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Efficiency Programme

Following the publication of Sir Peter Gershon's review of public sector efficiency, all public sector bodies are expected to save 2.5 per cent of their budgets in each of the financial years 2005/06, 2006/07 and 2007/08. These savings are intended to be re-deployed to provide better front-line services to our customers.

The council has had its own efficiency agenda for several years, originally outlined in our five-year vision for the development of the council that was set out in “Moving Us On – Controlling Our Future”, approved in June 2003. This vision acknowledged that continuing change is an accepted fact and describes five key drivers for change:

Our political priorities
Our emphasis on partnership working
The transformational prospects of e government and its importance as we bring the new office project to fruition
The challenging financial outlook
The increasing importance of performance management

Achieving value for money is at the heart of everything we do. We aim to keep council tax and spending down, while achieving high levels of performance and satisfaction. Achieving efficiency is our preferred mechanism to continually improve and deliver more community value in the context of finite resources. The council’s Annual Efficiency Statements - Forward Looking 2007/08 51kb Strategy for Achieving Efficiency Gains (PDF 50KB) sets out fully our approach to this fundamental day to day operation.

Though the savings are to be achieved by all Service Units within the council, performance management acts as a central coordinating point for their efforts, as well as being available to provide advice and assistance to Service Units on possible ways to make efficiency savings. The Performance Manager is also involved in the production of the council's Annual Efficiency Statements, which are required by central government to be produced at the beginning of April and June each year. These statements show the level of savings that have been achieved in the previous year (Annual Efficiency Statements - Backward Looking 2006/07 69kb), and that are predicted for the coming year (Annual Efficiency Statements - Forward Looking 2007/08 51kb Strategy for Achieving Efficiency Gains).

What is meant by 'efficiency savings'?

Efficiency savings is the name given to savings made by a public sector body by reducing waste in their processes or by greater collaboration with other people.

How are the efficiency savings worked out?

Savings are identified by the head of each Service Unit within the council for their own Unit. They are then centrally collected and reported to the government in our Annual Efficiency Statements - Forward Looking 2007/08 51kb Strategy for Achieving Efficiency Gains. Achievement of the targets will be monitored at the end of the financial year, when the council produces its Annual Efficiency Statements - Backward Looking 2006/07 69kb, which can be compared with the one written at the start of the year.

Is this just another money-saving exercise?

No. The focus of the Gershon Review is on generating money to improve customer service, largely by cutting unnecessary 'red tape'. Half of all the savings made do have to be 'cashable' (save money), but this is reinvested in the council's 'front-line' services. This means that you should be able to see improvements in the speed and quality of service you receive from Salisbury District Council. The other half of the savings will come about through using council resources more effectively – being able to provide a better service for the same amount of investment.

Will my council tax be cut?

This is unlikely. The money saved through greater efficiency will be invested in improving council services.

Can I see previous years' efficiency statements?

Performance management

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Information:

Contact details:

Telephone:
01722 434395

email:
performance@salisbury.gov.uk...

Postal address:
Performance Improvement Manager
Democratic Services
Salisbury District Council
PO Box 2117
Salisbury
SP2 2DF