one to one replacement target set in 2012 when right to buy discounts were increased is likely to be missed for the foreseeable future. In addition to proposing a wider target, based on all sales of social and affordable housing and new homes built by both councils and housing associations, it offers some flexibility on RTB receipts. Receipts already accrued may be spent over five years instead of three, while in areas with high property values, receipts could be used to cover 50% of building costs not 30%, so reducing borrowing. The Government is also suggesting receipts could be combined with grant from the Affordable Homes Programme. From 2020, councils can raise rents (after four years of 1% cuts). Not only will there be more certainty, says Bibby, but in the long run councils should build faster and possibly spend RTB receipts in the same year as homes are sold. The Chartered Institute of
Housing welcomed many of the options for RTB receipts but wishes the Government had gone further and said councils can keep all money raised. ‘The Treasury needs to stop taking a share of receipts,’ says David Pipe, policy and practice officer at the CIH. Also, despite the positive things the green paper says about social housing, Pipe is concerned the Government still regards it as a stepping stone to home ownership rather than a long-term option. ‘We would like to see the Government talking about social housing on par with other tenures,’ he adds. Among ways the Government suggests removing the stigma around social housing are street parties and neighbourhood competitions. Throughout the paper, it refers to people renting from social landlords as ‘residents’ rather than tenants.
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There is a strong focus on holding landlords to account, not just over the safety of buildings but other grievances. A review of social housing regulation could see a return to something closer to the situation prior to 2010, with councils and housing associations judged on customer service. But this time, somewhat controversially, landlords may be competing for placings in league tables compiled by the regulator. Eamon McGoldrick, managing director of the National Association of Arm’s Length Management Organisations, says the paper effectively signals the failure of localism, but adds that ‘nobody is talking about going back to the Audit Commission days’. The Government, he says, has put the ball firmly in the court of local authorities when it comes to p27> delivering better service
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maintenance. Paul Thompson, Marketing Manager at Saint-Gobain PAM, comments: “Flooding on the road networks is becoming more and more common as we see heavier rainfall due to changing
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September 2018
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8 16:27
Built environment
Main proposals in the green paper: • League tables of social landlords (including councils) based on customer satisfaction and other performance indicators;
• No sale of high value stock by local authorities;
• Some flexibility over use of right to buy receipts;
• Continued lifetime tenancies for new council tenants;
• More opportunity for residents to
raise concerns about building safety, with faster resolution of complaints;
• Reviews of standards for social housing and social housing regulation; and
• Possible transfers of new
housing from councils to housing associations.
and, if granted additional borrowing headroom, building homes more quickly. Councils, he adds, should accept their housing departments, or Almos, are open to scrutiny in the same way as other services. ‘Care homes know the Care and Quality Commission is around. Schools know that Ofsted is around. Local authority housing departments don’t know if anyone is around,’ says McGoldrick. David Pipe supports consistency in the way councils and housing associations are regulated, but warns that, depending on the indicators
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used, league tables may lead to landlords chasing scores based on ‘crude measures’ of performance. The Local Government Association said the paper represents a small step towards delivering more social housing but called for radical measures such as scrapping debt caps. No new money is promised by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government while caps are likely to remain in place for many councils. There are also major doubts over how right to
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buy discounts for tenants of housing association will be funded now the government has ruled out councils selling high value stock. A pilot scheme involving associations in the Midlands was confirmed by the MHCLG alongside the green paper. Overall, the paper continues a trend of the government casting aside swathes of earlier Conservative housing policy. Other u-turns since 2016 include funding of supported housing, starter homes, withdrawal of housing benefit for under 21s and the use of local housing allowance rates to set housing benefit in social housing. Maybe there is even a glimmer of hope ahead? ‘It’s an awful long time since we’ve had a prime minister of either political party say they want to see a new generation of council housing,’ says John Bibby. Only time will tell whether such a vision unlikely for the past two decades - comes to fruition. n
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September 2018
Built environment
A ‘wake-up call’ for the sector With figures showing thousands of older people are living in hazardous homes, William Eichler finds out what can be done to provide more suitable accommodation for the UK’s ageing population.
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lot of ink has been spilled discussing the housing and social care crises. But the question of suitable accommodation for the elderly, an issue that sits at the intersection between the two areas, is less often discussed, despite the fact it is a pressing challenge for a country with an ageing population, a struggling social care system, and an inadequate supply of houses. A report published in July by the charity Centre for Ageing Better shows that the number of households occupied by over 65s has ‘increased dramatically’ since 2008, while at the same time many older people are still living in homes deemed hazardous, in disrepair, or too cold. Based on data from the latest English Housing Survey (EHS), a national survey of people’s housing circumstances in England, the report found there had been a 1.1 million increase in households occupied by someone aged 65 and over during the last decade. This amounts to a 20% rise. The survey also found the number of over 65s renting privately had increased by 61% in 10 years, from 257,000 (4.7%) in 2008 to 414,000 (6.3%) today. The number of older people renting in the social sector dropped from 20% to 16% in the same period. The survey data also revealed, according to the Centre for Ageing Better, an ‘unacceptable number’ of people living in poor housing conditions. More than a fifth of homes in which the oldest person is 75 or older do not meet the national decent homes standard - the minimum standard council and housing association homes are required to meet by the Government. Nearly 12% of over 75s’ homes pose a serious threat to the health or safety of people living in or visiting the home. Around 6.3% of over 75s’ homes have excess cold and 12.7% do not have boilers. In the private-rented sector, more than one in three (35.9%) of over 65s’ households are considered ‘poor housing’ - a home that has
September 2018
serious damp or mould, is non-decent, or has substantial disrepair. ‘These figures should be a wake-up call for the whole housing sector,’ says Dr Rachael Docking, senior evidence manager at Centre for Ageing Better. ‘As it stands, we are failing to do what’s needed to help people to live independently and in their own home. Millions of older people are trapped in unsuitable homes which are cold, in disrepair and inaccessible.’ The charity argues it would not cost a lot to remedy this. Nearly half (47%) of the homes in which people over 75 live that are in disrepair would cost nothing to repair, they said, and over a third (35.6%) would cost less than £1 per 20 square metres. Such adaptations would have a huge impact on a person’s health, wellbeing and independence which would, in turn, ease the burden on the adult social care system and the NHS. The Government attempted to address this issue in August. It said an extra £228m will be allocated for the next three years for the Care and Support Specialised Housing Fund. Launched in 2012, this fund provides supported or specialised housing designed to be accessible and aid independent living. ‘This programme provides a vital life line for some of the most vulnerable people in society to live their own lives in a home that works for
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them,’ the minister for care, Caroline Dinenage, said. Cllr Izzi Seccombe, chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, welcomed the announcement, but emphasised that Whitehall had to provide councils with ‘urgent funding’ so that they could ‘invest in effective prevention work to support independent living and reduce the need for people to be admitted to hospital in the first place.’ The Government must, in other words, address the adult social care crisis. n
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Public realm
Saving Britain’s bees
Sophie Hamnett urges local authorities to adopt pollinator action plans, which could help save them money as well as protecting the country’s bees.
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cross the UK forward-thinking councils are playing a crucial role in boosting our beleaguered bee populations. Councils such as Devon, Monmouthshire and Newcastle are among a pioneering group of local authorities that have introduced pollinator action plans, and a number of others are busy drawing one up. And councils are discovering that some policies aren’t just good for bees - they can save tens of thousands of pounds too. Britain’s bees are in decline. Since 1900, the UK has lost 11 species of bee, and a further 35 are considered at risk of extinction. Other pollinators too, such as moths and butterflies, are also demonstrating steep reductions. The threats are numerous: pesticide-use, disease, climate change and habitat loss - 97% of our flower rich meadows have disappeared since the 1930’s. With their wide-ranging responsibilities, services and land-holdings local authorities are in a unique position to help safeguard our native pollinators. Although many have introduced policies and initiatives aimed at boosting pollinator numbers, a comprehensive action plan enables local authorities to make a significant difference. Introducing a plan needn’t be a massive undertaking, but does need involvement across the local authority, and should sit alongside other initiatives such as local biodiversity action plans, greenspace and green infrastructure strategies.
