Principles met

  • 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.
  • We will embrace innovation in how we work with local communities to drive positive change.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • As a membership organisation, we will make this statement of our principles operational by: • Co-operation among members: Our members work together to help each other implement our values, sharing experiences and learning. • Openness of membership: Full, Associate and Affiliate Membership is open to any qualifying Council, organisation or individual who shares our values and is committed to putting them into action. • Co-production of the Network’s work: Members help shape the Network’s work programme and the content of events and written products. • Action-focused: The network is a vehicle for helping councils translate co-operative values and principles into policy and practice. •Membership-based: The network is majority funded by modest membership subscriptions from its member Councils, Associates and Affiliates. •Non-party-political: Members share the belief that working co-operatively within and across communities holds the key to tackling today’s challenges.

Despite having a home care budget similar to most councils, Wigan Council runs a system that achieves some of the best home care outcomes in the country, along with numerous other positive social and economic effects, including secure, well-paid local jobs and strong social connections.

This is not accidental, nor is it due to demanding higher percentages of social value in contracts. It stems from careful and deliberate system leadership aimed at a shared vision of how a thriving care system should operate. 

Identifying Problems, Aims and Opportunities

The process began with Wigan Council Commissioners recognising issues within the local care market and current block commissioning methods, such as zero-hour contracts, poor care outcomes, adversarial relationships between providers and commissioners, and increasing unit costs. There were concerns that many of the block contract providers were mainly driven by the prospect of profit and showed little interest in improving outcomes for service users. 

Commissioners started exploring what a better system might look like. The approach was based on the Council’s commitment to genuine partnership and collaboration, valuing each other’s knowledge, expertise, and insights to co-design a strong, shared vision and model of home care in which everyone contributes. 

The council looked beyond viewing social care as just a financial burden to recognise its role in supporting a prosperous economy. Care is a vital local employment sector, and the council acknowledged the importance of a well-functioning care system in providing good jobs within the borough. 

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