Too many cooks: the information management implications of place-based public services

Produced by: Socitm Insight

Type: Reports

Total Place, localism, community budgeting - whatever the moniker, coordinated effort across the public sector to achieve the desired outcomes for the least outlay and avoid the problem of 'too many cooks...' could not be more timely. We explain the concept and how it might operate.

Thirteen 'Total Place' pilots, started in England after the Operational Efficiency Programme under the previous government, studied the potential economies and efficiency improvements possible by taking a coordinated, collaborative approach to service delivery across all public sector agencies in a locality. The use, collection and sharing of information were not a primary interest, yet almost every pilot raises issues about information.

Too many cooks analyses these issues, and asks what Total Place means for information management for all organisations in the local public sector across the UK.

Last modified: 20th July 2011