September 2018
There are a number of principles and actions that can be applied across council projects, assets and decision-making to ensure pollinators are protected and allowed to thrive. One of the key areas is planning. This can be used to protect pollinators by avoiding development on sites that are particularly beneficial to them. Existing plans and policy should also be reviewed to make sure habitats are recognised and adequately protected. Steps can also be taken to ensure that new development results in net gain for bees and other pollinators. Another important area is the sympathetic management of local wildlife sites, parks, roadside verges and other green space. Reviewing parks management and looking for new opportunities to manage land is essential. This could include reviewing pesticide policies, allowing wildflowers to bloom naturally and reducing mowing on roadside verges. Councils are also in a great position to encourage others to take action too: Raising awareness, offering advice and working with local people schools, businesses, local communities and residents. Around 87% of UK households have a garden and estimates suggest that private gardens cover an area about the size of one-fifth of Wales – lots of space to create pollinator-friendly habitat. One of the councils championing pollinators is Dorset County Council. Its action plan focuses on changing the cutting of hedges to offer more food and shelter for bees, implementing
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planting schemes for wildflowers, trees and shrubs that are beneficial to pollinators, and reducing pesticide use. ‘We are very proud to be one of the first local authorities to produce and implement a pollinator action plan’, says Dr Annabel King, senior ecologist at Dorset County Council. ‘The plan has enabled us to make significant savings - we save around £93k a year by only cutting rural road verges when needed, allowing wildflowers and grasses to flower and set seed.’ And Dorset isn’t unique. Other councils, such as Burnley and Monmouthshire also save tens of thousands of pounds annually through beefriendly grass-cutting practices Taking action is also popular with the public. Last year a Friends of the Earth and Buglife survey found nearly two thirds of the public wanted councils to do more to help bees, and over 80% backed calls for areas of grass to be cut less often in parks and roadside verges to allow wild flowers to grow. It’s extremely encouraging to see a number of councils at the forefront of efforts to protect our precious pollinators – but we need more to act. Friends of the Earth and Buglife have produced a guide for councils on drawing up a pollinator action plan. Visit https://cdn.friendsoftheearth. uk/sites/default/files/downloads/Helping%20 pollinators%20locally.pdf n Sophie Hamnett is from Friends of the Earth
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Highways
Procurement problems The latest Highways/FiTZ INDEX survey has revealed deep concerns within the highways sector about the nature of procurement. Dominic Browne reports on the findings.
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he latest Highways/FiTZ INDEX survey has revealed deep concerns within the sector about the nature of procurement, especially its ability to foster innovation, take on and share risk, bring in new entrants and support SMEs. However, while there is a feeling procurement itself is not evolving there are signs the sector itself is ready to take steps to drive change. Less than one in five members of the roads sector (19.8%) feel that procurement satisfies its needs and only a third feel public sector strategies are evolving towards more satisfactory outcomes, the survey has revealed. The majority of respondents (54.3%) disagreed or strongly disagreed that ‘procurement in the highways sector is fair for non-Tier One suppliers and for new entrants’. No one strongly agreed with the statement. And 79% strongly agreed or agreed that ‘procurement has, intentionally or otherwise, actually driven more risk averse behaviours from suppliers over the last five years’. No respondent strongly disagreed. There was ambivalence over whether public sector procurement strategies evolve from one contract period to the next, and are progressing towards more satisfactory shared sector outcomes. Few respondents had strong feelings one way or another, but 39.5% disagreed or strongly disagreed – an exact third (33.3%) strongly agreed or agreed. The survey asked: ‘Do you feel your organisation is willing to embrace a new model of service delivery – such as the Project 13’s Enterprise Model – as opposed to the traditional client contractor model?’ Encouragingly, close to half the respondents (45.7%) said yes to such a major change. However almost one in ten (9.9%) said no and 44.4% were unsure. The fact that so many remain unconvinced of the potential for change leaves questions for the whole sector to answer. As part of the survey, respondents were
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asked to suggest changes that need to be made to improve procurement in the sector. Common themes developed around the large cost, and lengthy time involved in the process and a lack of transparency preventing more genuine collaboration.
Respondents also suggested that action needed to be taken to help new entrants and SMEs compete for work and provide more innovation in the market. A lack of skills and clarity over desired outcomes in the public sector was also raised a number of times. n
The FiTZ INDEX reveals emphatic agreement that current practice is driving the wrong behaviours, and achieving the wrong results, Brian Fitzpatrick writes. The continued prolific use of frameworks, with stringent qualification criteria, means the same companies utilise financial muscle and track record to qualify, restricting new entrants and smaller organisations trying to bring in fresh thinking to the sector. The Project 13 initiative has an ambition to move away from transactional, cost driven procurement, but whether it will perpetuate the status quo is a key question in the minds of many. The Government now needs to lead serious reform in procurement – two thirds of respondents said the public sector should be responsible for driving change. 10 points for more effective procurement arise from the 2018 Index: 1. More, and less onerous, pre-qualification for SME’s 2. Identify price (not cost), and value over tick box bureaucracy
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3. Constrain the number of contracts bigger companies are allowed to bid for and/or win 4. Retain the commercial and technical involvement of the client. Collaboration never means giving up accountability 5. Bring the customer and end user need more to life in tenders and the way their satisfaction is measured 6. Fewer frameworks, more alternative procurement models, more variation in remuneration 7. Don’t reward failure, if a company bids low and cannot keep its promises, punish them 8. Standardise design and construction solutions to avoid re-inventing the wheel every scheme 9. Procurement professionals need to be accountable too. Less management and more collaboration with technical colleagues. 10. Measure the outcomes of tenders, incorporating that knowledge into the next set of documents.
September 2018
Adult social care
Kicking off the debate With the Government failing to produce its green paper on adult social care as promised, the Local Government Association has given up waiting and has published its own proposals for reforming the sector. William Eichler finds out more.
F
inding a sustainable way of funding adult social care is, unquestionably, one of the most pressing challenges facing councils at the moment. The care system is being squeezed by a reduction in central Government funding and an ageing population, and is teetering on the brink of collapse. With this looming over them, local government leaders have launched a consultation to find the best way of putting adult social care on a more financially stable footing. The facts of the crisis will be familiar to everyone. Since 2010, councils have had to bridge a £6bn funding shortfall just to keep the adult social care system going. And things are only going to get harder. The Local Government Association (LGA) estimates that adult social care services face a £3.5bn funding gap by 2025 and, again, this is just to maintain existing standards of care. It is estimated that adult social care currently accounts for nearly 40% of total council budgets. The UK has been ‘left behind’ when it comes to reforming the adult social care system. This, at any rate, was the conclusion of a recent report from the older persons charity Age UK. Comparing the different approaches to long-term care taken by Italy, Spain, France, Germany and Japan, the charity found that these other countries had ‘grasped the nettle’ of reform over the last quarter of century while the UK remained ‘broadly unchanged’, despite two government consultations, two official commissions, five green or white papers and one act of Parliament. The Government is planning on publishing another green paper in the coming months outlining its plans to solve the care crisis. In order to inform Whitehall’s approach, the LGA launched an eight-week consultation this July on a series of proposals to, as they put it, ‘kick-start a desperately-needed debate on how to pay for adult social care and rescue the services caring for older and disabled people from collapse.’
