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Introduction
The Joint Service Centre programme is a response to pressures at all levels to provide services in a more joined up way. A series of central government policies in this area started with the Modernising Government white paper, launched in March 1999. Most recently, Sir Peter Gershon's Review of Public Sector Efficiency requires the ODPM to lead and co-ordinate a local authority package of efficiency gains, which will include increased rationalisation of functions.
At the local authority level there is, of course, a desire to provide customers with the best service possible. Councils see opportunities to make services more efficient by exploiting synergies, while also bringing property up to modern standards. One of the themes of the Innovation Forum - which brings together excellent councils and Government to pioneer ways of delivering a better quality of life and improved public services - is public service integration delivered by a multi-agency approach.
Surveys of the public also show that, whilst telephone call centres have a major impact and the internet and other electronic communication can also contribute, many people still want to make contact face-to-face. They also show that people like a one stop shop approach, where they don’t have to repeat themselves, don't have to travel between various sites, and don’t have to work to find the right person to talk to. It is important that these services are delivered in a joined up manner which goes beyond co-location. The quality of services provided should be improved by their association with each other. This can be challenging, particularly where some services are provided by other agencies; whether those be other tier local authority, health service, central government, other public sector agencies or voluntary bodies.
Joint Service Centres (JSCs), as sponsored by this PFI programme, are therefore multi-agency and multi-service premises, aimed at improving accessibility of information and services to local communities. One of the services to be provided must be an integrated first point of contact offering advice and information on authority and partner agency services, but centres should also offer other front-line facilities including some provided by partner agencies, depending on local circumstances.
Procurement Pack
Lessons learnt from projects in the JSC programme has been compiled in a Joint Service Centre procurement pack which ODPM commissioned form the 4ps. This is the key document for local authorities considering developing centres of this type and covers:
- Advice on developing a JSC, looking at both services, outputs and procurement
- Advice on joint working more generally
- Model contract and other documentation, for both PFI and LIFT projects
- Case studies from Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle
JSC Projects
CLG and its predecessor departments has sponsored a number of projects under the JSC programme. These have been chosen as pathfinders, principally on the basis of innovative aspects of the proposals.
It has also provided funding for various community facilities to be added to projects sponsored by other departments; and - in the early years of local authority PFI - various accommodation projects which meet the current JSC criteria to a greater or lesser extent. It is therefore difficult to be precise about numbers, but the programme will have funded around 35 such centres when it has finished, providing a variety of services from a range of differently sized buildings.
A document bringing together some key details of JSCs sponsored by the department, plus other related buildings, has been compiled.
Enquiries to:
Central Private Finance Unit
Zone 4/F3
Ashdown House
123 Victoria Street
London SW1E 6DE
Tel: 020 7944 4228
Fax: 020 7944 4259The CLG is not responsible for the contents or reliability of the linked web sites and does not necessarily endorse the views expressed within them. Listing should not be taken as endorsement of any kind. We cannot guarantee that these links will work all of the time and we have no control over the availability of the linked pages.
CLG can only offer an informal interpretation of legislation and it is for the authorities to seek their own legal and accounting advice.
Last updated on 23 February 2009
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