Bringing key services closer to the communities they serve – Sunderland City Council

• Lead Member Sunderland City Council
• Categories Community

Sunderland City Council’s Community Leadership Programme has achieved meaningful decentralisation of local public services to the five areas which make up this City of 280,000 people.  The Council’s Responsive Local Services agenda has transformed the governance and delivery of environmental (street scene) services in the city, youth services, prioritisation of local highways maintenance activity and a range of other service areas. Prioritisation of important, visible, high profile front line services, currently with budgets in excess of £15m has already been devolved to Areas so that decision-making can be quicker and more responsive to local needs. An extensive  ‘pipeline’ of further services will see the range and value of services increase dramatically.

The environmental services which made up the first successful wave of Responsive Local Services were subject to fundamental service re-design which, after extracting major budget efficiencies, created new multi-disciplinary teams with far greater empowerment of front line employees, mobile technology and a brief to engage with their communities. Major social landlord partners, in particular, were engaged so that integration of all main environmental management resources around place was achieved, land ownership issues resolved and maintenance regimes prioritised and co-ordinated.

Results have been exceptional.  Despite taking over £10m out of environmental services budgets, the Council has achieved its highest ever MORI satisfaction ratings for these services. Compliments exceeded complaints for the first time and ever since changes were introduced nearly two years ago, staff reporting of issues has exceeded public reporting.

While it shapes plans for customer behaviour change which will achieve a further step change in demand management, the Council has therefore achieved an effective approach to early intervention which means that most environmental issues are sorted before they become a problem for the public. Member satisfaction with these services, their ability to introduce local insight and intelligence and to set local priorities through new Area Place Boards consistently – but not surprisingly – exceeds 95% as measured by the Council’s Member Satisfaction Survey.

To discuss Sunderland’s Community Leadership Programme, please contact the Council’s cooperative advocate, Phil Spooner. He can be reached at: phil.spooner@sunderland.gov.uk

Read Sunderland’s case study on responsive local governance here.

Read Sunderland’s case study on promoting internal co-production here.