September 2018
The first proposal is to increase income tax for taxpayers of all ages. The LGA estimates 1p on the basic rate of income tax could raise £4.4bn in 2024/25. The consultation also suggests increasing national insurance contributions by 1p — a rise that could bring in £10.4bn in 2024/25. The LGA is also proposing the introduction of a social care premium. This would entail charging the over-40s and working pensioners an earmarked contribution which could be added, for example, to their National Insurance bill. If it was assumed everyone over 40 was able to pay the same amount (not the case where NI is concerned), raising £1bn would mean a cost of £33.40 for each person over 40 in 2024/25. The consultation also proposes means testing universal benefits and allowing councils to increase council tax. While tax rises are rarely popular, there is increasing recognition they may be necessary. According to a recent LGA survey, 89%
of councillors and lead members believe taxation must be part of the long-term solution to funding adult social care - a conclusion supported by a recent paper from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS). Two former Labour and Conservative ministers, working for the think tank IPPR, have also called on the Government to put 1p on National Insurance in order to help fund the health and social system. Cllr Izzi Seccombe, chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board, said this issue had been ‘kicked into the long grass’ by successive Governments for the past two decade, and this had pushed the adult social care system to ‘breaking point’. ‘We cannot duck this issue as a society any longer,’ she insists. ‘Our green paper is the start of a nationwide public debate about the future of care for all adults, and how best to support their wellbeing, and we encourage as many people and organisations to have their say on how we pay for it.’ n
n NEWS
24-hour care for elderly set to double The number of elderly people requiring 24-hour care is set to double by 2035, social care experts have warned. The report, published in The Lancet Public Health journal, found 446,000 people aged 85 and over will need round-the-clock care by 2035. It also predicted more than one million people aged 65 and over will require 24-hour care.
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Cllr Nick Forbes, senior vice chair of the Local Government Association, said: ‘With people living longer, increases in costs, decreases in funding, care providers closing and contracts being returned to councils, the system is at breaking point, ramping up pressures on unpaid carers who are the backbone of the care system.
www.LocalGov.co.uk
Advertorial
Dementia Connect A pioneering new service for anyone affected by dementia Helen Foster – Director of Operations, Alzheimer’s Society
T
he current social care crisis is a dementia crisis – three fifths of people using home care and 70% of people in care homes have dementia. Our latest report, Dementia – the true cost: Fixing the care crisis, calls for action from government on the cost, quality and access of care so that we can deliver the change that people affected by dementia deserve. I know frontline care staff are working as hard as they can but with a broken social care system, they don’t have the resources or training they need. And without the right level of support and care in the community, people with dementia will continue to go into hospital unnecessarily and then stay in much longer than they need to, which we know can have a negative effect on their dementia. We believe Alzheimer’s Society’s innovative new service, Dementia Connect, can help – by supporting people through the complex clinical and care system. The first of its kind, Dementia Connect not only has the potential to transform the lives of people with dementia, it will also be a great support to anyone caring for people with dementia, as well as aiming to reduce the need for and
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hospital admissions by enabling people to stay living well in their own home for longer. It’s a single point of referral that works hand in hand with GPs and other health and social care professionals to connect people with dementia and carers to the information and practical support that will allow them to manage the condition. From working with people with dementia, we know that this is crucially important, as it means they can continue to have control of their lives and live independently for longer. We will guide people through the complex maze of the current health and social care system and ensure they are getting the care that they need and are entitled to. As it stands, people with dementia have to navigate their way through a system of over 20 professionals. In essence, we will make sure that people with dementia are living their best life possible, through access to the right support and care. With one person developing symptoms of dementia every three minutes, this is a vital role. At the moment, our Dementia Advisers have contact with people
affected by dementia mainly at the point of diagnosis, but with Dementia Connect we will have a closer relationship that continues throughout their journey. As part of this, every person using it will receive Keeping In Touch (KIT) calls on a six or twelve monthly basis where we will review the outcome of the information and advice we previously provided, give additional support and ensure that people are coping, so that additional, one to one, face to face support can be put in place where required. It’s a simple but brilliant way of letting people know we’re here, and asking “is there anything you need?” When diagnosed, some people want an overview of what is going to happen in the future, others want lots of support from the outset. Because we are in touch with them regularly, they know who to contact when things do change. Under the old system, we might see people only a handful of times post-diagnosis and then we hear from them three years later when they’re in crisis. This won’t happen under Dementia Connect, it will ensure someone living with dementia doesn’t hit crisis point – not only helping them, but
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relieving pressure on care workers and hospital staff. We’re still in the trial stages with Dementia Connect, but the feedback from the pilots in East Lancashire, Blackburnwith-Darwen, Birmingham and Solihull, is very positive - 77% of people who used the service said it made their life better and 93% said the advice they received had a positive impact. We want to work with partners at a local government level to make sure that people living with dementia can access innovative new services like Dementia Connect. The new process has brought more peace of mind; it’s knowing that people affected by dementia are getting the right support, at the right time, in the right way right the way through their dementia journey. If you are attending NCASC 2018, visit our stand to find out more about Dementia Connect and quote ‘LGN Magazine’ for your free gift. If you can’t make it, then please visit alzheimers.org. uk/patientsupport for more information, call us 0333 150 3456 or email dementiaconnect@ alzheimers.org.uk. n
September 2018
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HM600
Children’s services
A false economy With councils being forced to spend more money on children in crisis, this often comes at the expense of preventive services. Neil Merrick finds out why this costs more in the long-run and is creating a postcode lottery in children’s social care.
I
t is the service that is generating more concern among council leaders and others than almost anything else. Deemed important - but not important enough to be protected from cuts since 2010 - children’s social care is buckling under the pressure of increased demand. Figures compiled by the Institute for Fiscal Studies on behalf of Anne Longfield, the Children’s Commissioner for England, show that, yes, councils are spending money on children at risk, with substantially more being taken into care. But this is often at the expense of preventative work and other services that, if better funded, might reduce costs later when children are in more serious trouble. According to the IfS, nearly half (47%) of the £8.6bn spent on children’s services in England in 2016/17 was spent on just under 73,000 children who were placed in care. If wider spending on families in severe need is included, 72% of total spending is accounted for by reactive, rather than preventative, work.
www.LocalGov.co.uk
“According to Longfield, local authorities and other agencies are attempting to contain a crisis in the lives of children after allowing the problem to escalate. Children do not arrive in extreme need overnight and many could be prevented from getting to that point if we helped them sooner.”
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According to Longfield, local authorities and other agencies are attempting to contain a crisis in the lives of children after allowing the problem to escalate. Children do not arrive in extreme need overnight,’ she says. ‘Many could be prevented from getting to that point if we helped them sooner.’ The number of looked after children with care orders has risen steadily this decade. Department for Education figures show there were 72,670 looked after children in England in March 2017, up 3% on the previous year. Figures for 2018 are due to be published in November. But a recent inquiry by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Children concluded that children’s social care is something of a postcode lottery, with some local authorities stepping in sooner than others after deciding that a child is at risk. The APPG’s report Storing Up Trouble, published in conjunction with the National Children’s Bureau, says that, in many local authorities, cases are not taken on until families reach more complex levels of need.
