Scottish Local Authorities
As the COSLA Conference 2010 explores the issues facing local government in Scotland and how best to prepare for the future, Biggart Baillie is already playing its part in supporting change and innovation within the Public Sector in Scotland by working with organisations such as: The Scottish Parliament Corporate Body, VisitScotland, University of Dundee, Aberdeenshire Council, City of Edinburgh Council, Clackmannanshire Council, Highland Council, Perth and Kinross Council, South Lanarkshire College, Aberdeen University, British Transport Police and NHS Forth Valley.
Biggart Baillie is working with local authority and public sector clients in dealing with a range of challenging issues around managing change and generating opportunities including:
- Shared services – there is now a real and pressing economic imperative to accelerate the progress in securing efficiencies from shared service initiatives.
- Partnership working - making partnership working real and effective is crucial. The development of Single Outcome Agreements is a challenge for councils and their partners and will require further and quicker development of accountability, governance and public performance reporting arrangements.
- Competitiveness – it is essential that local authorities take a more systematic and rigorous approach to demonstrating service competitiveness and value for money, by market testing activities and by making more use of comparative information.
- Performance management and monitoring – the focus on outcomes does not remove the need for good management processes and robust information about the quality, cost, accessibility and value for money of services.
- A culture of continuous improvement –there needs to be a strong culture of continuous improvement across services, with an even greater emphasis on efficiency and the effective use of resources.
- Continuous development of elected members – personal development is now established as essential to support elected members in carrying out their demanding and complex roles.
Action by local authorities in these areas will contribute to improved public services across the country. At Biggart Baillie we’re committed to being there for our clients and taking their business personally – whatever their sector. Our experienced team of lawyers has extensive experience in working for public sector bodies on a wide range of issues.
If you would like to learn more about how we can work with you in meeting these challenges, please contact a member of our public sector team below.
Contacts for Scottish Local Authorities