‘Shared Services’ the New Zealand Scene
The need for more ‘Shared Services’ between Local authorities in New Zealand has been increasingly advocated and thought about over the last decade. To set the scene for the Conference the following important questions are addressed:
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• What is ‘Shared Services’ in the New Zealand context?
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• Why should we embrace it?
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• What does ‘Shared Services’ mean for our local communities?
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• Governance structures and organisations?
Michael Ross, Chief Executive Waitaki District Council
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Text of address >>>> (PDF)
Alternative Models of Local Government and Shared Services
Local government policy makers across the developed world have begun to recognize that structural reform through council amalgamations is not the panacea that they had hoped. As a consequence, alternative models of local government reform based on shared service models have awakened renewed interest. These models seek to reap any economic advantages attendant upon greater size in service provision while at the same time preserving the political and social benefits offered by small local councils. In this presentation, Professor Brian Dollery will consider the various types of alternative models available and assess their merits.
Professor Brian Dollery, Professor School of Economics,
University of New England, NSW, Australia
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Background paper - SHARED SERVICES IN AUSTRALIAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT: RATIONALE, ALTERNATIVE MODELS AND EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE, Brian Dollery, Alexandr Akimov and Joel Byrnes, >>>> (PDF)
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Presentation >>>> (Powerpoint)
‘Shared Services’ – Legal Implications
There are legal requirements and obligations on the parties entering into a shared services agreement. What are they generally? What are the specific requirements for local authorities to consider? The major legal pitfalls lie in the paths of those entering into this environment and how to avoid them.
Jonathan Salter, Simpson Grierson
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Presentation >>>> (Powerpoint)
The Queensland Experience
Greg Hallam provides advice and insight into the Local Government Association of Queensland’s research and business initiatives in the area of shared service provision for Queensland Councils. Specifically, he will comment on joint ventures with the Queensland Treasury Corporation (Local Government Infrastructure Services) and United Customer Management Services Pty Ltd (LG Shared Services) and additionally IT, purchasing, insurance and workers compensation services.”
Greg Hallam, Executive Director, Local Government Assn Queensland.
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Presentation >>>> (Powerpoint)
Local Government Shared Service Model - a success story from the Hunter, NSW, Australia
In NSW, regional organisations of councils (ROCs) have no specified role and membership is completely voluntary.
The Hunter Region Organisation of Councils has as its major strength, the long term strong support from its core members. The members have cooperated and communicated for over 50 years. However, the last five years have seen it change dramatically as an opportunity provided the impetus to initiate and grow a separate entity to drive economies and efficiencies on behalf of its members and other councils across State, the country and now into the Pacific region. The CEO, Dr Barbara Penson shares with the conference the challenges and achievements of this local government success story.
Dr Barbara Penson, CEO Hunter Councils Inc
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Presentation (edited) >>>> (Powerpoint)
Reflections About Shared Service Delivery Arrangements in the Transport
Sector from a Land Transport Funding Partner’s Perspective Ten c’s – consistency, cost, capability, capacity, coordination, cooperation, collaboration, clustering, constraints, contracts; and Six s’s: suitability, sustainability, structure, savings, scale, strategies
Richard Braae, General Manager,
Partnerships and Programmes, Land Transport New Zealand
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Presentation >>>> (Powerpoint)
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Report on Shared Services in Transport >>>> (PDF)
Presentation Principal Sponsor – Civic Assurance
“Sharing risk” to allow diversity and economies of scale is the prime purpose of working in a shared services environment. Civic Assurance, an insurance company owned by local government, is absolutely built on the risk-sharing principle. As Fund Manager for Riskpool and Administration Manager for LAPP, Civic Assurance is also helping councils to share not just the risk, but also claims management skills, reinsurance costs, and risk management training and knowledge. It also through SuperEasy allows for the cost of developing complex superannuation administration and investment systems to be shared. Tim is CEO of Civic Assurance. As an ex-CEO of State Insurance, Public Trust and Royal & SunAlliance Life, Tim will provide conference attendees with a whistle-stop tour of how they through insurance and family trusts can best share their personal risks and what KiwiSaver will mean to them and their employers.”
Tim Sole, Chief Executive, Civic Assurance