Keith Fletcher

Performance Improvement in Local Government

Consultant & Analyst

Keith has spent a long career analysing the delivery, cost, effectiveness and quality of public services. He is currently researching the cost and outcomes of the many partnership initiatives pressed on local government, the health service, the police and social housing by government policy.

Keith' last major project was with Cardiff University to undertake a research study of competition in local government in England. The project was commissioned by the Audit Commission. Most of his previous work focused on social services including their relationship with other services. Among these projects were the following examples.

An Integrated Commissioning Strategy for Children's Services; part of a programme of developments to support a local authority in difficulty.
A programme of development seminars to identify opportunities for, and facilitate, inter-agency working.
An analysis of the structure and provision of services to looked after children and proposals for change.
An analysis of services over-spend in a local authority with auditor colleagues leading to recommendations for savings with minimal service impact.
A business plan for a family placement service; part of a programme of developments to support a local authority in difficulty.
A development plan for an inter-agency framework for the assessment of children in need in a local authority.
A feasibility study for the integration of services (health, welfare, housing and support) for elderly people.
A review of the anti-poverty strategy in a local authority and proposals for change.

Author

Keith is currently writing a book about the management of climate and population change aimed largely at public service leaders and managers. Previous publications by him include :-

Partnerships in Social Care: a handbook for developing effective services (2006) Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Best Value Children's Services: a planning guide for the voluntary sector (2001), (with Mike Williams), National Council for Voluntary Child Care Organisations.
Best Value Social Services (1999), Social Services Strategic Planning.
Negotiation for Health and Social Services Professionals (1998), Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Child Protection: a change of emphasis (1998). Social Services Strategic Planning.
From 1999 to 2002 a regular column for "Community Care" magazine on a range of professional and management topics.

Learning Facilitator

As an offshoot of the projects and books which have contributed to his own learning Keith has been engaged to share it with executive and senior staff. He has run programmes ranging in length from half a day to three days on topics which have included the following subjects.

Negotiation - Partnership development - Commissioning
Leadership - Governance - Best Value.

Team Player

Keith often works as a member of a multi-skilled team. He is currently an Associate with the University of Cardiff Business School. Previously he has worked as a member of teams assembled by, among others, the following groups and organisations.

KPMG LLP
Deloitte MCS Ltd.
Finnamore Consultants
Partnership at Work
Pi Associates Ltd.
SSSP Consultants Ltd. (his own company)
And alongside many local authority teams.

Clients

During his time as a consultant Keith has worked in and for many final clients including:-

The Audit Commission England.
Department of Health
Department for Education and Skills
Oldham Metropolitan Borough
Plymouth City Council
Ealing London Borough
Haringey London Borough
Coventry City Council
Waltham Forest London Borough
Torfaen County Borough
Barnsley County Borough
SWIIS (commercial recruitment company)
Barnardos
Pro Senioren (German voluntary organisation for older people)
National Council of Voluntary Child Care Organisations
Government of the Isle of Man
Gloucester City Council

Public Service Career

At the end of 1992 Keith decided to "go independent". His career up to that time had been entirely within the public service. The positions he held before that are as follows:-

1985-1992 Deputy Chief Inspector, Social Services Inspectorate, Welsh Office
1978-1985 Social Work Service Officer, Welsh Office
1973-1978 Social Work Service Officer, Department of Health & Social Security
1971-1973 Area Social Services Officer, London Borough of Redbridge
1968-1971 Assistant Area Children's Officer, Lancashire County Council
1966-1968 Family Caseworker, Lancashire County Council
1965-1966 Family Caseworker, Northumberland Health Department
1963-1965 Assistant Warden & Youth Leader, Liverpool University Settlement

Other Interests

Keith has had a long standing interest in, and commitment to the community, voluntary and social housing movements. He was a member of the Board of First Choice Housing Association in Wales, providing supported housing for people with severe learning difficulties, for twelve years including three years as its Chair. He is now on the Board, and Chair of the Audit Committee of Merthyr Tydfil HA.

He played a major role in enabling the construction of a village hall in his local community, is still active in local community development and is a vice chair of the local Rural Development Partnership. He has been a school governor.

His leisure interests include sailing, music, the history and development of languages, travel and (rather amateurish) vegetable gardening.

Contact Information

Address:

SSSP Consultants
Tyn y Pwll
Corbetts Lane
Caerphilly CF83 3HX

Telephone: 029 2086 3122
Mobile: 07946 486 474
Email: keith@sssp.co.uk

Web site: http://www.sssp.co.uk

November 2008