September 2018
Children’s services
Seventy per cent of social workers told the inquiry the threshold for helping children in need has risen during the past three years while half said the point at which a child protection plan is triggered has gone up. MP Tim Loughton, chair of the group and a former children’s minister, says children are not being helped as soon as they should because resources are stretched. ‘The culture of intervention has moved from one of preventative, early intervention, to [one of] “at risk”,’ he says. Among the group’s recommendations is a legal duty on local authorities to provide earlier support for children, young people and families. ‘Early help has largely gone out of the window,’ adds Loughton. An early intervention duty was a key recommendation in the Munro review of child protection in 2011. But with the coalition government keen to reduce statutory duties on councils, it was rejected at a time when Loughton was a minister at the DfE. Matt Dodd, head of policy and public affairs at the NCB, says councils are caught up in a ‘vicious cycle’ where money is increasingly spent on children and families with more complex needs. ‘Investing in services like early help prevents children’s needs from progressing to the more complex end,’ he says. Organisations such as the NCB are lobbying the Treasury to earmark more money for child social care in the next comprehensive spending review, due before the end of 2019. Cuts in spending on social care, they say, have a knockon effect on other public services and increase child poverty. ‘Children’s lives don’t sit in neat service boundaries,’ says Dodd. There are also concerns about the quality of local authority children’s services. A recent report by the Social Market Foundation found that just over 47,000 children (65% of all lookedafter children) are in the 63% of councils in England that, say Ofsted, require improvement or are inadequate. Of these, 13,790 children are in councils that were judged inadequate. ‘Children desperately need the people who are supposed to lead this country to pay more attention and commit to improving children’s lives,’ says Matthew Oakley, a senior researcher at the SMF. Rachel Dickinson, director of children’s services in Barnsley, says demand has risen for many reasons, including poverty and austerity. Some schools, including academy chains, are less tolerant of misbehaviour and so more likely to exclude children, who then require local authority support. Any legal duty on councils to intervene sooner would need to be properly funded and even then, she says, there would be disagreements on how money was spent. ‘If a local authority
September 2018
“In August, North Yorkshire became the first council to gain outstanding for every category of the new Ofsted inspection framework for social care, introduced in January.” has to save money, it’s not going to stop services for the most vulnerable people,’ says Dickinson, vice president of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services. ‘It’s going to stop services at the preventative end.’ An ongoing study by the National Audit Office (NAO), due for publication this autumn, is examining how effectively councils manage demand for children’s services, including the support they receive from central government. Two years ago, a NAO report concluded that children’s services were not up to scratch in many parts of England and called on the DfE to ‘inject more energy, pace and determination’ into delivering its responsibilities. The DfE is also in the throes of carrying out a review of children in need, announced in March. According to Loughton, effective children’s services are not solely about funding. ‘It’s partly down to money but it’s also down to different approaches,’ he says. In August, North Yorkshire became the first council to gain outstanding for every category of the new Ofsted inspection framework for social care, introduced in January. But in a decade that has seen closure of hundreds of Sure Start centres, it remains to be
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seen whether politicians will ever see children’s services as a priority in the same way as they do adult social care. Loughton bemoans the absence in government of anyone to champion children’s services, adding that neither the prime minister nor the Number 10 Policy Unit are especially interested. ‘The Treasury has never really got early intervention,’ he adds. ‘Making a spend to save case is always difficult.’ n
n NEWS
Children face adoption ‘postcode’ lottery Children going into care face a postcode lottery for the opportunity to stay with relatives, a family law firm has found. A freedom of information request made by Ridley & Hall Legal Limited found less than one in five children going into care are initially placed with a friend or relative. The responses showed that 4,758 out of 27,791 children were initially placed with relatives or close family friends. Nationally, that represents an average of 17%, but that figure is largely improved due to councils in the North East placing 37% of children in Kinship Care. In the East of England, it is as low as 11%.
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Company announcement showcase Aico Limited
Biral
Cembrit UK Limited
Intratone
Following the success of the Aico Fire Safety Events held in London last year, Aico has announced a series of regional Fire Safety Events throughout September and October. Each event will include a CPD session on Building Regulations for domestic fire detection, taken from Aico’s award winning Expert Installer training scheme, and cover the proposed revisions to the British Standard for domestic Fire Alarm installation BS 5839-6:2013. The Aico Fire Safety Events take place in Leeds, Edinburgh, Bristol and Birmingham before concluding at Milton Keynes on 18th October. They begin at 9.45 and finish with a Q&A session at 2.45. Tel: 01691 664100 or visit www.aico.co.uk
Meteorological equipment specialist Biral has just launched its new RWS-30 Road Tunnel Weather Sensor. The sensor is easily integrated with systems in road and tunnel applications and monitors obstruction to vision caused by fog, smoke and exhaust fumes. The RWS-30 is designed for use in road and tunnel applications where accurate and reliable visibility measurements are required. The forward scatter measurement principle provides a compact design with measurements that are both accurate and reliable in all weather conditions. The RWS-30 outputs have been chosen to match those recommended for use in tunnel systems. Tel: 01275 847787 or visit www.biral.com
Leading roofing specialist, Cembrit, is now offering an impressive 75-year durability guarantee for its Glendyne natural slate range. Glendyne is a high-quality slate that combines first-class performance with all the inherent beauty of natural slate, making it the ‘natural’ choice for specifiers and roofers. Used on a number of prestigious buildings and monuments around the world, Glendyne slates achieve innovative and imaginative designs. Available exclusively from Cembrit in the UK, Glendyne is a distinctive blue-grey colour. The Glendyne quarry is one of the most modern slate quarries in the world. The quarry operates a quality management system based on EN ISO 9001. This standard is adhered to rigidly, as are all quality standard procedures required by each regional market the quarry supplies.. Tel: 0208 320 1184 or visit www.cembrit.co.uk
Door entry and access control equipment from Intratone, one of Europe’s leading manufacturers, has been installed at over 900 different sites across Hounslow Council’s estate. The access control systems across the Council’s residential and commercial portfolio had become obsolete with the desire to move from keys to a fob-based system. Residents had been complaining at the delays in receiving new keys – in some cases taking up to six weeks for them to be delivered. New fobs can now be obtained straight away by residents when visiting their local housing office through the new cloud-based technology. Tel: 020 7092 6613 or visit www.intratone.com
Mellor Coachcraft
Panasonic Heating & Cooling Solutions
STANLEY Security
Titon
In recognition of continuous improvement and achieving its “Zero Harm” vision, STANLEY Security, one of the most trusted names in the world of security, has been presented with the Gold Award from The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). STANLEY Security was selected as a Gold Award winner based on its health and safety documentation which proves the company takes note of incidences and then makes improvements to health and safety practices based on them. The RoSPA Awards are highly-respected in the Health & Safety arena, with 2,000 entrants every year. Visit www.stanleysecurity.co.uk or Tel: 0844 254 0032
Leading ventilation and window hardware manufacturer Titon has appointed Mark Barzotelli as Area Sales Manager for its Timber and PVCu division. Mark will be covering the South and South West area of England, along with South Wales. He will be responsible for sales and specification of Titon’s expanding window and door hardware ranges – including trickle vents – to fabricators of PVCu or timber windows and doors. Formerly a Sales Manager for Essex-based hinge, fitting and window hardware producer Nico Manufacturing, Mark brings with him a wealth of experience in window and door hardware. Tel: 0800 970 4190 or visit www.titon.co.uk
A total of eight Mellor Strata high floor buses have been purchased by Lancashire County Council for their latest fleet replacement programme. Mellor won the tender for the fleet upgrade due to the Strata being both competitively priced and offering the specifications required by Lancashire CC including a fold out step, double rear doors and an easy access inboard tail lift. The Strata HF, based on a Mercedes Sprinter chassis, has a reputation for offering performance, robustness and a low whole-life cost which makes it an affordable choice in a number of different sectors. Tel: 01706 860610 or visit www.mellor-coachcraft.co.uk
September 2018
One of the main challenges for data centres is coping with cooling and humidity control demands within the building because of the enormous heat gains generated by the large volume of computers and lighting systems - – often in operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Belfast-based Aircon Sales and Service, which designs, supplies, installs and maintains various air conditioning solutions, recently installed a combination of Panasonic GHP VRF 3-pipe, 2-pipe and Split Hi Wall type units to heat and cool the 130,000 sq ft, three storey property at the Concentrix Call Centre in Belfast. Visit www.aircon.panasonic.eu or Tel: 01344 853393
LGN 40
www.LocalGov.co.uk
Company announcement showcase Aico Limited
The Flamco Group
Leisure Sinks
Otterbine
Watford Community Housing has completed the installation of Grade D, LD1 fire detection systems in two 16 storey tower blocks using Aico Multi-Sensor Fire Alarms and accessories, wirelessly interconnected with Aico’s award winning RadioLINK+ RF technology. Domestic Fire Alarm installation is guided BS 5839-6:2013 which clearly identifies both Grades of alarm system to use and Categories of protection. Watford Community Housing has chosen the highest category, LD1, for the two tower blocks. Aico’s Multi-Sensor Fire Alarm uses two sensor types, optical and heat, to constantly monitor smoke and heat levels which are processed through intelligent detection software. Tel: 01691 664100 or visit www.aico.co.uk
The use of the RedProtect© water treatment system – recently launched by Flamco - offers the heating industry the ideal opportunity to reduce the amount of plastic waste generated after use of the chemical, in line with global and local opinion on plastic waste in the environment. Compared to traditional liquid domestic heating chemicals, the RedProtect© system offers approximately an 84% reduction in plastic packaging content when compared to a traditional one litre chemical jerrycan and an approximately 77% reduction in plastic when compared to a standard 0.5 litre chemical bottle. Tel: 01744 744744 or visit www.flamcogroup.com
In a bid to strengthen its broad product offering even further, Leisure Sinks has added the new Aquaquad monobloc model to its comprehensive tap portfolio. The Aquaquad tap comes supplied with flexible tail pipes to allow for fast and simple fitting for the plumber or installer. Operating at a minimum 0.4 bar and maximum 5.5 bar pressure, it features a quarterturn handle action for precise flow control. With its contemporary-styled quad spout, the Aquaquad offers customers a popular modern design combined with the reliability associated with all Leisure Sinks products. Visit www.leisuresinks.co.uk or Tel: 0800 804 6261
When it was time for a hole four refresh at Bedfordshire’s John O’Gaunt Golf Club the par three hole on the John O’Gaunt course was enhanced by a 1500m2 lake with two Otterbine fountains and eight Toro Infinity sprinklers. Course manager Nigel Broadwith and head greenkeeper Kevin Armstrong, chose two Otterbine Sunburst aerating fountains, from UK distributor Reesink Turfcare. Both are three horsepower units but one has a one horsepower impeller for the smaller end of the lake and the other has a two horsepower impeller for the wider end. Tel: 01480 226800 or visit www.reesinkturfcare.co.uk.
