Improvement Partnership
Improvement Partnership Programme Evaluation
IP Participant Testimonies:
"[IP] Activities have built capacity, given Members a clearer understanding of their role, improved external and internal relationships and increased corporate responsibility."
Chief Executive
"The IP gives good value and outstanding tuition."
Elected Member
"The [NEEM] course gave me the tools and confidence to make the changes I have been putting off. Had these changes not been made I doubt I would still be in the same job."
Middle Manager
"Overall a hugely positive impetus for change and improvement that could not happen with Councils working in isolation."
Internal Stakeholder
"The IP has laid a strong foundation for future collaboration and culture change."
Blake Stevenson, independent evaluator of the IP
Evaluation of the IP Programme 2005-8
Uniquely amongst regional improvement partnerships, the IP embarked on a longitudinal process and impact evaluation of its work in order to inform the ongoing process and measure its overall impact. Independent consultants Blake Stevenson were commissioned to carry out this work.
Take a look at the Evalution Report (221 pages) includes Executive Summary
Executive Summary (13 pages)
IP Evaluation Report Headlines
All 29 local authorities and Fire and Rescue Services have participated in the IP programme since 2005.
Authorities received value ranging from £20,000 to £160,000 with an average of around £86,000.
Twenty three out of 29 authorities were involved in the governance of the IP.
Overall (to June 2008) there were 4,524 participant attendances: 1,158 Member and 3,366 officer attendances.
The IP has delivered good value for money. There have been high quality inputs, it has attracted a good level of participation, there are significant impacts, assets have been created and the whole has been delivered efficiently in terms of management costs.
The evaluation evidence suggests that one of the key impacts on individuals has been an increase in knowledge and skills.
A key benefit of the IP programme is that it has allowed access to opportunities that authorities would otherwise not have had. In particular, individuals in the smaller councils and the Fire and Rescue Services appear to have benefited from this greater access.
The report concludes that:
'The Improvement Partnership's approach to foster regional collaboration on improvement and capacity building has had significant impacts both on individuals and authorities. It has achieved a lot in a relatively short time, largely due to the involvement of stakeholders in its governance and to the commitment and professionalism of those helping to deliver its Programme. All 29 of the organisations involved have recorded improvement and for some this has been very significant. The IP has laid a strong foundation for future collaboration and culture change.'
IP Work Stream Successes
Leadership:
312 Members received Personal Development Plans
148 Members received training under the leadership work stream
Increase in number of authorities signed up to Member Development Charter from 15 to 21
Four authorities received funding for top team development
61 successful bids for Chief Executive/senior officer coaching, and 14 sucessful bids for senior management team coaching
23 senior officers from 17 authorities/fire and rescue services on advanced leadership courses
37 officers trained at regional assessment centre
Member role descriptions and competency frameworks
Learning Pool (60 active users)
Workforce Capacity:
OD diagnosis in 27 local authorities and FRS's
628 middle managers received training under the North East Excellent Managers (NEEM) programme for middle managers
OD Regional Capacity Building Programme (ongoing)
On-line Recruitment Portal
Challenge and Inspire:
The Challenge and Inspire seminars, workshops and events attracted nearly 1,400 attendees, over 400 of which were Members.
North East Learning Network
Performance Management:
LAA project with PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC)
460 attendees at 'Excellent Partnerships' event in June 2008
Communicating Local Government:
Network for PR/communications specialists
Over 100 Members and officers received communications and media skills training
Best practice (ShiNE awards) event
Increase in local authorities signed up to Local Government Reputation campaign from 4 to 21
'Careers in Councils' campaign and website
Essential Development Support:
Funding for projects within authorities allocated through a bidding process (26 were allocated to 16 authorities)
District Vision
Series of workshops delivered on:
value for money
equalities and diversity
community engagement
Contacts
If you'd like to find out more about the work of the IP, please contact:
North East Improvement & Efficiency Partnership
Guildhall
Quayside
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 3AF
Telephone: 0845 076 0080
Update Summer 2008
The Improvement Partnership for North East Local Government (IP) has now merged with North East Connects, and North East Centre of Excellence. From April 2008, these 3 organisations became the North East Improvement & Efficiency Partnership (NEIEP).
Click here to find out more about the NEIEP
"[IP] Activities have built capacity, given Members a clearer understanding of their role, improved external and internal relationships and increased corporate responsibility."
Chief Executive
"The IP gives good value and outstanding tuition."
Elected Member
"The [NEEM] course gave me the tools and confidence to make the changes I have been putting off. Had these changes not been made I doubt I would still be in the same job."
Middle Manager
"Overall a hugely positive impetus for change and improvement that could not happen with Councils working in isolation."
Internal Stakeholder
"The IP has laid a strong foundation for future collaboration and culture change."
Blake Stevenson, independent evaluator of the IP
Evaluation of the IP Programme 2005-8
Uniquely amongst regional improvement partnerships, the IP embarked on a longitudinal process and impact evaluation of its work in order to inform the ongoing process and measure its overall impact. Independent consultants Blake Stevenson were commissioned to carry out this work.
Take a look at the Evalution Report (221 pages) includes Executive Summary
Executive Summary (13 pages)
IP Evaluation Report Headlines
The report concludes that:
'The Improvement Partnership's approach to foster regional collaboration on improvement and capacity building has had significant impacts both on individuals and authorities. It has achieved a lot in a relatively short time, largely due to the involvement of stakeholders in its governance and to the commitment and professionalism of those helping to deliver its Programme. All 29 of the organisations involved have recorded improvement and for some this has been very significant. The IP has laid a strong foundation for future collaboration and culture change.'
IP Work Stream Successes
Leadership:
Workforce Capacity:
Challenge and Inspire:
Performance Management:
Communicating Local Government:
Essential Development Support:
District Vision
Series of workshops delivered on:
Contacts
If you'd like to find out more about the work of the IP, please contact:
North East Improvement & Efficiency Partnership
Guildhall
Quayside
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 3AF
Telephone: 0845 076 0080
Update Summer 2008
The Improvement Partnership for North East Local Government (IP) has now merged with North East Connects, and North East Centre of Excellence. From April 2008, these 3 organisations became the North East Improvement & Efficiency Partnership (NEIEP).
Click here to find out more about the NEIEP
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