Elected Member Update, November 2016

Chief Digital Officer and Chief Technology Officer for local government appointed

Two senior officers have been appointed to the newly created local government digital office to help a group of Scottish councils drive change across local services.

Martyn Wallace, Chief Digital Officer (pictured left), and Dr Colin Birchenall, Chief Technology Officer (pictured right), both have extensive experience driving forward the digital agenda in Scotland across the public and private sectors.

It is envisaged that the new digital office will be a centre of excellence in data, technology and digital, working with the councils to help them with their own transformation and ensuring they are creating top class digital services for citizens.

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New guidance on arm's length external organisations

This Advice Note aims to provide councillors with an overview of matters they should consider when they are involved with or have been invited to participate in arm's length external organisations (ALEOs).

The advice focuses on councillor responsibilities under the ethical standards framework and seeks to assist councillors in recognising and dealing with potential conflicts of interest to minimise risks to governance and accountability arrangements.

You can download Advice for Councillors on Arm's Length External Organisations on the Standards Commission website.

It's good to talk... about places

As an elected member you already know the importance of having a conversation. Be it with a concerned constituent, the CEO of a large employer or the driver of your taxi home, a conversation can do much to help both parties get nearer to their desired destination.

So when it comes to asking people for their thoughts on the places they live and work, how do we get the most out of that conversation and record it in a way that makes it easier for us to see where to take action? 

To help with this, the Improvement Service is offering support on using the Place Standard tool. This tool asks a range of questions about what makes up a street, neighbourhood or entire town, both the physical elements (e.g. its buildings, spaces, and transport links) as well as the social aspects (e.g. whether people feel they have a say in decision-making). It then records answers in a way that allows issues to jump out. Councils and Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs) are using it as a simple effective way to inform priorities and outcomes.

The Improvement Service has contacted every CPP offering two layers of support. First, to attend one of their meetings to acquaint members with the tool and give practical examples of where it has already helped conversations. Second, to run a separate session for operational staff on how to use the tool to maximise the quality of information collected.

Our mission is to highlight a new tool to help with the task and explain how others are using it to collect in what people want. If you would like any more information on this offer please contact Irene Beautyman on 07908 930763.

Enhanced change management support for councils

Councils undergoing change can look forward to more support from the Improvement Service (IS).

The IS has expanded its change management team and is developing an enhanced programme of work in this area. The focus will be on providing support to councils and partnerships to deliver transformational and operational level change.

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