The Window Company (Contracts)
Ashtead Technology
Remeha
Ashtead Technology has significantly increased its fleet of equipment for environmental and occupational safety monitoring with the addition of the TSI QUEST range of instruments. As a TSI Gold Channel Distributor, Ashtead will offer these advanced instruments for both hire and sale; providing customers with both instrumental and financial flexibility. The new range includes key products such as the TSI QUEST EVM-7 for monitoring toxic gases and dust, the SE-400 sound level meters (with optional ATEX certification) and the TSI QUEST Heat Stress Monitor. Visit www.ashtead-technology.com or Tel: 0845 270 2707
Remeha energy-saving condensing boilers have been installed at Elms Farm Community Primary School in Birmingham to achieve more efficient and reliable space heating for the benefit of its students and teachers. To meet the requirements for more effective and reliable heating and hot water provision, Mark Nicklin, Contracts Director at Spie, recommended installing four Remeha Quinta Ace 160 condensing boilers and an Andrews Water Heaters ECOflo direct-fired water heater. Mark commented: “We recommended using Remeha Quinta Ace 160 boilers to meet the heat demand due to their quality and reliability.” Tel: 0118 978 3434 or visit www.remeha.co.uk
Titon
Titon has joined forces with West Bromwich-based window hardware and accessories manufacturer Kenrick, to become a distributor for the company’s window and door multi-point locking range. The addition complements Titon’s existing window and door hardware offering, and creates a broad and comprehensive selection for Titon’s customers in the UK fabricator market. The Kenrick multi-point lock portfolio includes standard espagnolettes, security espagnolettes, shootbolts and door locks. The new distribution partnership follows a successful trial period in which Essex-based Titon sold a limited range of Kenrick items to a small number of its existing customers who specified the use of the products. Tel: 0800 970 4190 or visit www.titon.co.uk
www.LocalGov.co.uk
Award winning commercial installer The Window Company (Contracts) has become an LHC Appointed Company for the first time, after being appointed to the public sector procurement group’s Framework Agreements for both PVC-U and timber window and door products. From 1st August 2018, the Chelmsford based company is listed on the Home Counties, London and East Anglia frameworks for PVC-U and on the South East England framework for timber. This was the first time that the Chelmsford based company had tendered to join any LHC framework, so it was a significant achievement to be named on both at the first attempt. Visit www.thewinco.co.uk or Tel: 01245 268120
LGN 41
September 2018
Company announcement showcase CMS Window Systems
Crowcon Detection Instruments
Domus Ventilation
Door-Stop International
Window, door and curtain walling manufacturer and installer CMS Window Systems has further strengthened its position as one of the leading fenestration partners to social housing providers by securing a place on Scotland’s widely used public sector procurement framework, the Scottish Procurement Alliance (SPA). The company is one of a select few suppliers who have been able to demonstrate compliance with stringent technical, quality, supply chain management and customer service criteria set out by the SPA. Backed by leading UK procurement body, LHC, the SPA chooses only the best suppliers to join its frameworks. Visit www.cmswindows.com or Tel: 01324 841398
Crowcon Detection Instruments has launched a new dual range portable monitor to add to its acclaimed Gas-Pro range. Gas-Pro TK has been designed for use in specialist inerted tank environments to monitor levels of flammable gases and oxygen. An environment where standard gas detectors will not work. In Tank Check mode, the Crowcon Gas-Pro TK (rebranded from Tank-Pro), monitors concentrations of flammable gas and oxygen, checking that an unsafe mixture is not developing. It uses dual IR sensor technology which detects the spectrum of possible flammable gas concentrations from high %vol to low %LEL. Tel: 01235 557700 or visit www.crowcon.com
Domus Ventilation, part of the Polypipe group, has launched the HRXE range of high performance Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) units for small to medium size residential properties. Domus has developed the HRXE units to provide even greater efficiency through advanced heat exchange proficiency and low Specific Fan Power (SFP). When used with a kitchen and one wet room, at typical installation, the HRXE provides a 90% heat exchange performance and boasts a very low SFP down to 0.57W/(l/s). The new HRXE range is also exceptionally quiet with background (normal) ventilation at 24dB(A) Tel: 03443 715 523 or visit www.domusventilation.co.uk
Door-Stop International is delighted to introduce the new Sweet hardware range to its standard offering. The suited Sweet is a truly unique collection, as all of the accessories are perfectly matching and it therefore rethinks traditional door furniture; making it one of a kind on the market. Sweet’s simplicity creates long lasting beauty and is available in four colours; gold, chrome, black and white. The sleek and edgeless design creates a smooth and simple appearance, with the letterbox, house numbers, door handle and knocker adding a contemporary appeal to the door. Tel: 01623 446336 or visit www.door-stop.co.uk/Our-Doors/ Hardware
Fitzgerald Lighting
Nittan Europe
Nortech Control Systems Ltd
STANLEY Security
Specifiers looking for an efficient solution for lighting a leisure or sports facility need look no further than Fitzgerald Lighting’s popular LED Hi Sport luminaire. As one of the leaders in LED luminaires, Fitzgerald Lighting has developed the LED Hi Sport for high lumen output and maximum energy savings. Compared with a traditional 400W discharge lamp luminaire, a 126W LED Hi Sport luminaire saves an impressive 70% in energy costs. Manufactured from mild steel and powder coated white, it has a stylish curved body shape which minimises the chance of sports balls and equipment getting trapped. Tel: 01208 79524 or visit www.fitzlight.co.uk
Nittan Europe, a leading manufacturer of conventional and addressable fire detection products, has been awarded ISO 9001:2015 certification. This achievement marks Nittan’s ability to deliver high quality products and systems to market. ISO 9001:2015 is awarded for fulfilling criteria for a quality management system by an organisation, by ensuring higher level structure with an increased importance given to risk as compared to before. The certification is based on a number of quality management principles such as strong customer focus, motivation and implication of top management, process approach and continual improvement within an organisation. Tel: 01483 769 555 or visit www.nittan.co.uk
People and Vehicle Access control system specialists Nortech has recently introduced a new 24-page product catalogue to help specifiers find the right products for their projects. It has been divided into four product categories: Access Control, Readers and ID Devices; Long Range Identification; and Vehicle Detection and Parking. The Access Control section covers all of Nortech’s best-selling access system range including standalone control devices for managing one or two doors, plus fully online Norpass access management system. Nortech has supplied products and solutions to the security industry for over 25 years. Tel: 01633 485533 or visit www.nortechcontrol.com
STANLEY Security, one of the most trusted names in the world of security, has partnered with Londonbased security start-up Doordeck to launch the Stanley OneDoor smartphone-based access control system. Stanley OneDoor can be used with existing STANLEY access control products and rolled out to an entire building in under one hour, without the need for any new hardware. Stanley OneDoor removes the need for keycards and tags and all the management and associated costs that entails. Instead, users gain access via their smartphones through the Stanley OneDoor App. www.stanleysecurity.co.uk/onedoor or Tel: 0844 254 0032
September 2018
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www.LocalGov.co.uk
Company & Product Focus BMI Group
MHR
