SERVICE DELIVERY REVIEW – THE PROCESS
Municipalities and the needs of their citizens change and evolve with time. Some services that have historically been provided may no longer be needed, or a better way to deliver them is needed. A continuous review of the service is necessary to address budgetary pressures, to improve efficiencies and practice fiscal restraint. Boards, Council and municipal staff may initiate a review of services and programs to improve service, meet new or increased demand for services, maintain existing service levels in the face of competing priorities or decreasing revenues, reduce costs, and/or improve revenues. These objectives and activities have become especially crucial for municipalities in the COVID-19 pandemic world.The Service Delivery Review process focuses on working with municipalities on setting priorities, reviewing a service or a suite or services, and, where possible, reducing the cost of delivery of these services, while maintaining or improving service levels. It is all about making informed choices via a strategic review of each component, understanding the big picture and, based on that, proceeding to informed, cost-efficient 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 (outlined in Part ll of the Series) of conducting the review. These stages reflect an effective decision-making flow the municipality is advised to go through in undertaking such an exercise.
The goal of the decision-making process is to provide a structure that:
- Creates a logical and easily-understood process for making decisions on how best to deliver services and programs
- Can be applied by municipalities of all types and sizes and, for a wide range of services
- Covers a broad range of issues and options that need to be considered in the Review process
- Includes what knowledge and information must be in place to move from determining which service to review to selecting a service provider and working on implementing a new service arrangement.
Knowledge and information must be in place to move from determining which service to review to selecting a service provider and working on implementing a new service arrangement.
ORGANIZATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS THROUGH STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT OF KEY ELEMENTS
The alignment of critical factors internal to a municipality suggests opportunities for identifying potential partnerships and collaborative integration of different functions, processes, and products. Alignment also recognizes the importance of an organization’s connection to the external environment involving the general community, citizens, contractors, community groups, community leaders and other stakeholders. If any of the components in the model below is missing, organizational performance and the resulting alignment will fail.
In summary, the Service Delivery Review process focuses on setting priorities, based on each component, making informed choices, and, where possible, reducing the cost of delivery, while maintaining or improving service levels. Achieving these results requires a thorough step-by-step plan that involves asking the following questions: What do citizens expect of the service and what outcomes does the Municipal Administration team want for the service?How does current performance compare to optimal performance?Do the service activities lead to the expected outcomes? How is demand for the service being managed?What are the full costs and benefits of the service? How can benefits and outputs of the service be increased?How can the cost of inputs be decreased? What are the alternative ways of delivering the service? How can a service change best be implemented and communicated? Citizens, Council and other stakeholders (such as municipal staff and unions) are involved in answering these questions, to ensure that the right choices, informed by the Municipality’s goals and values, are made. The choices should also be consistent with and informed by the Municipality’s Strategic plan.
Keep an eye on our next article in the series, concentrating on choices, decisions and various players involved in the Municipal Service Review process. Stay tuned!
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