Whitehall Chooses West Cheshire to Pioneer Local Services Revolution

A revolutionary new way of delivering public services which aims to boost the quality of life for all residents is to be pioneered in West Cheshire.

The Government announced today (December 21) it has chosen the Borough to stage its groundbreaking Community Budgets initiative.

The move hands Cheshire West and Chester Council and its partners the opportunity to influence what is potentially the biggest shake-up of local spending in decades.

From 2013, all services provided by the public, voluntary and community sector in the Borough may be funded from one ‘local pot’.

Although full details are yet to be worked up, it is expected 150 local services could be involved – creating a potential budget of £3-4billion.

Today (Wednesday) Secretary of State, Eric Pickles, said: “We need to end the ‘silo control’ and start a local service revolution that puts people at the heart of spending decisions and saves the money needed to pay off the deficit.

“Cheshire West and Chester are one of our four ‘pool to save’ pioneers that can bring about truly local services that knock out bureaucratic processes everywhere and upend Whitehall’s monopoly over public money that’s hemmed in frontline workers for decades.”

Co-ordinating funding will drive back the barriers of silo working, putting residents at the heart of spending decisions rather than individual organisations.

The Community Budgets bid – developed by the Council and its partners – sets out a vision to boost the quality of life for every individual, family and community.

Under the proposals, local people will be empowered to solve local problems in thriving, sustainable and safe neighbourhoods.

Children and families will be given the best start in life and older residents will have the support and confidence to lead independent lives.

The Borough is one of four areas in England tasked with developing a blueprint that can be replicated by other local authorities.

Council Leader Mike Jones, Chairman of the West Cheshire Together Partnership, said: “It is an enormous achievement to be selected to stand at the forefront of a revolutionary shift in the way public services are delivered in England.

“It represents a powerful vote of confidence in this authority and our track record of working with our partners to make things happen.

“For West Cheshire, Community Budgets are about much more than just ‘joining things up’.

“The focus is on outcomes, not organisations – to boost the quality of life for all our residents.

“We have been handed a golden opportunity to transform the way public services are delivered. The eyes of central Government and the rest of the country will be on us to see how it is done.”

Titled ‘Altogether Better’, the Borough’s Community Budgets bid outlines the various ways in which the Council works with its partners to benefit residents.

The Ellesmere Port Our Place initiative is cited as a local ‘laboratory’ where the concept is being successfully implemented on a smaller scale.

Labour Group Leader Justin Madders said: “The innovative work of the Our Place team has put the Council in a prominent position nationally to deliver this project. This is an opportunity to roll out their work across the whole of West Cheshire.

“Together with our partners, we will look to develop a strong vision for reform of local services.

“It is a massive culture change, but the aim is simple – to deliver services differently and more efficiently, in a way which makes a difference to peoples’ lives.

“The system we develop in West Cheshire will not only transform the way services are delivered locally, it will inform the future of local public services in England.

“It is a great responsibility, and one I am sure will bring even greater rewards for the people of West Cheshire.”

STORY NOTE:Partners in the West Cheshire Community Budget include Cheshire Wet and Chester Council, Cheshire Police, Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service and local Clinical Commissioning Groups.