21st Century has hosted a customer day for senior transport professionals from operators and local authorities. The event was titled ‘Delivering Smart Cities’ and is the first in a series that 21st Century is hosting around the UK. The first one was held recently in York and was opened with a talk by Darren Capes from the City of York Council on the vision of future cities. Gary Nolan, representing Greater Manchester Bus Operators, hosted a session on the future of ticketing, and Richard Stoddart shared his experience in generating advertising revenue from his time working at Darwen and Blackburn Council. After the formal presentations, delegates were invited to take part in a group discussion. Russ Singleton, Chief Executive for 21st Century comments, “Our customer days aim to give clients an opportunity to tell us in more detail about their challenges, both now and in the future, and we aim to help them to highlight areas where our technology can help.” 21st Century is holding future events and more details can be obtained by emailing Darren. maher@21stplc.com. For further information Tel: 0844 871 7990 or visit www.21stplc.com
Gorse Hill School in Swindon, a shortlisted project in this year’s NFRC UK Roofing Awards, has been restored to its Victorian splendour thanks to contractor, Davis Roofing, who used Redland tiles and Dry-Fix systems specified under the Redland SpecMaster service. Not only was Redland involved in renewing the extremely complex roofs of school buildings dating back to 1845 and 1896, but it was also engaged in a value-engineering process that enabled further improvements to be made to the fabric. The 1500m2 of pitched roofing required 33,000 tiles and was highly detailed, according to Joe Robbins, Commercial Manager at Davis Roofing. “Every section of the roof had a valley, a change in pitch and a ridge detail, while we also had to deal with repairing timber and leadwork and dry rot,” he says. But this was helped by the surveyors, Kenneth & Edwards, engaging Redland technical support through the SpecMaster service. “We’d worked with this Redland Specification Manager for years and he was brilliant, coming out to do on-site inspections throughout the job,” says Joe. Tel: 0203 757 1900 or visit www.bmigroup.com
Bristol City Council has taken steps to integrate its HR and payroll processes by partnering with industry experts, MHR, for the provision of its market leading cloud based iTrent system to replace its current systems. The implementation of iTrent will enable the council to consolidate a number of its systems into a single, fully integrated HR administration platform. This will support the management of its employees through the automation of many core administrative tasks, improve management information while increasing self-service functionality to empower managers and enhance the user experience. MHR has established a best practice model of operation for HR and payroll procedures developed in conjunction with more than 100 UK local authorities. The move to iTrent will enable Bristol City Council to implement consistent best practice processes and achieve immediate benefits with a fully integrated solution that unites its HR and payroll functions with other back office systems. Cllr Craig Cheney, Deputy Mayor with responsibility for Finance, Governance and performance, said: “We are looking forward to working with MHR as we bring together our HR and payroll systems to make sure we are working as efficiently as possible across our organisation.” Tel: 0115 945 6000 or visit www.mhr.co.uk
Pendock
Walker Profiles Limited
Reesink Turfcare
Growing concern regarding the speed with which fire can spread between high rise flats and through other HMOs is leading to the retrofitting of sprinkler systems within many building types: leading to an accompanying need for their protection from interference or concealment for aesthetic reasons. As a result a number of social/ private Housing Authorities and sprinkler installers are turning to a specialist British manufacturer, Pendock, for the supply of suitable solutions. The Pendock lightweight 5mm preformed two sided ‘L’ shaped MX range provides easy handling for fitting at height, which increases the speed of installation where access to an accommodation is limited. The boxing has a durable white melamine finish, which reduces fitting time and maintenance costs (such as painting and cleaning). MX accessories include internal and external corners, as well as stop-ends, butt joints and access panels. Importantly the Pendock profiles can fit closely around the typical circular sprinkler heads. Mid-wall locations, including bulkheads, can be address using the three-sided version of the MX profiles, encompassed in Pendock’s CH range of channel casings. Tel: 01952 580 590 or visit www.pendock.co.uk
Two new council housing developments in Cumbernauld have been completed to give 46 new homes to local residents. Nursery Court offers 16 one and two-bedroom cottage flats, and 30 new homes have been built on Cardowan Drive. The windows and doors for the new homes were manufactured and installed by Walker Profiles, a leading manufacturer, supplier and installer of high-quality windows and doors. “Windows and doors are key to delivering extra security and energy efficiency for tenants,” says Jim Gibson, Director at Walker Profiles. “All windows and doors were manufactured and fitted to the higher Secured by Design specification, the police initiative to design out crime. “Our teams installed white Rehau Total 70 tilt and turn PVCu windows which give modern styling as well as easy access for cleaning. We complemented the windows with white GRP composite doors to create an impressive entrance for tenants.” The contractor for the build was Lovell, who Walker Profiles has worked with regularly on a variety of developments throughout North Lanarkshire. Visit www.walkerprofiles.co.uk or Tel: 01698 267052
Bringing you Toro’s first super-duty utility vehicle, the Outcross 9060, and the brand’s new 12ft pull-behind rotary mower is distributor Reesink Turfcare on stand H010 at SALTEX 2018. Both machines are designed to ensure groundsmen can do a lot more, with less. Powered by a 59.8-horsepower Yanmar liquidcooled diesel engine, the Outcross can tow up to 16,000lbs and has an optional cargo bed that can hold 4,500lbs of materials. It simplifies operation, optimises power and brings the option of dozens of attachments to perform hundreds of tasks. Following hot on the Outcross’s heels for making the groundsman’s life easier is the Groundsmaster 1200 pull-behind rotary mower. What’s interesting about this new machine is that it is, says Toro, a pull-behind more than worthy of being called a Groundsmaster such are its capabilities. In addition, there will be a full line-up from Reesink and all its brands. From the grounds machinery range will be the LT-F3000 triple flail mower and its innovative cylinder attachment option, and the large volume direct collect ProLine H800, which launched at last year’s show. Tel: 01480 226800 or visit reesinkturfcare.co.uk
21st Century Technology plc
www.LocalGov.co.uk
LGN 43
September 2018
Company & announcements/New Product Focus products Icopal
Otterbine
TorchSafeTM Detailing, Guidance Document for Reinforced Bitumen Waterproofing sets out when roofing membranes can be torch applied, and when they can’t. It also underlines the responsibilities of all those involved to ensure that a roof installation is safe. The guide explains that any element of a roof which contains – or may be likely to contain – flammable material should be covered in a membrane that does not require a flame to install it, such as Icopal’s range of thermically activated (TA) products. Nontorched membrane should be laid to a distance of at least 900mm from such features, which include rooflights and lanterns, timber upstands, open perpends and pitched roof abutments. As part of Icopal’s technical service offer, its technical team can survey and assess roofs, providing a bespoke solution. Tel: 0843 224 7400 or visit www.icopal.co.uk
Weeks of high temperatures have turned golf courses across the country brown and triggered Amber health warnings, and while there’s not much to be done to counteract either, one thing you can do is keep your lakes and ponds well aerated to prevent them from becoming stagnate. A perfect example of this on an epic scale comes from Frilford Heath, the 54-hole championship golf course complex near Oxford, which had an Otterbine Air Flo 3 diffuser installed in its 6m, 10-million-gallon reservoir to aerate the water two years ago. The idea was to make the water good enough quality to irrigate the course, says course manager Sid Arrowsmith. “We always knew this was a long-term and challenging project. The water comes from a brook downstream through farming fields, full of pollutants and run-off nitrates,” Sid says. “Add to the fact that the silt and sediment at the bottom of the reservoir literally hadn’t seen the light of day for ten years and we knew the diffuser had its work cut out.” However, the Air Flo 3 kept busy and Sid “never once doubted” it was up to the job. Tel:01480 226800 or visit reesinkturfcare.co.uk
