WIREDGOV

Potential for saving public funds through place-based budgeting could be frustrated without better understanding of how to manage and use information.

This is the message from Too many cooks: the information management implications of place-based public services, the latest report from Socitm Insight.

The report is based on a study by Socitm Insight of thirteen 'Total Place' pilots, run under the previous government's Operational Efficiency Programme to identify economies and efficiency improvements that might be achieved by taking a coordinated, collaborative approach to service delivery across all public sector agencies in a locality. The underlying premise is that uncoordinated spend by multiple agencies (ie too many cooks...) on vulnerable children and adults, drug and alcohol abuse, offender management and similar services leads to duplication, waste and poor outcomes for the citizen.

Socitm trawled the final reports from the pilot projects run in Birmingham, Bradford, Coventry, Solihull & Warwickshire, Croydon, Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole, Durham, Gateshead, South Tyneside & Sunderland, Kent, Leicester & Leicestershire, Lewisham, Luton & Central Bedfordshire, Manchester City and Warrington, and Worcestershire. The research sought evidence of the information problems encountered, and the information issues that localism raises. Specific topics were followed up in detail with the team at 'BeBirmingham'.

The report is free to download for Socitm Insight subscribers or can be purchased on this site for £95 (£85 for Socitm members).