This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/wales/6166784.stm

The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Big shake-up in public services Big shake-up in public services
(about 2 hours later)
Major changes to how services such as schools, health and rubbish collection are delivered are due to be announced by the Welsh Assembly Government. The Welsh Assembly Government is to unveil what it says will be massive changes to the way local services are run in Wales.
Ministers are expected to say there will be "change on an unprecedented scale" after criticism in an official report of excessive bureaucracy. Ministers are due to set out plans to make local councils more efficient and work more closely together.
Plans will be set out to make local councils more efficient. Changes are expected to be "on an unprecedented scale".
It follows a report by Sir Jeremy Beecham, who said there was too much red tape and too little co-operation. The announcement is in response to a report published in July by Sir Jeremy, a former chairman of the Local Government Association.
Sir Jeremy, a former chairman of the Local Government Association, said the object of his review was to get the best possible local services from a variety of organisations. He said he wants to see politicians and officials work together to provide "seamless services that should be a matter of routine".
His report, published in July, looked at how public services paid for with taxpayers' money were delivered by local councils, health boards and police authorities in Wales. In his report he said too much red tape and not enough working together had led to a patchy record of delivery in the services provided by local councils, local health boards and police authorities.
Speaking ahead of the assembly government's response on Tuesday, Sir Jeremy told BBC Radio Wales that he wanted to see commitment from the assembly government and other organisations to collaborate effectively and "build in challenge" to their working practices.
He said public services were overly complicated, suffered from skill shortages and a "cultural problem" about collaboration.
BEECHAM RECOMMENDATIONS Reducing bureaucracy, simplifying grant regimes, less inspection and regulationMuch more joint workingNo major reorganisation of structures but review in 2011Willingness to embrace "mixed" provision including public, private and not-for-profit sectorsEnhanced role for scrutiny in the assembly and local government Piloting contracts between the assembly government and partnerships of local organisationsManaging performance better, rewarding good performance and intervening earlier when neededRedress where service failure occursBEECHAM RECOMMENDATIONS Reducing bureaucracy, simplifying grant regimes, less inspection and regulationMuch more joint workingNo major reorganisation of structures but review in 2011Willingness to embrace "mixed" provision including public, private and not-for-profit sectorsEnhanced role for scrutiny in the assembly and local government Piloting contracts between the assembly government and partnerships of local organisationsManaging performance better, rewarding good performance and intervening earlier when neededRedress where service failure occurs
He criticised how public services were delivered in an overly complex manner with a lack of co-operation between service providers. "Providers of public services can be rather defensive, rather looking after their own patch with insufficient delivery of the kinds of personalised services [people] really need," he said.
He also said there was a lack of ambition from service providers, many of whom he said were living in a public sector comfort zone. He added that he wanted to see public bodies pooling budgets and responsibilities at a local level to extend their range of services, with a role for the private sector where relevant.
The report said Wales could be a "model" for delivering public services, but that reform should go deeper. He said: "It's necessary to make the Welsh pound go further in the provision of services."
Sir Jeremy's review called for a collaborative approach. But he said the public also had to recognise that familiar, local public services may need to go in order to obtain a more effective service in its place.
The recommendations stopped short of reorganisation, saying making the current system work should be a priority. He said: "People in the community have to recognise that opportunities are being lost. Clinging on to small school six-forms, clinging on the every last hospital bed, may actually prevent a better service being provided.
The assembly government is due to announce its response to the report on Tuesday and although big changes are expected, a wholesale shake-up of local councils is not thought to be planned. "Wales and the rest of the United Kingdom needs to face up to the kind of choices that will actually lead to better services, even if they are not quite in the same familiar places that we currently enjoy."
Joe Hudson, chairman of the Association of Directors of Social Services in Wales, said the organisation broadly supported the recommendations and welcomed the view that a local government reorganisation was not appropriate.
The assembly government is due to announce its response to the report and although big changes are expected, a wholesale shake-up of local councils is not thought to be planned.