Our transformation plan

Summary

This section outlines our transformation plan for delivering high-quality, innovative, and sustainable public services. By establishing three unitary authorities, we aim to ensure service continuity, stability, and innovation through a phased transformation programme. Our approach focuses on improving outcomes for residents, modernising delivery using digital tools, aligning services with local needs, reducing costs, and embedding a positive culture across the new councils. Building on best practices and case studies, we demonstrate how this model will enhance service delivery, foster economic growth, and support wider public sector reform.

Overview

Our proposed approach to transformation reflects the reality that meaningful reform of public services cannot be delivered overnight, nor can it wait until after Vesting Day. Our approach therefore builds on a realistic, phased programme that integrates transformation activity with the last phases of implementation (described above). This ensures service continuity, stability and innovation.

We define transformation as a sustained programme of service reform that:

• Improves outcomes for residents.
• Modernises delivery using digital and data tools.
• Aligns services around local needs and economic geographies.
• Reduces cost and duplication, supporting sustainable finances.
• Embeds a positive new culture across the three new councils.

Our approach is anchored in the understanding that financial resilience, service improvement and resident trust will only be achieved through evolutionary change, and that reorganisation provides us with a platform, not the finished product.

The new unitary authorities will have different operating contexts, starting points and needs. Our proposal recognises that transformation activities cannot be uniform across the new authorities. Instead, transformation efforts will be locally tailored, allowing for flexibility in operating models, service design and innovation while maintaining a shared commitment to resident outcomes, efficiency and public trust.

This approach will be underpinned by a core framework of shared principles and supported by a countywide Transformation Coordination Board. This will avoid duplication, enable a joint procurement and data strategy and ensure that lessons learned are shared in real time.

Core transformation phases

Our design principles

1. Do no harm – Safe and legal service continuity is paramount.
2. Don’t rush transformation – Avoid the temptation to overclaim short-term benefits.
3. Engage early and often – With staff, residents, and partners.
4. Adapt to place – Allow variation in approach between unitaries.
5. Create the conditions – Use the early years to invest in tools, leadership, data, and platforms needed for future success.

Transformation programme structure

As noted above, a countywide Transformation Coordination Board (TCB) will support and align transformation activity across the three new unitary authorities, ensuring shared learning, system-wide efficiency opportunities and links to Integrated Care Systems, police and other regional partners.

Each unitary council will lead on:

• Defining its transformation priorities in line with local strategy.
• Delivering its own roadmap and programme plan.
• Participating in shared transformation workstreams (e.g., joint procurement frameworks, IT convergence, data sharing, early help models).

A shared transformation toolkit will be developed, including:

• Data and a key performance indicator framework.
• Resident outcomes dashboard.
• Benefits realisation approach.
• Digital strategy alignment guidance.

The structure for transformation governance will:

• Be locally owned by each new council.
• Be collaboratively aligned at countywide level through the coordination board.
• Include robust reporting to elected members, staff, and the public on outcomes and savings.
• Include resident feedback loops and staff forums.

Focus areas for transformation – years 1 to 4

1 - Digital transformation

• A single ‘front door’ per council.
• Digitisation of resident-facing services.
• Consolidation of CRM, revenues and benefits systems.

2 - Workforce and culture

• New pay and progression frameworks.
• Organisational values co-developed with staff.
• Leadership development pipeline.

3 - Back-office integration

• Shared procurement platforms
• Consolidation of finance, HR, and legal systems
• Contract rationalisation

4 - Service reform

• Recommissioning of social care, housing, and early help.
• Integration with health and education services.
• Localised models for enforcement, planning, and customer service.

5 - Innovation in delivery

• Invest-to-save pilots in reablement, housing support, place-based economic growth.
• Place-based multi-agency teams.
• Modern data platforms and predictive analytics.