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Socitm Consulting and SOLACE Enterprises launch new benchmarking service

A new benchmarking service launched today will enable public and independent sector organisations to assess on a regular basis how well their corporate services are performing compared with peers. Jointly developed by two leading public sector consultancies, Socitm Consulting and SOLACE Enterprises, Benchmarking Corporate Services is based on the UK audit agencies’ Value for Money indicators. The new service offers an objective view of performance in five key areas - finance, human resources, ICT, estates management and procurement – together with a survey of stakeholders’ subjective views of service quality.

Benchmarking Corporate Services is a new service aimed at organisations across the public and independent sectors that wish to assess how well their corporate services are performing compared with those in similar organisations. The service is aimed at central government departments, police forces, health trusts, housing organisations, emergency services, passenger transport executives and local authorities and in particular those which haven’t benchmarked their services before.

The new service uses a questionnaire based on the Value for Money indicators developed by the UK audit agencies but which also includes an analysis of key contextual information to help clarify the issues behind the headline indicators. This objective analysis is supplemented by a survey of the views of stakeholders in each organisation. The results will be verified and analysed by consultants experienced in the public sector who will report in detail on each organisation’s performance. Participants have the opportunity to meet and discuss the process via workshops at the beginning and end of each benchmarking round.

According to Socitm Consulting’s Consulting Manager Doug Maclean, the new service offers senior managers in the public sector a completely new view of how well their organisations’ corporate services are performing, and could be a major factor in driving public sector efficiencies. “We’ve been benchmarking ICT services for over eight years, and clients come back year after year because benchmarking adds such value. Not only can they see positive and negative aspects of their performance compared with peers, they have the best possible factual base for planning improvements to the service and the perfect tool for monitoring progress against plans.

“The other important aspect of the service is the combination of objective measures with the subjective views of internal customers. Sometimes the facts and people’s perceptions are completely at variance. Organisations that participate in Benchmarking Corporate Services will know exactly where they stand and whether the main challenge is to improve the service or educate the customers as to how good it is.”

Benchmarking Corporate Services kicks off with a launch workshop in Birmingham on 8 January 2008. Pricing varies depending on the size of the organisation: £3,500 for smaller organisations such as passenger transport executives, registered social landlords and shire district councils; £5,950 for larger organisations such as county councils and government departments.

ENDS

Further information

Vicky Sargent, Press Officer, Socitm; t: 0121 314 2974, e: vicky.sargent@socitm.gov.uk

Roland Waterhouse, Benchmarking Manager, Socitm Consulting; t: 0845 450 2315, e: roland.waterhouse@socitm.gov.uk

Notes to editors

Socitm (http://www.socitm.gov.uk) is an association of ICT professionals working in and for local authorities and other public sector bodies. It is a leading authority on the effective application of ICT in local government, and provides information and advice through a growing programme of research, publications, conferences, training, and consultancy.

Socitm Consulting (http://www.socitm.gov.uk/consulting) has grown rapidly since its launch in 1997 to become the consultancy most used by local authorities in the areas of e-government and ICT. It has completed more than 800 projects for over 300 different clients. Heavily involved in all aspects of e-government strategy, planning and implementation, Socitm Consulting carries out a wide range of other projects in the areas of benchmarking and performance management, partnership management, change management and technology management.

SOLACE Enterprises (http://www.solaceenterprises.com) is the commercial arm of the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and is one of the UK's most respected public service improvement and development consultancies. Well-known for its organisational development and change management work, it has a thorough understanding of local government and the wider public sector.