Shared Services
The commercial sector has increasingly used shared service models over the last decade as a method of enhancing the efficiency of their corporate support functions, such as finance, human resources, information technology and procurement. However the concept is beginning to become more widely embraced by the public sector both in the central and local government arena. In the UK, Sir Peter Gershon's Public Sector Efficiency Review in 2004 has placed the sharing services at the centre of the debate over how savings will be delivered.
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Shared Services in Local Government: This is the time (PDF) Confederation of British Industry (CBI), 2010 CBI Public Services & Skills Directorate This report calls on local authorities to think smarter about re-engineering services to meet citizens' needs at lower cost, drawing on evidence of what is already being achieved by some local authorities in partnership with private and third sector providers. UK
Sharing the Gain: Collaborating for Cost-Effectiveness (PDF) Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy (CIPFA), 2010 A report that provides guidance to public bodies on collaborating to make more effective use of their front-line and back-office service in a prevailing climate of budget cuts and rising customer demands. ISBN 978 1 84508 221 5 UK
Freeing the Front Line: Where next for corporate shared services in the public sector? (PDF) PwC Public Sector Research Centre, 2009 PricewaterhouseCoopers
This report seeks to invigorate the debate on implementing shared services models in government, and in particular argues that "a refreshed overall vision is urgently required."
UKShared Services in the Department for Transport and its Agencies (Web Page) National Audit Office, 2008 The Stationery Office An evaluation of the DfT's project to create an in-house centralised shared services centre covering human resources, payroll and finance. UK
Shared Services Scotland: The £750million Question [Executive Summary Only] (PDF) CIPFA/Serco, 2008 Ipsos Mori conducted a survey on behalf of CIPFA and Serco to examine the attitude of senior public sector officials in Scotland to sharing services within or between local authorities and other local service providers. The results show not inconsiderable scepticism as to the benefits of sharing services. This is a free link to the Executive Summary of the report. The full report is available from CIPFA. UK
Shared Services Initiative Achievements 2002-08 (PDF) Queensland Government, 2008 This report reviews the performance of the Shared Services Initiative (SSI) since the project's existence, with six shared services established in Queensland. Following the SSI reaching its five-year milestone, the document presents the projects change in focus to newer ways of doing business that effect public sector employees. Australia
Improving Corporate Functions Using Shared Services (PDF) National Audit Office, 2007 The Stationery Office A report on the progress in implementing shared services across government, focusing on finance and human resources functions. UK
Developing the Local Government Services Market: Working Paper on Local Authority Shared Services (PDF) Department for Communities and Local Government and Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP, 2007 The Stationery Office A report which identifies a number of different models for sharing services, embracing a number of collaborative scenarios, degrees of integration and diverse opportunities from ICT, public libraries to regulatory services. UK
Developing the Local Government Services Market: Working Paper on Techonology and Transformation Services (PDF) Department for Communities and Local Government and Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP, 2007 The Stationery Office A report which looks at how local government can exploit specialist techniques developed in the private sector to improve service delivery and how the use of shared services could both promote efficiency targets and provide a more customer-centric services. UK
Transformation through shared services: Improving quality, increasing efficiency (PDF) Confederation of British Industry (CBI) , 2006 This report from the CBI promotes the case for shared services. Using examples such as the BT Customer Contact Centre, and Serco and Staffordshire Moorlands and Lichfield District Council, it shows how the delivery of services can be improved through using the shared services approach. The report also makes recommendations on ways the public sector can realise the full potential of shared services by engaging with industry. ISBN 0-85201-63-x UK
Structures for Collaboration and Shared Services (PDF) Department for Communities and Local Government, 2006 A report to assist those in Local government in England, and for potential public sector, voluntary and business partners to understand the various structures that might be used with a public sector partner. UK
The Future of Shared Services in the UK Public Sector O'Brien, John , 2005 Ovum A report on the make-up of the shared services market and why it is seen to be such an important area by public sector organisations for driving cost efficiencies and improving service delivery. It looks at emerging market models and how suppliers can gain entry into such a high growth area. UK
Shared Services for Even Greater Efficiency in Local Government
PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2005
This paper promotes the case for improving efficiency in local government through using shared services models. The paper looks at the benefits of shared services. It also gives an overview of the challenges that have prevented local authorities from delivering shared services as well as suggestions of how to overcome these barriers.
UK
Shared Services as a Long-term Solution for Local Government: Delivering on the Gershon Report (PDF) Commissioned by Serco Solutions, 2005 A survey covering 26% of all local authorities in England to discover what finance directors think of the Gershon Efficiency Review and how they propose to meet their targets. The report focuses on the shared service model as a delivery tool for local government efficiency targets. UK
Driving High Performance in the Government: Maximising the Value of Public-Sector Shared Services (PDF) Accenture, 2005 A survey of government executives around the world, identifying trends around the awareness and adoption of the shared services model in the public sector. USA
Releasing Resources to the Frontline: Independent Review of Public Sector Efficiency (PDF) Gershon, Sir Peter, 2004
A review of public sector efficiency with recommendations on the scope for efficiencies identified in back office, procurement, transaction service and policy-making functions.
UKShared Services Toolkit (Web Page) Chief Information Officer Council, 2005 The Cabinet Office This diagram shows the process behind the creation of shared services. It includes examples, best practices, background material and methodology. UK
Strategic Partnering Taskforce: Final Report (PDF) Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM), 2004 Based on a two-year research programme The Strategic Partnering Taskforce delivers recommendations on what be can gained from adopting a Stategic Service-delivery Partnership (SSP) based on evidence from 24 pathfinder projects accross local government. UK
Auditor-General's Report Performance Audit. Shared Corporate Services: Realising the Benefits (PDF) Auditor General, 2004 New South Wales Audit Office This report examines the benefits of shared service through a case study of the first government provider of shared services in Australia, the Central Corporate Services Unit (CCSU). As well as illustrating the successes of shared services, the case study also draws attention to the issues requiring closer management. From this, the report makes recommendations on the improvements that should be considered. Australia
National Procurement Strategy for Local Government (PDF) Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM), 2003 This document is jointly written by central and local government, and other partners. It sets out how central and local government working together with other partners from the public, private and voluntary sectors can set about improving local government procurement. 003DPL 004 UK
E-government and Organisational Transformation - Lessons from Liverpool and Hertfordshire (PDF) Melville, Abigail, 2002 New Local Government Network (NLGN); and Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) The report is the first output of NLGN's Innovation forum Knowledge Exchange Programme. It identifies key lessons about e-government and organisational transformation from two leading councils Liverpool city Council (LCC) and Hertfordshire County Council (HCC). ISBN 1 903447 240 UK
e-gov@local: Towards a National Strategy for Local e-government Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, 2002 A consultation paper setting out proposals for and raising questions about a national strategy for local e-government. UK
Local e-government now: a worldwide view (PDF)
Improvement and Design Agency (I&DeA); Society of Information Technology Management (Socitm), 2002
Local e-government now: a worldwide view - Executive Summary (PDF) Improvement and Development Agency (I&DeA); Society of Information Technology Management (Socitm), 2002 UK
Shared Services: Advancing Innovation in Government Service Delivery Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC), 2002 A position paper from ITAC which offers observations and recommendations on how the Canadian Government can use information and communications technology to improve service, streamline costs and drive innovation through the use of shared services. Canada
Shared Service Delivery in Local Authorities - Analysis of CIPFA Survey October 2001 The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), 2001 CIPFA UK