• Modern public services: challenge of transformation shows why councils need to transform and how this can be made to happen
• Modern public services: transformation in practice features 35 case studies from UK councils that are already transforming themselves
• Material to be presented on February 20 at a Socitm’s transformation event in Birmingham – also featuring Ian Watmore, head of the PM’s Delivery Unit

Research into how UK local authorities are transforming themselves to achieve step changes in efficiency and customer service has been published in two new reports from the Society of IT Management (Socitm).

The reports are the first in a planned series on transformation, which is emerging as the main thrust behind the Government’s ongoing drive to modernise public services following publication of last November’s Cabinet Office paper Transformational Government: enabled by technology.

With the ODPM’s local e-government programme (LGOL) coming to an end next month, interest is growing in how the investment, which has helped councils create the infrastructure for modern public services, will deliver transformation in the form of better services delivered more efficiently. 

Modern public services: challenge of transformation demonstrates that, for transformation to take place, there needs to be leadership from the top of the organisation, not least because the sort of change associated with transformation inevitably meets resistance. People may fear for their jobs or the culture may be unsupportive. In some cases, the organisation might simply fail to understand the transformational potential of ICT.

The report indicates that there is no simple formula for success. Transformation demands imagination and innovation and may mean challenging long-held assumptions or working practices, or even cutting corners. Importing radical ideas from elsewhere and adapting and applying them to suit local circumstances could also be part of the mix.

Modern public services: transformation in practice sets out 35 case studies as examples of transformations that have taken place in councils of all types and sizes across the UK.  The cases include whole-council, service-specific and ‘niche’ transformations and involve councils in urban and rural locations, in single and multi-tier local government organisations, and in partnerships involving organisations from both public and private sectors.

The report analyses the transformation cases by customer groups affected, by services impacted, technologies used, the nature of the improvement made.  It also provides analyses for the three main drivers for transformation, which are identified as the desire by councils to:

• use technology operate in completely new ways.
• change the customer experience
• use scarce and valuable resources more efficiently.

On the basis of the case studies in the report, the first of these, which is strongly linked to the e-government programme pursued over the last five years, has been the most important driver for transformation up to now, being behind more than half the featured case studies.  The third approach, focusing on organizational productivity, is one that has probably only begun to become significant since the efficiency agenda appeared on the scene.

Martin Greenwood, programme manager for Socitm Insight, publisher of the two reports is very encouraged by what they show: ‘The diversity of the projects featured demonstrates that the appetite for change and modernization is strong within local government. It also shows the huge potential for transformation if repeated on a national scale.’

Modern public services: challenge of transformation (40pp) and Modern public services: transformation in practice (68pp) are available at a cost of £95 + vat each or £175 + vat if bought together and can be ordered from the Socitm website. There is also a 4pp executive briefing. The reports are free of charge to Socitm Insight subscribers. 

Case studies featured in Modern public services: transformation in practice

Bassetlaw DC: Interactive videoconferencing in a rural area
Birmingham City: The business transformation toolkit
Derby City: A strategic ICT framework for business transformation
Dudley MBC: Knowledge management
Dudley MBC: Information gateway
East Ayrshire: Customer Contact Gateway
Eastleigh BC: Web-enabled map-based information access East Riding of Yorkshire: MyEastriding personalised access to the council’s CRM
Glasgow City: The Fuelzone
Glasgow City: Greater Glasgow Independent Living Equipment Service
Glasgow City: VIP ON AIR
Glasgow City: 1Business shared services centre
Hampshire and Isle of Wight e-government partnership: Extranet
Hampshire CC: Public transport on demand
Hampshire CC: Direct access to occupational therapy services
Hertfordshire CC: Online school admissions
Home Connections Lettings Ltd: Social housing partnership
Leeds City: Digital pen and paper within social services HomeCare
Leicestershire CC: CareOnLine in mainstream service provision
LOCATA Housing Services: Social housing partnership
LB of Havering: Mobile working in social care and single assessment process
LB of Hillingdon: Hillingdon improvement programme
LB of Lambeth: Transforming the way the council works
LB of Waltham Forest: Enterprise resource planning
London Connects: SignVideo Contact Centre for people with hearing impairment
Medway: Customer First programme
Newport City: City Contact Centre
North Dorset DC: Business development and e-government Rushcliffe BC: Streetwise: improving the outdoor environment
Staffordshire Connects partnership: Shared CRM across a sub-region
Sunderland City: Community e-champions
Torfaen CBC: Webster.uk.net
West Lothian Community Health and Care Partnership: Smart Homes and
Housing with Care
West Sussex CC: MySociety partnership
Wiltshire CC: Transforming the customer experience through BPR