North East Scotland Joint Public Sector Group

NESJPSG Members Area 

The North East Scotland Joint Public Sector Group (NESJPSG) was formed in 2000.  Read the Memorandum of Understanding

It comprises the Chief Executives or equivalent of Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray Councils, NHS Grampian, Scottish Enterprise Grampian, Grampian Police and Grampian Fire & Rescue.

The group members believe that, as the Chief Executives or equivalent of the main public sector providers in the North East of Scotland, they have a duty to consider high level matters of great strategic significance to the geographical area for which they jointly have responsibility.

In mid 2005, the NESJPSG commissioned 4 officers (2 from Grampian Fire and Rescue Service, 1 from Grampian Police and 1 from Aberdeen City Council) to conduct some research. They used a combination of existing strategies & plans and qualitative interviews with key people from the public sector . The aim was to identify the most significant strategic priorities for the North East of Scotland and the priorities for the public sector organisations operating in that geographical area.

Methodology

It was considered important to capture the opinions of a range of senior public sector figures, and an initial round of interviews was conducted with the members of the NESJPSG themselves. These interviews were conducted during June, July and August 2005, and an interim paper, based on the results of those interviews, was produced and submitted to the NESJPSG in August.

The decision was taken to extend the scope of the research to include the views of the Leaders of the respective Councils, Chairs/Convenors of the Boards of member organisations, and the Chairs of the current Continuous Improvement Networks which operate across the North East of Scotland. These Networks were established in 2001 in recognition of the need to consider shared agendas over a wider area than those covered by the individual Local Authorities. Networks exist for Data Sharing, ICT, Finance, Personnel and Property.

Interviews were conducted during September and October 2005 and the views of all respondents collated and consolidated into this paper. Views expressed are a composite of opinions, and therefore are anonymised as far as possible. Where significant differences of opinion exist, the varying sides of the argument are expressed.

The process is, by its very nature, a subjective one, and the authors have attempted to make some assessment of the interview responses in order to provide members of the NESJPSG with a comprehensive overview of opinion and some options for priorities and the means to progress them.

Findings

Broadly speaking, the results of the interview process can be divided into 2 main headings;

• What we want to do.
• How we can do it.

What we want to do.

During the process, interviewees were asked to identify those issues which they felt were of greatest importance for;

a) The North East of Scotland

b) The Public Sector organisations in the North East of Scotland

Results were as follows, with the issues identified most often listed first;

a) Priorities for the North East.

1. The Economy

The clear number 1 priority was the economy, which is acknowledged as the key driver for the North East. Economic stability is vital. The two greatest areas for attention are the diversification of the economy away from the heavy reliance on the oil and gas industry, and the retention of skilled staff who may tend to leave the area if, for example, the workforce at RAF bases in Moray continue to reduce. Addressing these issues will require a combination of: -

• Investment to attract new business and supporting indigenous business to grow.
• Skills training.
• Sustainable inward migration, given the predicted population decline.
• Creation of an environment in which people want to live and work.

2. The Transport Infrastructure

Identified as being essential to the economy from both a commercial perspective and as part of the "well being" agenda making it easy to move around the area. The need for an integrated transport structure linking the North East of Scotland to the rest of the UK and beyond was considered to be vital to the economy, with the Western Peripheral Route and improved road and rail links between Aberdeen, the North East and the rest of Scotland seen as the key strategic issues.

3. Changing Demographics

Already included in the section on the economy, but identified by a significant number of people as being an issue of great importance to the future of the area. Overall, declining and aging populations will result in the need for inward migration strategies and the tailoring of housing, health and transportation policies to take account of the changing requirements.

4. Housing

A need for a regional housing strategy was expressed so that planning gain could be maximised. It is likely that opportunities for housing to the North of the City will shortly be opened up and it was felt that work should be started now to prepare for that development. An adequate supply of appropriate housing including affordable housing was also seen as a priority to retain people within the North East, as was the need to look towards Inverness, the fastest growing City in Europe, with a view to the possibility of similar "dormitory" arrangements to those fulfilled by Aberdeenshire for Aberdeen.

5. "Closing the Gap"

Targeting areas of deprivation was also seen as a priority to 'close the gap' in the area between rich and poor, but also to make it more attractive generally to help encourage people to move here and retain people who are already here addressing population loss and skills shortages.  Because of the relatively small numbers of people involved, the dispersed nature of the population and weighing of factors, the current Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation fails to identify many pockets of deprivation in rural areas.

It will also be essential to continue to focus on Community Safety issues in those areas identified by intelligence as being most in need, recognising that relatively minor incidents or isolated more serious issues can often have a disproportionate effect on the well being of people in communities."

6. Improving Health

Improving health was also seen as a major factor which could ultimately encourage people to move to or remain in the North East.  Whilst making genuine improvements to the health of the population is clearly essential, there is clearly scope to market the area as a healthy and attractive location, thereby making best use of its natural assets.