Transformation

We have a dedicated service that leads on transformation, and we have achieved improved performance and productivity already. This work is overseen by a Transformation Board consisting of senior and strategic leaders to ensure that work is assured and co-ordinated across the Council.

Some Key Areas examples to date are:

Adult Social Care - Recognising the scale of the challenge required a joint approach with our partners in the Health and Social Care System, we worked with them to develop and agreed shared vision and related operating model which is adopted and embedded both strategically and operationally. The operating model is structured around the following levels of support:

• Help to help yourself (Self Care – advice and information)
• Help when you need it (prevention and early help – Advice, information, and Community based support)
• Help to live your live (assessment and support)

The quality of life of people in adult social care and the quality of life of carers in Bradford District is higher than the national average OFLOG. Bradford are high investors in short-term services, leading to lower investment in long-term adult social care and higher performance and outcomes for people. Our plan is therefore to maintain investment in those short-term services to manage demand and the council’s budget.

The Clean Air Zone (CAZ) was put into operation in 2022. Since 2022, we have supported:  

• Upgrade of the taxi fleet to 98% compliant with electric hybrid standard – arguably the cleanest taxi fleet in the UK.
• Upgrade of over three hundred buses, ensuring all scheduled and tendered services are CAZ standard, with forty new electric buses in the district in 202.
• The revenue from the CAZ will go towards several projects including a Clean Schools Programme which will reduce pollution at Schools across the Bradford District and a grants programme to support business and residents upgrade to cleaner vehicle choices.

SEND - Bradford is part of the Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) Change Partnership Programme which is looking at managing and reducing demand for education, health and care (EHC) Plans, improved outcomes for families of Children and young people (C&YP) with SEND and increasing inclusivity in schools. One element has been the implementation of the SEND Portal so that all EHC assessment requests can be done on-line. School place applications are also on-line now and 96% of applications are done via this portal. This has enabled demand to be managed . Based on the work we have done to date; Bradford has remained below the national average for EHC Plans (4% when national is at 4.3%) and our High Needs Block is still in surplus.

Our key transformation themes are:

Workforce & Structure: Our Council will be re-shaped to become affordable and deliver lean and innovative services within the resources that are available. A ‘one council’ approach will guide this programme to reduce fragmentation and duplication; create efficiencies and consistency; and ensure professional functions and resources sit together. One strand is a governance framework programme (including support for the Boundary Commission review) to ensure enhanced compliance to governance standards and reduce risk to the organisation (e.g. service planning project)

Digital: We will enable our future services to be as high performing as possible by focussing on the needs of our customers. We will create efficiencies and improve customer experience by embodying a ‘digital first’ culture. One strand being Approval of the Contact Management Business Case delivering the first deployments of Voice Automation in the Clear Air Zone (CAZ) with the benefits of £1.6m p.a. from 25-26.

Locality: We will seek to prevent avoidable demand through early help, signposting residents to community-based assets, and supporting residents to live well. We ensure we have the right people in the right place at the right time and with the right skills to meet the needs of individuals.

Other focus to maximise our productivity include:

• Our Children & Families Trust implementing a business case for change – including a capital investment in local provision for residential placements to replace costly reliance on private providers.
• Our System finance approach that looks to create efficiency at the interface of intermediary care and how we use our collective estate across the district.
• A planned extensive asset disposal programme to include several Community Asset Transfers so we operate fewer buildings and lower direct costs while sustaining outcomes in local communities.
• Bradford is City of Culture 2025; this creates a unique opportunity to drive economic growth in the district and to provide opportunity to our young population to raise aspiration and develop skills.