Latest News
21.05.10
Focus on value will make hard times easier to bear
In an article for The Times today, Nick Ville makes the case for a renewed focus on value for money, so that we are better equipped to make the difficult decisions ahead about public expenditure reductions. He outlines the need to focus on three core questions: how much a service is valued by the public, how cost-effectively is it delivered, and how far maximum value has been wrung from third party suppliers. To read the article in full, please go to page 75 of today's Times or follow the link below:
business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/public_sector/article7132213.ece
08.02.10
PCT Value for Money
Ville & Company is delighted to announce that it has been asked by the Audit Commission to undertake independent research with key stakeholders into which areas of PCT activity there is most scope for increasing efficiency. The research will also explore in what ways the Commission can best assist PCTs in addressing these opportunities. As we move into a period of financial austerity for public services, this work will help prepare for the challenges ahead.
24.10.09
Supporting the Work of the Audit Commission
Ville & Company is pleased to announce that it has been appointed as a supplier to the Audit Commission under the Commission's four year policy and research framework agreement.
The Audit Commission undertakes an important role acting as an independent watchdog driving economy, efficiency and effectiveness in local public services. Its work spans across local government, health, housing, community safety and fire and rescue services, covering some £200 billion of public money. We greatly look forward to continuing to work alongside the Audit Commission supporting the promotion of improvements in public services.
04.03.09
VFM in Schools - the Allocation of Teaching Resources
Ville & Company is pleased to announce that we have been commissioned by the Audit Commission to provide a briefing on decision making at school level about the allocation of teaching resources. The purpose of the briefing is to contribute to a national study examining what actions schools, national stakeholders and local authorities can take to improve value for money in local authority maintained schools in England.
The briefing will focus on the following questions:
- How are decisions made about the allocation of teaching resources?
- What information do schools use to inform their decisions?
- What are the key variables open to a school to manage in respect of teaching resources?
- What does the evidence tell us about the extent to which schools are actively managing these variables? and;
- What are the constraints on the allocation of teaching resources?
13.02.09
SIA Delivery Review - Findings and Recommendations
Ville & Company was asked by the Home Office and the SIA in August 2008 to undertake a delivery review of the Security Industry Authority (SIA). The review was the first to be commissioned by a Non-Departmental Public Body based on the Cabinet Office model for Departmental Capability Reviews.
The Security Industry Authority (SIA) was established in 2003 under the Private Security Act 2001 to regulate the private security industry. It is a Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) and carries out its activities at arms length from its sponsor department - the Home Office. In 2007/08 SIA employed 148 staff, spent £22m, processed over 77,000 licence applications, issued 400 warnings to individuals, served 32 improvement notices to security companies and registered over 500 companies on the Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS).
The aim of the review was to provide assurance to the SIA Board and the Home Office that 'the SIA is, or will be, equipped to meet both today's delivery objectives and the challenges of the future'. The review assessed the SIA in three specific areas critical to business delivery: leadership, strategy and delivery. The SIA has now released our findings and recommendations into the public domain and these are available at:
www.the-sia.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/6E566B7B-4ECF-49F3-8FFC-B95188C2BD1A/O/sia review summary.pdf
19.01.09
Tackling Drugs, Changing Lives - The Drug Interventions Programme
Ville & Company is pleased to announce that it has been asked to lead a national review of the Home Office's Drug Interventions Programme (DIP) Delivery Model. DIP is a national programme comprising a mix of 75 intensive DIP areas, and a less intensive approach in the remainder. The annual cost of the programme is £149m and it funds over 3,000 front-line staff. DIP remains central to the government's drug strategy, and delivery of the PSA's 25 targets for increasing the numbers in effective treatment and reducing the rate of drug related offending. The DIP delivery model has three interdependent elements that will be considered in the review:
- The effectiveness of DIP interventions for problem drug users, their families and local communities;
- The quality and strength of local DIP services delivering the interventions; and
- The network of organisations, incentives and levers designed to support and enable the successful delivery of DIP at the local level (delivery chain).
For further information about the review please see:
drugs.homeoffice.gov.uk/publication-search/dip/delivery-model-terms-reference
25.10.08
Supporting the work of the Audit Commission
Ville & Company is delighted to announce that it has just become a framework supplier to the Audit Commission's Policy, Research and Studies Directorate.
The Audit Commission undertakes an important role ensuring that £125 billion of public money is spent economically, efficiently and effectively, and delivers high quality services to the public. The Policy, Research and Studies Directorate makes a significant contribution to the Commission's role through the production of national studies, research, analysis, strategic thinking and contributions to policy debates. We greatly look forward to working with the audit commission.
02.05.08
Performance Management of Complex Casework
Ville & Company has been asked to undertake a review of the performance management of complex casework in the Crown Prosecution Service.
The review will evaluate the performance metrics currently used by CPS to manage the performance of complex casework, assess the business need for performance management and research like organisations to see if there are useful lessons and thinking that CPS could draw upon.
05.12.07
Review of the Office of the Chief Psychologist
Ville & Company has been asked to undertake a review of the Office of the Chief Psychologist (OCP) in NOMS
The areas the assignment will cover include:
- the specified role and function of OCP
- the service OCP currently delivers
- NOMS' business need now and in the future
- options for the future organisation of OCP
06.09.07
Working with the National Offender Management Service on prison performance
Ville & Company has announced that it will be working in partnership with Ernst & Young to advise the National Offender Management Service on the development of a new performance framework for prisons.
The areas the assignment will cover include:
- The structure of the framework
- The performance metrics for 07/08
- Recommendations for future performance metrics
- The decision making architecture
- Rules and weights underlying the overall judgement.
We greatly look forward to working with NOMS to develop the new performance framework for prisons.
02.08.07
Working with the Office of Government Commerce
Ville & Company has been appointed to advise the Office of Government Commerce on how to realise the benefits of Procurement Capability Reviews of government departments.
The assignment will examine four areas:
- OGC’s post review process and role
- Model improvement plans
- Processes and techniques for measuring performance improvement
- Opportunities for collaboration by the centre of government
19.07.07
Working with the National School of Government
Ville & Company is delighted to announce that it has been appointed as an associate organisation of the National School of Government.
We will be working with the National School’s strategy and policy programme to provide training of senior civil servants, consultancy work and contribute to thought leadership projects .
01.05.07
Supporting the Home Office's social and economic research
Ville & Company has just become a framework contract supplier to the Home Office for its social and economic research.
Social and economic research is a key part of the work of the Home Office providing information, evidence and new thinking for Ministers, policy-makers and a wide range of stakeholders involved in day to day delivery. The information generated helps understand needs, identify what works, track implementation and evaluate the impact of policies.
09.03.07
Supporting the work of NOMS and the National Probation Service
Ville & Company have been appointed to undertake a review of regional management arrangements within the probation service and develop a set of proposals for a performance improvement function. The review will focus on three main issues:
- the regional manager role and the potential impact of its loss on the regions and the centre;
- arrangements for regional governance and how they could improve; and
- the structure and function of an improvement resource.
Nick Ville says the probation service provides a very important and valuable public service and we hope the work of Ville & Company will enable it to be even more successful in the future.