Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
22 January 2010
11:1638482#1
*******DDC INFORMATION
SHARED SERVICES MOVE FORWARD
Proposals to share services between three councils in East Kent, which are set to bring significant savings for each council, will now go forward for further discussion in Dover District.
The plans, which would see a number of services being merged between Dover District, Canterbury and Thanet councils, were given the seal of approval today (Wednesday 20 January) by lead councillors from the three authorities at the East Kent Joint Arrangements Committee. Each individual council will now decide whether to sign up for the scheme, with Dover District scheduled to discuss the subject at Scrutiny Committee today (20 January), Cabinet on 8 February and Full Council on 3 March.
Services being considered for the first phase of the project include:
· Revenues and benefits
· IT
· Building control
· Customer services, including face to face and telephone
Before any service goes into the project, a business case will be proposed and agreed that needs to show at least a 10% savings in the first two years. This will also have to show what level of service the new arrangement will deliver. The decision on which services progress forward will be made by each council. The project could generate up to £3.5 million of savings over the next four years for the councils involved.
Cllr Paul Watkins, Leader of Dover District Council said: "We firmly believe that sharing services with our neighbouring councils is the best way to deliver both the best possible service and achieve significant savings for our residents."
The decision for the three councils to move forward came despite the news that Shepway District Council is taking a step back from these plans. Shepway remains part of the plans to share human resources, waste and recycling collections and landlord services with Canterbury, Dover and Thanet and, in due course, may wish to consider joining for other services in the future.
Cllr Watkins said: "We fully respect Shepway's views on this project and the fact that the savings may not be as great to them, as they will be to us. Each council has to do what it feels is right for its residents. We believe this is the right way forward for Dover District and remain fully committed to this project."
- ends -
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
22 January 2010
12:5638484#2
i do not see how this project can move forward without all 4 councils being in agreement with what services come under this joint umbrella.
it is beginning to look very much like a much smaller version of the european union, with each member state deciding which rules they will follow.
Guest 652- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 595
22 January 2010
16:2438493#3
Is this not about time the council asked the PEOPLE what they want, not what they want, after all we elected them, lets have a public meeting, we should be consulted, perhaps we do not wish to share services, we may get a worse deal than we get now, half the councillors sitting up at the palace do not come from this area, so are not worried one way or another.
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
22 January 2010
16:3738495#4
They`ll all be feathering their own nests.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
22 January 2010
16:4938497#5
Is a difficult one, budgets are being endlessly cut and mergers and shared services are inevitable... it is a matter of doing what can be done off councils own backs rather before it is forced upon
Trouble is with no real strategy, things are shared left right and centre and it gets rather confusing !!
Re the comment "half the councillors sitting up at the palace do not come from this area" how many DDC councillors don't actually live in the Dover District ? Very few I would imagine ?
Been nice knowing you :)
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
22 January 2010
17:3738501#6
Pual you are correct councillors who serve on DDC live in the District .Sorry Sheila but you as a DTC councillor represent just Dover Town .I think some people forget how far and wide our district is .fortunately I covered most of the patch when I was on planning .Do you think someone living in in Denton ,or Preston really worries about Dover Town toilets ?,Thats why we are district councillors and all 45 of us serve the whole district .in making decisions you have to think what will Whitfield ,or Aylesham people think .Its the collective knowledge that makes it work .
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
22 January 2010
17:4938502#7
Sue are you trying to tell us it works then.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
22 January 2010
17:5438505#8
I think the feeling is at this time we need parish councils and town councils but not a District one.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
22 January 2010
19:2638511#9
i think that sheila was making the point that the area in greatest need of care is dover town.
none of the cabinet live in dover town, except susans chap.
one only has to look at places like deal, sandwich and most of our villages and realise that they do not need the help that dover town does.
surely evidence lies in the fact that they do not feel the need for a business support manager.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
22 January 2010
20:0538521#10
As the Business Support Manager is employed by Dover District Chamber of Commerce, it shouldn't be an issue Howard.
Not just because I am the DBS Manager, but I do believe it needs proper (continual) funding, otherwsie it will be chasing its tail on funding as TCM did in the days of Mike Webb.
Roger
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
22 January 2010
20:1338524#11
roger
the point i was making was that dover needs a business support manager, but the rest of the district do not seem to.
i agree with you about funding, but that is a different issue.
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
22 January 2010
20:1438525#12
I think HOWARD has replied to sheila and shown that Dover is lacking at District council level
I think looking at the toilet issue, this shows the District council has no plans to consult or even consider YOUR views so sheilas wish for a public meeting would be great but under this administration unlikely
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
23 January 2010
00:0138551#13
I think you will find there are three DDC councillors Buckland Labour ,Three For Priory etc Two Labour and one Conservative ,Town and Pier one Labour ,St Radigunds Two both Labour ,Castle one Conservative and Tower hamlets Two Labour .I think that is Fifteen and only two Conservative out of all of those .
Sums it up perhaps
Aylesham have their problems ,parts of Deal also have deprivation .
Sandwich have a very active Town Council.
I could go on
The problem is as has been stated in the past we should have been given a different name .To call us Dover was a mistake .
I shall never convince Vic .Let him serve a term on DDC and he will sing another tune ..
WE all try to our best which ever tier of government we serve on ..
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
23 January 2010
00:0538553#14
SUE
I think Sheila refers to the planning committee on DDC
would be nice to know where the majority of cllrs live.
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
23 January 2010
00:1038555#15
Ok Keith apologies to Sheila .I think two or maybe three Dont wish to put names up on here .
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
23 January 2010
00:1538557#16
Why not they can be looked up on web site, or easiely found in council offices,
wonder how many on the following
HOW MANY LIVE IN DOVER
HOW MANY LIVE IN DEAL
HOW MANY LIVE IN THE RURAL AREAS
Guest 652- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 595
23 January 2010
00:4138559#17
If these services merge together, I want to know that Dover would get its equal share of the pot, I don't think so, I know the toilets are another issue here, but that one service alone proves a point, more councillors live outside Dover so are not worried what happens here, I notice Deal toilets were not closed, perhaps Paul has to go to the loo more often in his town than we have to in Dover
PS Keith sent you an e-mail re-Cherlye
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
23 January 2010
08:4738566#18
Sheila
sorry to deflect away from the subject
hsave sent you an E mail with my E Mail address
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
23 January 2010
10:5738571#19
sheila
i believe that deal town council have taken over the running of their facilities.
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,709
23 January 2010
15:2238576#20
Shared Services as a concept are a good idea as it delivers economies of scale, cost efficiency and hopefully better service provision.
The devil of course is in the detail, around how the service is shared, the formula used to calculate the share of the costs for each participant, how services are delivered, where the service will be based, what will happen with the existing staff etc.
This is a complex project , riddled with political issues, complex stakeholder management and communication needs, significant risks as well as all the usual baggage that sadly surrounds local government works. However, the potential benefits chain that can be realised from a successful delivery are significant and will have a direct impact on our monthly council tax bills.
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