esd-toolkit

The esd-toolkit delivers the achievements of more than 10 years of the local government sector working together to develop standards, online tools and data content to better understand business processes and how they are refined to better meet citizen needs. It is a programme that facilitates a network of local government personnel in coming together to design and oversee the development of outcomes via online resources. The esd website incorporates various different tools and content which help local authorities from the UK deliver services to residents more effectively. It is a framework of tried and tested resources, guidance and practical examples to support innovation in public service delivery and deliver 'better for less'.

There are many sources of information on the esd site that are open for anyone in participating organisations to view to learn more:

Why use esd?

With tighter financial settlements, local providers are looking for innovative and more effective ways to deliver services. With up to 80 per cent of local spending providing services that tackle social exclusion, incremental change and individual cuts are unlikely to meet the challenge. It is essential to look at new models of working. The prize both in terms of efficiency and improved outcomes is potentially huge.

The Effective Services Delivery Toolkit is a comprehensive set of tried and tested tools, models and guidance – developed by the sector for the sector and grounded in practice as well as theory – many of which are freely available to all public service deliverers.

There are five main sections to esd which are outlined below

1. esd-toolkit – this is an online service and active community for local authorities. There are registered users from every UK authority, the vast majority of which subscribe to get the full esd-toolkit suite of tools, maps, meetings and support services.
What is esd-toolkit? – for more information about how esd-toolkit can help your authority view.

2. esd standards – are controlled lists, cross-references and data interchange standards for use by the public sector. Some standards form part of the e-Government Interoperability Framework (e-GIF). They are built into many local authority and private sector computer systems and provide the common language that underpins esd-toolkit. For more information on the standards and individual lists view the standards pages which are summarised in what is a service list?
Standards pages – for more information on standards.
What is a services list? (esd website, PDF, 2 pages, 1.72MB large file)

3. esd forums – an online discussion area with more than 20 thousand registered users – mainly (but not limited to) local government officers who wish to share information with their peers. These will soon be migrated to the Knowledge Hub but have a detailed history of knowledge interchange between local government staff. Forums are supported by esd-toolkit's engagement and technical teams and by other local government specialists. Subject areas include information sharing standards, customer insight and profiling, activity-based costing, performance management.
esd forums – online dscussion area.

4. esd suppliers – a community of private sector suppliers to local government who are skilled and able to assist users in getting the best out of the esd products and services. Suppliers provide data and services in support of esd-toolkit's main themes and can offer special terms to subscribing local authorities. See the short promotional document 
Promotional document (esd website, PDF, 2 pages, 95KB)

5. esd communities – specialised areas within esd-toolkit website that focus on the work of the networks working groups. Collections of resources under key themes that underpin the work of the programme.
Access the list

Examples include: Customer insight. Effective Service Delivery tools, Local communities – regional user groups, Performance Management, Service redesign and Value for Money, A-Z Scotland, Informing Citizens, Local Information Systems, Places Community, solutions4inclusion projects database esd-toolkit is part of the LGA's online offer. Its standards underpin the knowledge sharing within Knowledge Hub and its data base and data collection features are instrumental in driving LG Inform – a new service that draws on performance evidence data from a host of different sources to monitor and compare local government improvement.
Knowledge Hub
LG Inform

Contact details

Dr Tim Adams
Programme Manager
Email: Tim.adams@local.gov.uk

Last updated: 7 December 2012