What can we do for you?
Many front-line services are struggling to operate effectively, within the context of reducing budgets, gaps in talent pipeline and a more diverse range of community needs than ever.
Improving and strengthening community engagement can aid in understanding changing demands post-Covid, ahead of planned reform to social care services.
Additionally, with rising demands around specific policy areas like climate and sustainability, there has never been a more critical time to ensure your front-line services are well equipped to deliver.
Increasing budgets is not necessarily the answer - although that would be good, it’s often about providing the best service possible with what you have.
Solace in Business has been providing experienced associates to carry out service reviews for over a decade. Often with 20 years + experience in the service area, as well as experience across a range of places and settings, our team have a proven track record in service redesign and transformation.
If you are interested in service reviews or would like to know more about the services we offer, fill in the form below and our team will be in touch.
Timescales and Costs
There’s no such thing as a typical service review as it very much depends on the scale and scope of the review, but the majority of tend to take between 5 and 20 days. The cost is usually offered as a day rate, and an estimated total cost can be provided at briefing stage.
Case Study 1: Roads and Infrastructure Review
Dumfries and Galloway Council commissioned two associates, through Solace, to facilitate in the delivery of a Review of the Roads Service, develop the subsequent Improvement Plan and provide direction in the development of the Roads Service over the next few years.
The outcomes from the review and improvement process that they have facilitated include:
- Developing a more effective, efficient and customer-focused Roads Service
- Developing and implementing a Roads Service Improvement Plan to deliver improved Service performance
- Change the way that we deliver Roads Services by bringing together all aspects of roads-related activities to create a unified Service
- Change our roads maintenance policies and practices to reflect current national best practice
The two associates are both former Council Chief Officers and Chartered Engineers. Their approach is to work with the client organisation, to make things better within the budget they have available.
In this instance they have effectively empowered local staff and managers to look at their own activities, to identify areas for change and make them happen, all working within the authority’s financial confines (both current and anticipated in the future).
Client Testimonial
[The associates’] appointment was of particular benefit to DGC in that they provided a mix of recent Roads Authority experience plus a knowledge of the national position for Scottish Roads Authorities. I would have no hesitation in re-appointing them for similar work or recommending their services to others
- Head of Infrastructure, Dumfries and Galloway Council
Case Study 2: Leisure Service Review
Boston Borough Council and East Lindsay District Council joined a strategic alliance in 2020 and they were looking to review Leisure and Culture across both organisations. Boston's Leisure services are in-house and East Lindsey's Leisure is manged from a Trust.
They approached Solace in Business to undertake a service review, to cover a review of the delivery mechanisms of leisure and culture across both authorities, with a view to determining options to find the most efficient and effective model of delivery for each authority. This was to include any potential opportunities for closer alignment across both authorities.
Client Testimonial
The service was excellent, the staff I encountered were very professional and very helpful. Would use Solace in Business again. Value for money is very good
-Director, Boston Borough Council