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Principles met

  • Co-production

    We will develop systems that enable citizens to be equal partners in designing and commissioning public services and in determining the use of public resources.

  • Innovation

    We will embrace innovation in how we work with local communities to drive positive change.

  • Learning

    We will capture and ‘expand’ the experience and learning from individual projects and approaches in order to encourage broader application of co-operative principles within individual member Councils and across the Network.

  • Maximising social value

    We will support the development of a framework and criteria for social value, giving substance to the concept and supporting Councils with the tools to ensure better local social and economic outcomes.

  • New models of meeting priority needs

    In exploring new ways of meeting the priority needs of our communities we will encourage models, such as co-operatives and mutuals, which give greater influence and voice to staff and users. in designing and commissioning public services and in determining the use of public resources.

Despite having a similar homecare budget to most councils, Wigan Council oversees a system which generates some of the best homecare outcomes in the country and a wide range of additional positive social and economic impacts, including stable, well-paid local jobs, strong social connections,

This is not an accident or the result of demanding higher percentages of social value in contracts. It’s come from careful and deliberate system stewardship towards a shared vision of how a thriving care system should work.

Identifying Problems, Aims and Opportunities

The process started with Wigan Council Commissioners recognising the problems with the local care market and existing block commissioning approaches, including zero-hour contracts, poor care outcomes, adversarial provider-commissioner relationships, and rising unit costs. There were concerns that many of the block contract providers were primarily motivated by the opportunity to extract a profit, and had little interest in improving outcomes for users of the service. 

Commissioners began to explore what a better system would look like. The approach was underpinned by Council commitment to authentic partnership and collaboration valuing respective knowledge, expertise and insight to codesign a strong shared vision and model of homecare where everyone plays their part. 

The council saw beyond the narrative of social care as a financial burden to recognise its importance as a contributor to a thriving economy. Care is a key local employment sector and the council recognised the importance of a healthy functioning care system to provide good jobs in the borough. 

For further information contact:

Andrea Glasspell
Assistant Director for Community Health and Wealth Building
Wigan Council

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