STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS OF SERVICE DELIVERY REVIEWS
In our fourth installment of our Service Delivery Review series, we discuss key strategic Service Delivery considerations and ways in which Municipalities and the needs of their citizens changed and evolved due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some services that have historically been provided may no longer be needed, or perhaps a better way to deliver them is required.nbsp;Oftentimes, a review of the service is necessary to address budgetary pressures or, to improve efficiencies and practice fiscal restraint.
The Service Delivery Review process focuses on setting priorities and, where possible, reducing the cost of delivery, while maintaining or improving services and service levels. It is all about making informed, strategic choices. Each step performed as part of the Service Delivery review is designed to lead the Municipal staff and Council through the key stages of conducting the review. These stages reflect the logical decision-making flow the municipality might go through in undertaking such an exercise.The aim here is to provide a structure that:
- Creates a sound, logical and easily understood process for making decisions on how best to deliver services and programs – a process that can either be incorporated into a wider performance management initiative (such as a strategic planning or quality service improvement initiative), or be used as a stand-alone initiative
- Will be useful for municipalities of all types and sizes in all parts of the country, for a wide range of services and for longer periods of time (particularly, post-COVID recovery)
- Covers a broad range of issues and options that need to be considered in the review process, and
- Includes what you need to know to move from determining which service to review, to selecting a service provider, to implementing a new service arrangement.
What is Council’s role in Service Delivery Review projects? As illustrated in the “Guide to Service Delivery Review for Municipal Councilors and Senior Staff”, developed by the Ontario government, Council’s role, when undertaking Service Delivery Review projects, is to:
- Represent the public and consider the well-being and interests of the municipality
- Develop and evaluate the policies and programs of the municipality
- Determine which services the municipality provides
- Ensure that administrative policies, practices and procedures and controllership policies, practices and procedures are in place to implement the decisions of Council
- Ensure the accountability and transparency of the operations of the municipality, including the activities of the senior management of the municipality
- Maintain the financial integrity of the municipality
- Carry out its other duties, as Municipal Council.
In our extensive experience, throughout the review process, Council is called upon to make choices – what to deliver, what outcomes the municipality expects from its services, who should pay for them, whether and what citizens should pay for certain services, whether a service could be provided at a lower cost, whether all the things that go into delivering a service are really necessary, and who should deliver which services.
Even the decision not to review a specific service is a choice.
OTHER KEY STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS
Meaningful Service Delivery Reviews incorporates skills, knowledge and experience from many professional disciplines, including service management, labor relations, financial analysis, operational analysis and cost accounting. Effective reviews are also informed by a thorough understanding of the service area under review. Technical knowledge and experts will be called on to decide matters, such as where to put a fire station or when best to clear snow.There is a host of management considerations that can impact efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery; for example, organizational structure, staff roles and responsibilities, incentive systems, how information and knowledge is shared, how resources are allocated and how decisions about staffing, strategies and operations are made and implemented.Keep an eye on our last article in the series, where we discuss strategies for putting it all together and outline next steps. Stay tuned!
Interested in learning more? Please contact us.