Conference tackles budget cuts

28/09/2009

A conference in Edinburgh next Wednesday (30 September) will examine how the Scottish Government and Scottish public sector organisations can adopt radical approaches to avoid cuts to vital public services.

MacKay Hannah’s “Scottish Public Sector Budgets 2010” will hear from local government and private sector experts about how essential services can be maintained in the face of shrinking funds, and how councils can prepare for future budget cuts.

Among the speakers will be Andrew Morrison, Director of Policy & Business Development for Orchard & Shipman, the only national provider of temporary and settled housing solutions, working with local authorities, private landlords and institutions.  Orchard & Shipman manage nearly 2,000 residential properties in Scotland leased from private landlords in return for guaranteed rents.  This housing provision is helping local authorities control their statutory housing costs.   

Andrew said: “There is enormous potential in Scotland for increased partnering with the private sector.  For example, our housing leasing model can be adapted for use by Government departments, NHS trusts and further education establishments as well as local authority housing needs.  Cost saving, risk sharing and improved service user outcomes can be demonstrated.”

The keynote speaker will be Professor John Seddon, Visiting Professor at Cardiff University Business School; a leading authority on organisational change. He is also the author of the best-selling “I Want you to Cheat: The unreasonable guide to service and quality in organizations.”

Also speaking with be Julie Kane, Head of Shared Services at the Scottish Government, Jo Armstrong, Former Policy Advisor to the Scottish Executive and Robert Haddad, Senior VP of energy and climate change consultancy AEA North America, who will speak on how his firm helped save US Federal departments money.
The conference will take place at Edinburgh’s King James Thistle Hotel, Leith Street, on Wednesday 30 September 2009. For more information, or to book, please contact Jane Wilson at MacKay Hannah on 0131 556 1500.
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For more information, or to arrange interviews, please contact Kate Trussler at Platform PR on 0131 226 3000 kate.trussler@platformpr.co.uk