Supporting services to introduce improvements

New resources have been created to help colleagues introduce improvements in their services and then share the benefits of their work widely.

From project planning to supporting staff and reporting outcomes, a range of materials are available on new streamlined intranet pages to help services across the council. They were developed by the Transformation Service, which has gone through its own change recently as organisational development and data and performance, which were previously part of policy, joined the service in July 2024 following Paolo Vestri’s retiral.

For service manager Michelle Cockburn, the move allows the authority to harness our greatest asset when it comes to delivering change: our staff.

“90% of change relies on people so organisational culture and behaviours are essential,” explains Michelle. “Performance and data informs where we need to improve, transformation can develop or support projects and organisational development then supports the culture and behavioural change that will help us reach those goals by removing barriers, addressing any gaps in knowledge and helping people through.”

Michelle describes the resources, which are available from the intranet as “dynamic. They will be reviewed and feedback taken on board.”

“All of the resources have been developed based on best practice and can be used in a proportionate and pragmatic way,” she explains. “The size and scale of the project will determine what is needed and our service is available to offer advice. By managing projects in a consistent way and determining how the outcomes will be captured at the very start of the process, we can clearly report the benefits of our work to elected members and communities.

“The financial pressures that the council faces underpins the need for change alongside a desire to improve things for our customers and communities. Having colleagues on board and supported to make improvements is key to achieving these goals,” says Michelle.

About the team

Portfolio Management Office (PMO)

Offering help and guidance on all aspects of portfolio and project management, the team developed a framework that supports delivery of the transformation programme but can also be used by any service to implement change in a consistent way. The intranet pages include templates, toolkits and guidance which can be used by all services.

Organisational Development (OD)

Organisational Development helps teams to adopt new ways of working, identify improvement opportunities and embrace change. The new intranet pages include resources on learning and development, change management framework and practical support to help embed sustainable approaches within services.

Data and Performance

Data and Performance colleagues support continuous improvement through the East Lothian Council Improvement Framework ensuring Best Value. The pages provide insight into how the team monitor, review, and report progress towards council objectives to staff, the public and communities.

Find out more

Search transformation programme in the intranet A-Z to:

• easily access guidance, templates and support for transformation projects
• learn about change management, service design and process review
• learn about learning and development opportunities to support change
• discover how you can contribute to continuous improvement within the council through Shaping our Future
• learn about the East Lothian Way and watch the video

or contact the Transformation Service for further advice.