tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018371774869383950.post9001658088803118098..comments2023-09-20T16:55:09.433+01:00Comments on A Shiny World: 'Shared services'louloukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11562093751876067547noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018371774869383950.post-84807206321436720732011-01-01T17:30:34.391+00:002011-01-01T17:30:34.391+00:00When I used to work on the Planning Portal, we had...When I used to work on the Planning Portal, we had to deal with more than 300 Local Planning Authorities in England and Wales, and it was extraordinary how much emphasis that the local authorities put on trying to differentiate themselves. We have national laws for town planning, and a national professional organisation in the RTPI, yet there was enormous resistance to a national planning application form. <br /><br />My impression was of an extraordinary waste of resources, and the attitude of the LPAs was very unpopular with residents and professionals like architects and surveyors. Most people move house more than once in their lifetime, and we expect consistency, rather than differentiation, from government. <br /><br />I live in Teignbridge, but my GP is in Totnes, and if I drive to a car park, library, swimming pool, or a recycling centre, I could find myself in Teignbridge, South Hams, Torbay, or Dartmoor National Park. And if I go to an NHS hospital, I could end up in Exeter or Plymouth. <br /><br />Why these authorities need to treat themselves as 'brands' and give themselves a distinct identity is a source of mystery to me. I don't have any choice which local authority I deal with, or whose regulations I obey: it's entirely a matter of location.Gordon Raehttp://twitter.com/socialtechnonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018371774869383950.post-59087503404728703752011-01-01T17:17:14.799+00:002011-01-01T17:17:14.799+00:00Hi Tim, sorry! I'm not quite switched on mysel...Hi Tim, sorry! I'm not quite switched on myself. I think something which might be quite useful to look at more frequently is the example of the You Choose website which was coded, I think by someone in central gov, made open source, and the code shared with every local authority, so that we could all take the core code, fill in the gaps, put our 'colours' on it and incorporate it into our website. I think that's the best example I can think of where each local bubble has their own site, but the resource behind the scenes is shared.louloukhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11562093751876067547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018371774869383950.post-7139936633695396582011-01-01T15:49:42.596+00:002011-01-01T15:49:42.596+00:00Louise, you've interrupted my Saturday stupor ...Louise, you've interrupted my Saturday stupor and got me thinking...<br />There must be loads of activity across all sort of areas that could be improved if resources and ideas were shared. But it is crucial to retain local identity. I know I place great emphasis on this as a resident of my local area, and I recall from my days on local newspapers how readers wouldn't have anything to do with neighbouring authorities or even other parish councils. So, shared services yes, separate identities; quite important.<br />Where it could work really well across different counties and online, is when a neighbouring authority is doing something really well and people elsewhere want to challenge their own authority to do better.Tim Lloydhttp://www.clearmessage.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com