Redland
Clark-Drain Limited
Vent-Axia
Employing the Redland SpecMaster service has enabled Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council (MBC) to benefit from a 15-year guarantee and avoid costly extras when it re-roofed 40 properties on one of its estates in Kitt Green. This professional specification not only avoided unsightly and expensive detailing, but also accelerated the roofing programme through introducing the Innofix Clip, the award-winning tile fixing developed by the company. Wigan-based BAAS Construction, who works in partnership with Wigan MBC on a design and build basis, has a long-standing relationship with Redland; and brought in the SpecMaster service to help Wigan answer both difficult design issues and provide the guarantees required for their client and stakeholders. The 15-year guarantee that is provided when the tiles are installed with recommended fixings under the Redland SpecMaster service covers weather tightness, durability and design liability. SpecMaster is a free-of-charge roof specification service for architects and professional specifiers that covers slates, tiles, fittings, accessories, fixings, ventilation, underlay and battens – all in NBS-based format to integrate seamlessly into any building specification. Tel: 03705 601000 or visit www.innofixclip.co.uk
Investing in good product design makes a significant contribution to safe installation and use, longevity and aesthetics. In the case of utility access, these are core to the function of an installation and the use of well-designed access covers can save money later on. An example of this can be seen in busy town centres and retail developments, where the simple addition of a high tolerance cap reduces the common problem of heels getting caught in exposed keyholes and causing a trip hazard; a common cause of public litigation. Further to this, good design also supports manual handling with the use of easy-to-remove slide out trays reducing the risk of injury during routine maintenance. Other design features can lessen infill movement, lowering the risk of damage and improving the public experience. The use of concealed locking systems, sometimes with additional security options for high risk installations, can act as a theft deterrent but also provide added security against unauthorised access. -Drain is dedicated to meeting construction needs with innovative and high quality products. Tel: 01733 765 317 or visit www.clark-drain.com
Resident comfort is at the core of Vent-Axia’s newly updated PoziDry ProTM Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) unit. Designed by the UK’s leading ventilation company, specifically to tackle condensation and mould and improve indoor air quality (IAQ) in social housing properties, the next generation PoziDry ProTM boasts three new features to help landlords improve resident comfort levels. These design innovations include a tamperproof lock mode to ensure consistent ventilation performance; selectable summer and winter comfort settings; and a new easy-to-install discreet diffuser, which allows more air movement at a lower noise level. If a ventilation unit is tampered with it will not deliver the air performance required, potentially leading to condensation and mould which could cause costly damage to the fabric of the building, as well as causing poor indoor air quality which could result in health problems for residents. Vent-Axia has therefore introduced a new interface so that it is lockable at installation, making it tamper proof to ensure consistent ventilation. This means the unit will operate as commissioned since the lock prevents residents from being able to change ventilation settings. Tel: 0844 856 0590 or visit www.vent-axia.com
Safeguard Europe
Safeguard Europe – the UK’s leading specialist in damp- and waterproofing, and masonry repair solutions – has developed a cost-effective system to improve the energy efficiency of solid-walled properties. The launch of Stormdry EPC comes as the new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) relating to rented properties have taken effect. The new standards say that from April 1st this year any commercial or residential property that is being let for the first time, or where a lease is renewed, must achieve an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of Grade E or above. The rules will extend to cover existing leases from April 2020 for domestic properties and April 2023 for commercial ones. Stormdry EPC provides landlords – and other property owners – with a cost-effective way to improve the thermal performance of solid-walled properties. It offers an alternative to conventional solutions such as external wall insulation (EWI) and standard internal wall insulation (IWI) which can be expensive, disruptive or both. Tel: 01403 210204 or visit www.safeguardeurope.com
September 2018
Flat roofing specialist Icopal, a BMI Group company, has produced a six-page guide that explains the fire risks of flat roofing and how to mitigate them. Recent years have seen a string of serious fires, such as the £60m Kelsey Academy incident in 2016, which have occurred because roofing contractors weren’t aware of flammable elements on the roof.
LGN 44
www.LocalGov.co.uk
Company & Product Focus Safeguard Europe
Redland
JSP Ltd
With more than 5 million homes in England and Wales are at risk of flooding, Safeguard Europe – the UK’s leading specialist in dampproofing and waterproofing technology – has produced a simple yet definitive guide to protecting property: Designing for Flood Resilience and Resistance. Drawing upon its 35 years of experience, the company has created several flood management systems which illustrate the various mechanisms by which flood water can enter a property and how to stop it, as well as detailing the internal and external remedial works necessary for habitable reinstatement. There are two main approaches to tackling flooding – water exclusion and water entry strategies, alternatively known as flood resistance and resilience respectively – and the guide explains both and how to deploy them. The foundation for the system is Flood System 1 Pack, which provides basic resilience by employing the company’s Dryzone Damp-Resistant Plaster and a specially designed lime-based skim coat as a flood resilient wall coating, together with a secondary chemical DPC rods installed above design flood height. Tel: 01403 210204 or visit www.stormdry.com
One of the highest housing estates in the UK has survived 100mph+ winds without any damage to the roofing after employing SpecMaster, the free-of-charge roof specification service offered by Redland – the UK’s leading manufacturer and supplier of pitched roof systems. Built at 1,100ft above sea level, Penrhys estate was always going to suffer from very high winds, but the issue was worsened by monopitch roofs, a design feature rumoured to have been inspired by a Portuguese holiday complex. Altogether 15 two-storey blocks of flats, a total of 86 apartments, were re-roofed with Mini Stonewold Tudor Brown and Slate Grey interlocking concrete slates with a very tight fixing specification that stipulated that the first seven courses were both nailed and fixed. During the work the Redland Specification Manager visited the site to provide the roofing contractor, Jefferies Contractors, with technical support, any training required and to monitor the quality of the work. Developed for architects and professional specifiers, the SpecMaster specification covers every detail of the complete roof. Tel: 01293 666700 or visit www.redland.co.uk
Every once in a while there is a ground-breaking product that comes along and in this case it is the AlphaBloc® manufactured by JSP Ltd. It is the first water-filled separation barrier system that can be folded flat for transport and storage. The unique foldable design allows for 40 units per pallet to be stacked safely on a pallet – double the amount compared to most traditional separation barriers which traditionally only fit 20. This makes shipping, transporting and storing the units so much easier and cost-efficient making great saving for the contractor as you can transport up to 8 fully stacked pallets on a flatbed van. This equates to 320 units or 320 metres per vehicle. Manufactured from UV stabilised HDPE, the AlphaBloc® is a strong, durable and lightweight product. These barriers have been put to the test being loaded with a raw material pallet weighing 1.3 tonnes. The four barriers withstood the heavy load placed on top of them with ease to prove their durability and strength. Tel: 01993 826050 or visit www.jsp.co.uk
