Case Studies

Leeds City Council. Contracting Services - Building Agency Civic Crest

What did the client say?

"Leeds City Council's Department of Contracting Services Building Agency engaged Oakland Consulting in June 2001 to undertake a programme of work, which would enable our managers to identify and manage change.

Oakland have worked with us to develop a programme which has provided the tools necessary to manage change. Due to the way the sessions have been facilitated, Oakland have developed a shared understanding and ownership among the team.

Oakland have been flexible, professional and the content of the work carried out has been excellent. I therefore have no hesitation in recommending Oakland Consulting to others."

Planned assignment objectives;

Overarching Objective

An Agency able to meet the challenges posed by the Modernising Government Agenda. Equip people in the Building Agency to better cope with change in a continuously changing environment - transform the Agency.

  • Mind-set change of Building Agency people

  • Modern working Practices

  • Significantly reduced cost

Sub Objectives

To produce a Process Enterprise Model for the Building Agency to be a basis for Process Re-engineering, consolidation of Business Management Systems and preparation for implementation of ISO9000 2000. Outputs from this work are to be;

  • Assignment background: the drivers for change and the nature of the changes required;

  • The role of a major internal client changing due to the forthcoming implementation of smaller housing organisations with tenants serving on area panels and becoming more involved in the management process.

  • Need to deliver trading surplus with its own financial responsibility - Facing considerable internal organisational challenges to take advantage of opportunities for new business

  • Need to deliver more with reducing budget

  • Need to balance use of direct labour with the use of sub-contractors

The methodologies/approaches adopted;

Work with Agency people through a combination of workshops and mentoring

Rationale for this approach and achievements

To transfer skills to the client and achieve commitment to both the need for and how to change.

This approach enabled the client team to;

  • Understand the new environment within which the Agency will need to operate

  • Understand and agree its Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Strengths

  • Agree the Agency's Purpose, Critical Success Factors, Processes and Process Measures

  • Build the Process Model

  • Identify and map core processes

  • Appraise and simplify delivery processes

  • Highlight opportunities for radical re-engineering

  • Begin to plan and implement changes

Processes were analysed by working through the following steps;

  • understanding

  • definition

  • performance measurement

  • mapping

  • flowcharting

  • improvement

Assignment outcomes;

  • Purpose of the Agency

  • Critical Success Factors for the Agency

  • Identification of Service Delivery and Support Processes

  • Key Activities and Deliverables from the Service Delivery processes

  • Performance Metrics

  • Areas For Improvement

  • Inputs, Outputs, Resources and Controls within the Service Delivery Process.

  • Envisioned re-engineered Agency in organagram form

  • Evaluation of what can be implemented by April 2002 (stage 1)

  • Envisioned stage 1 in organagram form

  • Identified issues to be addressed in implementation of stage 1

Key results and benefits arising from the assignments for the client

  • A platform for implementation of a re-engineered Building Agency

  • Commitment of the management team to the need for change

  • Involvement of the Management Team in the re-engineering process

  • A launch-pad for growth,

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