The legislative programme of the Scottish Executive has a significant impact on the Council and its area. Westminster and Brussels remain important. Social and Economic Changes and Technological Developments also have an impact on how we operate and our performance. Below are some of the recent and significant developments that we need to take into account or to try and influence when planning for the future and responses to them.
Freedom Of Information Act
The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, gives members of the public the right to see the information held by Scottish Public Authorities. Every Scottish Public Authority (including The Highland Council) must now respond to all information requests they receive. They must provide advice and assistance to help the person making the request and must provide the information within 20 working days. Some information may be withheld for good reasons, but these reasons must be explained to the applicant and be justified.
The Council's Response
We have developed a Publication Scheme that gives details of the information that the authority publishes, the format(s) in which it is available, any charges which apply and who to contact. We have also set internal systems for responding to requests and set a standard of responding to requests within ten days To get more information on your rights contact foi@highland.gov.uk or alternatively ask at the service point.
Modernising Government
This is a Scottish Executive sponsored initiative where Government local and National have a vision of a Scotland where the delivery of public services and public information is characterised by citizen focus, a choice of means of access, convenience, effectiveness and continuous improvement. This will mean that public service and information delivery is driven by the needs of citizens and by a commitment to a customer service culture and to measurable improvement in accessibility and quality for all.
The Council's Response
The Council has embraced this vision and runs a Digital Highland Programme the flagship project for this programme is the Customer.
We have been successful in obtaining from the Modernising Government Fund to assist with the development of the “Digital Highland Project”. Digital Highland aims to modernise the way the Council works and improve public services in the Highlands There are 3 key streams to the project. These are:-
Ensuring that Highland has an electronic communication network able to make full use of the opportunities offered by ICT.
Developing our ability and that of local suppliers to trade on-line and via a range of electronic systems.
Developing our Customer Relationship Management so that we can provide a single point of contact, providing a consistent method of recording contact, speeding up our response to requests and so improving the service we deliver to the public.
Efficient Government
In August 2004 local authorities were informed of the Scottish Executive’s Efficient Government Initiative. The aim of the initiative is to secure savings in the whole of the public sector of £745m per annum by 2007-8. The savings to be achieved will be reinvested in front-line services.
It identifies the following areas where efficiency gains can be achieved: Procurement, managing sickness absence, asset management, shared support services, streamlining bureaucracy and shared delivery of services. An Efficient Government Fund (EGF) has been created to provide incentives for regional, national and cross sector efficiencies
The Council's Response
There are four partnering approaches which the Council is considering pursuing:
A cross sector approach with The Council joining up with community planning partners.
A local authority partnership across the Highlands and Islands (with scope for procurement and possibly shared support services).
A local authority partnership with other Councils in Grampian (with scope for aggregating procurement or joining up on specific services such as waste disposal).
We have been successful in obtaining funding for developing a Well Being Alliance* Business Improvement Team. This team will look at how Partners in the Highlands can work more efficiently in the Highlands, to reduce administrative costs and deliver more to customers. For further information contact Stewart Wardlaw, Project Leader (Wellbeing Alliance Business Improvement Team)
Community Planning
Community Planning seeks to bring together key public agencies, together with the private and voluntary sectors, to agree a vision for the future, a range of common objectives for the area and ways of achieving them more efficiently and effectively by working together rather than through independent action.
The Council's Response
This partnership in the Highlands is called the Well Being Alliance (WBA) Partnership. The Well Being Partnership has produced a Community Plan that aims to:
Improve the connection between national priorities and those at Highland, local and neighbourhood levels.
Ensure that people and communities in the Highlands are genuinely engaged in the decisions made on public services which affect them.
Gain commitment from organisations in the Highlands to work together, not apart, in providing better public services.
Provide the over-arching partnership framework for co-ordinating other initiatives and partnerships and, where necessary, acting to rationalise and simplify public sector working arrangements.
In Highland the partnership for community planning is The Highland Wellbeing Alliance. *The Highland Wellbeing Alliance now includes:
The Highland Council
Highlands and Islands Enterprise
NHS Highland
Scottish Natural Heritage
Northern Constabulary
Communities Scotland
Highland and Islands Fire Brigade
Representatives from the private sector
Representatives from the voluntary sector
Community Ownership
The Highland Council voted on 28 October 2004 to apply to join the Scottish Executive Community Ownership Programme.
The Council's Response
The Council has decided to that it is in the best long term interest of the Highlands to seek housing stock transfer as this will result in increased housing investment. Tenants will receive a lot more information on this over the next 18 months. Links to Community Ownsership section have been included under related information
The Council will continue to maintain existing services over this period. There will now be an extensive consultation and information exercise, involving staff, trade unions, council tenants and other interested parties.