Forbo Flooring Systems
Cistermiser Limited
Safeguard Europe
When Ingleton Wood was tasked with refreshing the design of Edmonton Green library, bright and stimulating colours from Forbo Flooring Systems’ Digital Print Eternal General Purpose Vinyl (GPV) collection were chosen, to transform the children’s area into a fun and contemporary space. Forbo’s Eternal Colour heterogeneous vinyl flooring collection can be used in various spaces wherever people work, learn or play. The PVC wear layer maximises the wear resistance of the material and maintains the integrity of the design. Furthermore, the vinyl uses Forbo’s proven PUR Pearl lacquering protection technique to ensure the highest level of chemical and scuff resistance for a long-lasting appearance. The unique rainbow design reveals a spectrum of colour gradients over a 10m length, enabling a rolling cascade of rainbow hues as the first colour follows the last without any break in the pattern. The multi-coloured print creates a fun and fresh abstract effect. The Edmonton Green library project has been awarded ‘Commended’ in the Fly Forbo 2017/2018 competition. Visit www.forbo-flooring.co.uk/publicsector or Tel: 01773 744 121
Intelligent washroom controls and water efficiency specialist Cistermiser has launched LinkThru, the groundbreaking temperature-monitoring platform that is set to change the way hospitals and healthcare facilities manage infection control. Using a specialist PropTech solution from Spica Technologies, LinkThru automatically checks the water temperature and flow activity in pipework systems every ten seconds, transmitting the results into a secure cloud application. Users can quickly access the information from anywhere via a device such as a computer, tablet or smartphone and take corrective action if needed. This invaluable ‘real-time’ data replaces the need for a labour-intensive monitoring system where estates personnel are required to take frequent manual temperature checks around a building’s system. Getting this vital data quickly and efficiently is a significant time-saving over manual systems. The information gathered is then used to alert users to high-risk water temperatures, which can be a critical indicator for the potential for growth of waterborne bacterium such as pseudomonas aeruginosa and legionellosis (legionella). The solution also provides a holistic overall view of the water system, highlighting such issues as scalding risk, low-usage outlets, calorifier efficiency issues, etc. Tel: 0118 969 1611 or visit: www.cistermiser.co.uk
Safeguard Europe – the UK’s leading specialist in damp- and waterproofing, and masonry repair solutions – has augmented its marketleading Stormdry Masonry Protection Cream by introducing three additional, aligned products that deliver solutions from anti-graffiti coating to crack bridging and mortar repair. The new range now comprises Stormdry Masonry Protection Cream, Stormdry XR Mortar, Stormdry AG Coat and Stormdry CB Coat. Stormdry CB Coat is a water-resistant coating that bridges small cracks in walls, creating a waterproof barrier against rain. Being semibreathable, it can be used as a top coat for the company’s market-leading Stormdry Masonry Protection Cream when fine cracking is present – or in areas subject to extreme weather. Its high density initially results in a very slight visual ‘satin’ change to the surface that fades with time. Stormdry AG Coat anti-graffiti protection is a permanent water-resistant coating that allows for easy removal of aerosol paint, ‘permanent’ markers and fly posts. Applicable over already decorated walls, Stormdry AG results in a glossy surface that prevents paints adhering to the substrate and renders them easy to clean. Tel: 01403 220130 or visit www.stormdry.com
www.LocalGov.co.uk
LGN 45
September 2018
84 seconds faster to pay. That’s why our cashless parking solution increases uptake by 21% vs other providers. “We are delighted with JustPark. Drivers find it really easy to pay, the team have handled the transition smoothly, and the council are set to save £140,000 by switching provider.” - Craig Taylor, Parking Manager, Cornwall Council
gavin@justpark.com justpark.com/cashless
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Go to jobs.localgov.co.uk for these roles and more JOB OF THE MONTH Senior Financial Accountant ◊ Broxbourne, Hertfordshire ◊ £35,901 to £37,691 p.a. ◊ Broxbourne Borough Council ◊ Full time ◊ Closes: 23 Sep 2018 “We are seeking to recruit an enthusiastic and self-motivated finance professional to join
Environmental Health Officer ◊ Chelmsford, Essex ◊ £32,523 rising to £35,841 per annum ◊ Chelmsford City Council ◊ Full time ◊ Closes: 01 Oct 2018
our Finance Team. This newly created post provides a unique opportunity for the right candidate to carve this role and join a successful team that has been at the forefront of early closedown having met the 31 July deadline in each of the last six years. “You will be the Council’s principle advisor on technical accounting issues.”
Senior Assistant Director - Operations and Partnerships ◊ Greenwich, London (Greater) ◊ Circa £110,000 ◊ Royal Borough of Greenwich ◊ Full time ◊ Closes: 28 Sep 2018
School Improvement Officer ◊ Bexleyheath, London (Greater) ◊ £60,692 – £69,842 ◊ London Borough of Bexley ◊ Full time ◊ Closes: 24 Sep 2018 “You will develop strong leadership and high quality teaching.”
“A strong track record.”
Pest Control Officer
Chief Planning Officer
Director of Planning, Housing & Environmental Health
◊ Brent, London Borough ◊ £25,746 - £27,342 p.a. inc. ◊ Brent Council ◊ Full time ◊ Closes: 25 Oct 2018
◊ Folkestone, Kent ◊ Up to £70,000 plus benefits ◊ Folkestone and Hythe District Council ◊ Full time ◊ Closes: 07 Oct 2018
◊ Tonbridge, Kent ◊ £90,726 plus lease car ◊ Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council ◊ Full time ◊ Closes: 01 Oct 2018 “You will be part of the Council’s Management Team and will make a significant contribution to the development of corporate strategy during a period of change and transformation. This is a high visibility role for a politically astute leader who focuses on service delivery.”
“We are looking for a suitably qualified, enthusiastic and skilled officer.”
“The focus of the role will be on commercial premises throughout the Borough and wider area and also to assist in generating new business.”
Senior Planning Officer
Traffic Engineer
Service Director: Education & Inclusion
Senior Transport Planners
◊ Rugby, Warwickshire ◊ £28,221 – £32,233 ◊ Rugby Borough Council ◊ Full time ◊ Closes: 30 Sep 2018
◊ Telford, Shropshire ◊ £29,055 - £30,756 ◊ Telford & Wrekin Council ◊ Full time ◊ Closes: 31 Oct 2018
◊ Wakefield, West Yorkshire ◊ £87k ◊ Wakefield Council ◊ Full time ◊ Closes: 01 Oct 2018
“The role will involve managing a case load of complex and contentious applications, including major applications.”
“As a Traffic Engineer you will be required to design and implement traffic management and road safety engineering schemes.”
“We want to hear from senior education professionals with a successful track record of energising continuous improvement and overcoming obstacles to attainment. Pressing on from our recent achievements, you’ll have an immediate positive impact, working collaboratively to establish and maintain progress.”
◊ Scotland ◊ £36,328-£43,923 (pro rata for part time) ◊ Transport Scotland ◊ Full time ◊ Closes: 07 Oct 2018
“You will be the Council’s senior planning specialist, providing strong leadership and planning expertise.”
Operational Repairs Team Leader
Senior Developer ◊ Chelmsford, Essex ◊ Up to £70,000 per annum ◊ Chelmsford City Council ◊ Full time ◊ Closes: 26 Sep 2018 “Our programme of change will move the organisation to a single platform built on Microsoft technologies. As a Senior Developer, you will provide technical leadership and high-end development within an Agile Scrum environment and mixed ability development team.”
◊ Spalding, Lincolnshire ◊ £32,233 - £37,107 ◊ South Holland District Council ◊ Full time ◊ Closes: 11 Oct 2018 “You will have experience of working in the housing maintenance sector.”
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LGN 47
September 2018
Tough, dependable, and built to last.
RTV Range: Exceptional capability, effortless control For effortless control on any terrain and the power to take on any task the RTV range is the unbeatable choice for work
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10/05/2018 10:34