During the last 12 months it has often seemed as if the world was shifting on its axis. How many more seismic changes could we, as a society and indeed as business, cope with?
Yet what this last year has demonstrated is that people power is a force to be reckoned with and individuals want a greater say in decision making, whether in the US, in Westminster or in their local council. Double devolution is our opportunity to deliver that. It is a chance for local people to have a greater influence over public services and it is incumbent on each sector to play its part in getting it right.
Double devolution is both a challenge and an opportunity for the Norse Group. As a national business that works locally, we already have a distinct local agreement with each of our 24 joint venture partners to ensure that we understand their specific requirements and can meet the needs of the local community. Double devolution makes that even more of an imperative.
Our model is to provide our partners with additional resources and expertise and to build capacity through local support and growth. Creating social value is one of our key drivers and when developing a partnership, we think about the money we bring back to the public purse.
For example, our joint venture in Medway demonstrated improved quality and a 10% saving in the first year, as well as creating jobs for groups prioritised by the local authority, such as ex-servicemen and women. This is important to us and important to local communities. I am not pretending that creating fully joined-up local services and giving communities more say will be easy, but reduced resources make it critical that all sectors work together to build capacity and expertise.
Double devolution is our opportunity and our responsibility to deliver public services that truly service the public. Double devolution is our opportunity and our responsibility to deliver public services that truly service the public.
Mike Britch is managing director of Norse Group
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