Agenda

• Assessing the challenges presented by the £8 billion funding gap in 2024/25 and exploring the ongoing implications of the rising demands on local government
• Evaluating the progress made on business rates retention and the Fair Funding Review
• Looking towards the Spending Review and what may be in store for local authorities
• Exploring the future of local government finance settlements beyond 2020 and the core challenges around supporting long term funding sustainability

• Exploring effective practice in monitoring and evaluating performance in line with financial and resource planning
• Reviewing controls to ensure financial operations meet the needs of departmental business planning
• Evaluating the role of governance and accountability mechanisms in supporting robust financial decision making
• Sharing insights from the DHSC in supporting service improvements and efficiency through the finance function

• Analysing the significant developments in driving the effectiveness, productivity and efficiency of public services since 2010
• Understanding the key pressure points facing local authorities and the challenges in ensuring robust service provision
• Exploring future solutions on taxation, commercialisation, technology and efficiency in developing financial sustainability in local government budgets
• Embedding social value into financial decision making
• Understanding the inequalities in local government finance and how these disparities can be addressed

• Conducting an overhaul in commercial arrangements delivering core business services saving the department £100 million
• Redesigning the procurement of 27 business services provided by 2 large contractors with the disaggregation of services and the maximization of competition with suppliers
• Removing fixed cost contracts and developing devolved budgets across the department allowing greater recognition of the source of demands and costs
• Supporting improved accountability to budget holders allowing demands to be controlled
• Sharing insights on how other departments can adopt this approach when developing a commercial strategy

Gain insights from financial leaders from across local government as they assess the next steps in supporting financial sustainability

• Assess the key causes and pressures pushing local authorities towards budget gaps
• Understand how local authorities can manage the growing demand facing children’s services and adult social care
• Explore how councils can improve their resilience to funding shortages and ensure the maintenance of reserves

• Supporting departmental leaders to place financial evidence and outcomes at the heart of decision making
• Exploring the role of innovations in financial management and budgeting in improving operational performance
• Examining the next steps in how central government can identify areas for development in financial planning and risk management

• Has your team led a new initiative to support value for money?
• Do you have ideas on how service remodelling or new approaches to staffing can enhance efficiency?
• Does your Council have lessons to share on transforming financial functions for improved outcomes?

This interactive discussion is your chance to share your ideas, new approaches to service provision or even pose your challenges to peers to assess how local government can support improved value for money.

Led by our conference chair, come armed with your thoughts ready for discussion.

This interactive discussion is a valuable opportunity to engage in a cross departmental discussion on innovations and insights which can support enhanced financial performance and controls.

Led by our conference chair, come armed with your thoughts, questions and ideas for your peers as the Conference opens up to your experiences.

• Designing a holistic and customer-driven enterprise strategy to address a £0.6 million funding gap by 2020/2021
• Developing commercial services which reflect demand, local competition and the assets of the council
• Formulating a comprehensive action plan which drives income generation with initiatives including property investment, venue hire, advertising, waste services and regulatory guidance
• Supporting all departments to adopt a commercial mindset which allows enterprise through business-like decision making
• Sharing lessons learnt and how local authorities can support revenue growth through commercialisation

• Assessing the functional standards expected of departments and how financial leads can enhance capabilities
• Sharing the latest insights into supporting the efficiency and effectiveness of financial operations across government
• Developing cultures around successful planning, risk assessment and assurance in the support of evidence-based decision making
• Exploring the future of cross collaboration, evidence sharing and a joined-up approach to financial management across government

• Projecting the scale of adult social care demand and the impact on long term funding sustainability for core adult social care services
• Devising a comprehensive shared staffing arrangement between the London Boroughs of Wandsworth and Richmond amounting to up to £10 million of savings a year
• Utilising the shared staffing to drive the integration of adult social care, improve specialisms, enhance best practice sharing and support risk management
• Outlining the journey toward staff sharing and how the solution supported improved adult social care provision

• Utilising evidence-based auditing to assess the effectiveness of public service organisations in delivering value for money
• Outlining the next steps in designing governance and management procedures which ensure successful risk management
• Exploring how government bodies can develop counter fraud strategies to prevent and detect fraud within finance functions
• Sharing key lessons and examples of best practice from the GIAA in implementing and improving financial controls

• Supporting £2.3 million of efficiency savings up to 2020 through an overhaul of procurement and contract management processes across the council
• Identifying authority-wide challenges of inconsistent and fragmented approaches to new contracting resulting in inefficiencies in procurement
• Supporting solutions to enhance value for money and maximise the outcomes of procurement with a clear procurement strategy and the standardisation of processes
• Enhancing the accountability of procurement functions and promoting the understanding of best practice through departmental procurement champions
• Sharing insights on the journey to improved procurement efficiency and how other authorities can develop a more business-like approach to contract management

• Maximising efficiency and developing leaner services with the aim of a 34% reduction in the resource budget by 2020
• Restructuring IT service provision with a move away from large IT contracts, challenging rates for ongoing services and developing bespoke in-house provision
• Identifying efficiencies which also improve the customer experience with the development of online services and removing consumable costs for which there is less demand
• Embedding value for money within procurement with continual contract assessments with the aim of a 5% reduction on all future contract renewals
• Acting as an exemplar of best practice across central government and generating new revenue by offering services to support other government departments drive efficiency