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Available online at: http://www.buckspathfinder.gov.uk
Front Page
Issue 9 - Latest News
We've had several bits of news to report since the last edition, all of which feature this time around.
The biggest news is that following evaluation of the responses to the OJEU notice for the Support services project, the Programme Board has now agreed a shortlist of companies to go forward to the next stage, who will now be invited submit their outline proposals by mid November 2009.
The shortlisted companies were selected by evaluation of their responses to the PQQ, and in this issue we've got the low down on what the PPQ is, how it was created and, of course, what it stands for. At the time of writing initial dialogue has been completed and we await the companies initial solutions.
We're very pleased to announce that Councillor Frank Downes is the new JIB Chairman, find out more in our interview with outgoing Chairman Councillor Michael Edmonds.
The Pathfinder extranet site has been given a makeover and re-launched with a new navigation structure that makes up to date information on the different Pathfinder workstreams much easier to find.
Last but by no means least congratulations to our very own Rachel Bennett who married her fiancé Malcolm in Aston Clinton this July.
This issue's in depth project profile is on the Waste workstream, but read on for the latest developments across all the Pathfinder Projects.
Over the summer the Community Engagement project has undertaken an option-generation exercise for the next phase of work to follow the evaluation reports to the JIB in September. The group have also been in action with one of the Wycombe community panels submitting an application under the Sustainable Communities Act to reduce noise from M40 motorway. Support for this submission has also been obtained from Oxfordshire Councils.
In Procurement, arrangements have been concluded between Bucks authorities, Spikes Cavell and IESE to undertake spend analysis exercise based on 08/09 data. By use of IESE negotiate framework plus direct IESE subsidy the cost of this exercise has been substantially reduced. Work is now commencing with Spikes Cavell to extract data from finance systems for the spend analysis.
In the Waste work-stream external funding of over £150,000 from DEFRA, WRAP (Waste Resources Action Programme) and IESE (Improvement Efficiency South East) has been secured so far this year to help take forward some critical areas of work. Areas that have been progressing in the last few months include:
- the development of a joint waste collection contract involving the four districts,
- work on possible governance arrangements for any new structure
- Business Process Improvement (BPI) study on all five authorities' waste teams.
In September WDC agreed a bridging contract for their own refuse and recycling contract which paves the way for a wider joint district waste collection contract that could ultimately encompass all four districts. The next steps just starting on this are an appraisal of potential future waste collection options which could operate in any new joint contract and a Service Rules Survey setting out all the different ways municipal waste is collected and handled under the existing district operations. This will feed into a formal procurement of the new contract commencing in the spring/summer of 2010. A new joint contract involving at least Chiltern and Wycombe DCs could be in place as soon as 2011/12.
The BPI study will attempt to identify by Spring 2010 potential efficiencies in the way waste teams in the five authorities operate their processes and as such how much more efficient a joint waste team could be. This project will be critical in helping to decide whether what is called Scenario 4 (service integration across the Districts) be agreed as the ultimate way forward or whether Scenario 5 (County and District integration) is the ultimate end goal for waste. Meanwhile discussions are ongoing at a senior level around potential governance arrangements for any new structure that may emerge. It is hoped that a decision on this latter area is will be made to tie in with the outcomes of the BPI work.
A further bid for DEFRA funding is being made this autumn, if successful this will help fund some specific projects such as examination of the wider infrastructure needs of the joint collection contract linking to the County's residual waste treatment solution. There is also an identified need for some programme management support including a dedicated project manager, HR and communications guidance.
The Customer Service workstream phase 2 implementation is commencing, following the completion of the Phase 1 Project Close Report. A revised Phase 2 Implementation Project Board at Director level is being set up, with the first meeting taking place in October 2009. The Project Sponsor is discussing the implementation plan with other senior officers and is seeking the resources and funding to move this project forward.
The Demand Led Transport Needs Assessment survey is now complete. The officer working group continues to work with Dial-a-Rides to implement recommendations from the consultants report working particularly with Wycombe Dial-a-Ride fleet management and upgraded scheduling software.
An action plan is underway which has been further informed by analysis of Needs Assessment this summer. The working group produced a final report for consideration by the September JIB. Work has also commenced to review broader transportation issues and opportunities with the local PCT and other partners leading to development of a broader community transport project.
The Shared Support Services Programme has completed the prequalification stage of the programme and the first stage of dialogue with the bidders, IBM and Mouchel, and are preparing their response by mid-November. The programme board and team will be considering the bidders' outline solutions and there will be a mid term review involving leaders and members in January to make sure that they are happy the programme is on track to deliver.
You can find out more about the PQQ process in our article Mind your PQQs, see the article list at the top right for the link.
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