Public sector leaders across Sussex – including the chief executive of Brighton and Hove City Council – are to discuss money-saving ideas at a conference tomorrow (Friday 19 November).
Sussex Police Authority is hosting the conference as civic leaders try to identify where services across the county could be shared.
They will also hear how some councils and groups are already working together to save money and operate more efficiently.
Those taking part include the leaders and chief executives from Brighton and Hove as well as East Sussex County Council and West Sussex County Council and every district throughout Sussex.
Representatives from East Sussex Fire and Rescue, West Sussex Primary Care Trust, the Sussex Association of Local Councils and the Brighton and Hove Community and Voluntary Sector will also attend.
Dr Laurie Bush, chairman of Sussex Police Authority, said: “This is a unique opportunity to get all the chief decision makers in one place and come up with real solutions to problems that we are all facing.
“By finding out the ways in which other people are already doing things and seeing examples where shared services are already working by saving money and by being more efficient we are able to identify where and how we can all work together better for the future of services in Sussex.
“The time for talking is over and we now need to actually decide how and what we are going to do.
“We need to put into practice things that are going to benefit the people of Sussex.
“I am delighted that so many of our partners are attending the conference and this symbolises the desire we all have to work together in the future.”
Brighton and Hove City Council chief executive John Barradell will tell the conference about Brighton and Hove’s “intelligent commissioning” project.
He said: “This is a great opportunity for public service organisations to exchange ideas, share good practice and collaborate on issues of common concern.
“It’s very much how I see the whole ‘intelligent commissioning’ model working and this conference is part of that wider conversation.
“Residents are at the centre of the new way we will deliver services in Brighton and Hove, and indeed across Sussex.
“Working closely with our public sector partners, in areas like health and policing, we will identify what services residents want and when they want them.
“By sharing our expertise and commissioning services intelligently, we aim to cut out duplication so that we can be more efficient and have a greater impact on residents’ lives.”
It really is all just words. What is the difference between “commissioning” and “intelligent commissioning”. Private companies manage quite well without the nonsense generated by the public sector to convince us that they are being efficient. Private companies have to be efficient otherwise they go out of business.