Local Authorities (LAs) of all sizes will face issues of capacity. This tends to be most acute in the smaller unitary authorities which sometimes can not afford to employ directly staff with the full range of skills demanded by the activities that it needs to deliver.

At the same time many authorities face the challenge of recruitment at a time of skills shortages and recruitment difficulties. These capacity gaps can be made worse by new initiatives requiring new or enhanced skills or with particular requirements the LA might not currently be able to meet. A current example is the DfES proposal that only those with secondary headship experience should undertake the single conversation with schools.

We can help LAs rise to this challenge. Through our ‘Excellence Chain™’ we are able to work in partnership with a local authority to enhance their capacity and capability to deliver their services.

This could include:

• Partnership arrangements to deliver jointly a range of LA services

• Complete or part outsourcing of an LA service or services

We have developed a number of flexible models centred on the concept of a “mixed economy” of part LA /part Cocentra staff that can ensure that LAs have appropriate expertise and experience available with shared risks and rewards for individual staff and the organisations concerned. These arrangements can be delivered at arms length or can involve our staff co-located with LA staff managed through one of a variety of models.

For Advisory support in a LA or any other institution please call Steve Davies on 07917 080203.

Or if you prefer you can send us an email at administrator@cocentra.com and we will contact you.