[Josh Mynott]

Does it trouble anyone else that there are no replies to this?

[Ed Hammond]

Yup, it does...

Come on - *someone* must have *something* to say. We're not looking for examples of scrutiny helping to solve an entire authority's budget problems - even a relatively modest impact on cost/value would be useful.

[Nicola Edwards]

Hi Verity,

Last year a Task and Finish Group here in Carlisle undertook a review of the Authority's Lease Car Scheme. At the end of the review the group recommended that the scheme be phased out for Principal Officer's as it was deemed to be expensive and inequitable. This recommendation was accepted by the Executive and it was decided that as it would be too costly to pay termination charges on the leases, each lease is to run to the end of term and not renewed. The saving to the Authority is estimated to be £50k once all leases expire in 2014.

The Task Group also recommended a full review of the Essential Car User Scheme and it is expected that further savings will be made once this is reviewed and implemented.

[Gillian Kartach]

Here at Eden we carried out a review of partnerships in 2008/9 which saved the Council £30,000. We carried out a second partnerships review in 2009/10 and although we did not make cash savings it did re-enforce whether the partnership was adding value to the Council's work. As a result of this work NW Employers have used Eden as a best practice case study for one of their Member training emodules.

We are currently carrying out a value for money partnership review on the Eden LSP.

Gillian Kartach

gillian.kartach@eden.gov.uk