Reducing wasteful spend
Our plans to reduce wasteful spend within our organisation and systems:
The council has a robust system of internal governance controls to regularly monitor spend and provide a mechanism for early identification of wasteful spend. A recent transformation programme and ‘star chamber’ process enabled every service area budget to be challenged in detail and cost savings made. These processes will continue to be updated at regular intervals. Additional actions include:
- Operational teams focusing on reducing spend and being more efficient, e.g. moving to sustainable planting from a reliance on bedding plants and reducing grounds maintenance grass cutting in non-priority areas.
- Staff recruitment resourcing is subject to Corporate Leadership Team approval and follows a stringent process that includes an assessment of need for the post and whether or not the service can be delivered in a new way.
- Investing to save through the flexible use of capital receipts for any transformation activity, a reduced workforce and the further introduction of flexible working arrangements.
- Partnership working enables the council to explore ways to work more effectively.
The council complies with its duties under the Public Sector Equalities Act and provides regular, relevant training on an e-learning training platform. Equality, diversity and inclusion are embedded across the council through Human Resource services. Cabinet reports and any changes to policy require an Equalities Impact Assessment as part of the consideration process. The council produces an Annual Equalities Report to demonstrate commitment to positively contributing to the advancement in equalities.
The council has embedded a People Strategy (due to be reviewed) in order to drive continuous improvement. It aims to ensure staff are supported, appreciated and valued. It encourages confidence to challenge, together with the ability to implement digital and other appropriate solutions to make the council more efficient.
The amount of total staff budget spent on agency and consultants is £0.95M for the financial year 2023/24. In every instance, the need and outcome for using external support is assessed against internal skill and capacity and is only used when specialist knowledge and skills are required or for time limited projects, and when it is more cost effective.
The governance structures in place to ensure accountability of spend are robust and supported by external and internal assessments, such as audit procedures and a Local Partnerships Governance review. The structures include a fit for purpose framework of necessary project boards such as the Otterpool Joint Operations Board, the Corporate Governance Board (chief officers ensuring organisational compliance), Corporate Leadership Team, Cabinet and associated audit and scrutiny committees. All structures add value with excessive meetings and arrangements removed.
The council shares services and contributes to shared office costs through the East Kent Audit Partnership. This a joint internal audit service for Dover District Council, Canterbury City Council, Thanet District Council, the joint household waste collection service for the Dover and Folkestone districts. The council is also working with Kent County Council to explore a co-location of public services in Folca (the council-owned former Folkestone town centre department store) in line with the aims of One Public Estate.
The council also provides training and development services for neighbouring East Kent councils on a bespoke basis.
The proportion of the pay bill spent on trade union facility time was 0.03% in 2023/24. We publish that figure here: Trade union facility time | Folkestone & Hythe District Council (folkestone-hythe.gov.uk)