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Transactional Support Services Review Client Context Cheshire West and Chester Council and Cheshire East Council operate a Transactional Shared Service (TSS), delivering transactional Finance, HR, Payroll, Recruitment and ERP system support. The service was established as part of Local Government Reorganisation in 2016 but had not kept up with the pace of change in both councils. A comprehensive review was commissioned to ensure it remained efficient, cost-effective and aligned to the current needs of both councils. With the upcoming re-procurement of the ERP support contract, this review was critical to determining the balance of in-house and external resources, while assessing opportunities for improvement, greater use of technology and alternative delivery models. Our Approach Working collaboratively with staff in both councils and the shared service, we: Engaged with senior leadership to understand the current priorities and future needs of the councils. Engaged widely with stakeholders, including service leads, operational staff, senior leadership, internal and external customers to understand opportunities and challenges, both strategically and in terms of day-to-day frustrations. Gathered internal data and conducted external research to benchmark the service against comparators. Benchmark metrics included performance data, capacity, demand, staff turnover, sickness absence and customer satisfaction. This allowed us to compile a detailed assessment of the as-is, drawing on quantitative and qualitative insights to set out the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and risks for the service. This fed into a strategic options appraisal, evaluating a range of potential delivery models, including in-house, outsourced, traded and hybrid models. A detailed appraisal was undertaken using a modified Five Case approach, assessing the cost, quality, technical feasibility, risks and benefits of each option. Alongside this, we undertook a detailed assessment of governance and support arrangements for the council’s ERP system, preparing for exit from the existing contract and transition to a new model. Outputs and Outcomes Key outputs and outcomes included: A clear decision to retain and invest in the current model, underpinned by a detailed Target Operating Model to deliver an improved customer experience within a sustainable budget envelope through enhanced use of technology. A decision to stop providing some services, where the councils were subsidising external customers, leading to net cashable savings. A new single front door for the service, providing triage to filter out lower-level demand, freeing up technical teams for more complex work. Process efficiencies across transactional Finance and HR. A detailed plan for the insourcing of the ERP support contract, with to-be structures and job profiles for the in-house team. About Us Human Engine is a leading management consultancy with specialisms in strategy, transformation, digital, commercial, procurement and projects. Founded in 2018, we have partnered with more than 50 local authorities, central government, NHS organisations and national charities to help transform their strategies, operations and cultures. Our mission is to help individuals and organisations to do the best work of their lives. We do this by blending first-hand, practical experience of the problems we help our clients solve with award-winning consulting expertise and an approach based on trust, collaboration and partnership. Back to Our Case Studies

Delivering Value from Procurement and Contracts The Context Richmond and Wandsworth Councils operate one of the largest shared staffing groups in London. Following a very successful integration, the councils were able to save £10m each through staffing efficiencies while creating more resilience than either would have alone. The councils identified an opportunity to build on this success and drive further savings through their spend with third party suppliers, while enhancing the organisation’s capabilities in commissioning, procurement, contract management and the delivery of social value. There was a view among some senior officers and Members that an insufficiently strategic approach to commissioning and procurement was leading to a pattern of ‘procure and repeat’, last minute extensions and a high volume of waivers. This was viewed as a missed opportunity to redesign services, improve performance, deliver savings and drive more innovation. A recent audit of contract management had also highlighted the need for improvements. The audit identified pockets of good practice but also a lack of consistency across the organisation and the need to better support officers with training, tools and learning opportunities. The Requirement The council appointed us to lead a review across four areas: 1. Review the councils’ capacity and capability in commissioning and make practical recommendations for how this could be improved to create a more strategic approach. 2. Review the capacity and capability of the central procurement team and make practical recommendations for the right size and shape of the team to go beyond operational procurement and drive more savings, innovation and social value. 3. Review the councils’ capacity and capability in contract management and make practical recommendations for how this could be improved to become more robust and consistent. 4. Review contracts and high value spend areas across the councils to identify opportunities for cashable savings, improved performance and greater social value. The council required an expert partner that could not only provide industry-leading advice and best practice but make this immediately practical for the organisation, with clear benefits. The Programme Our approach was collaborative, working with the central procurement team and service areas across both councils in an open, transparent and supportive manner. With our partners at Peopletoo Consulting, we blend industry-leading, expert knowledge of procurement and contract management with deep subject matter expertise in local government services. This means that our solutions are never generic – they are tailored to the organisations we work with and the specific services in scope. Together, we have worked with more than 150 councils nationally and have expertise in all local government services, from Adults Social Care to Environmental Services and from Children’s Services to Corporate Resources. We worked with service areas across the organisation to: Identify existing good practices in commissioning, procurement and contract management Identify opportunities for improvement, within service areas and council-wide Identify opportunities for cashable savings, improved performance and social value from existing contracts Benchmark the organisation’s capacity and skills against comparable authorities and make recommendations for investment, supported by an invest-to-save business case The Outcomes 20% saving identified from Home to School Transport 25% saving identified from Adult Social Care Client Transport 20% savings identified from Day Opportunities while modernising services and making better use of community assets 10% saving identified from Waste Services £100k additional recoverable income identified from Parking 15% savings identified from Housing Repairs and Maintenance 5-20% savings identified across 40 other contracts and services Recommendations for improvements in capabilities, including a new Commissioning and Contract Management Framework, supported by a programme of tools and training Engaged staff in the development of opportunities and recommendations About Us Human Engine is a leading management consultancy with specialisms in strategy, transformation, digital, commercial, procurement and projects. Founded in 2018, we have partnered with more than 50 local authorities, central government, NHS organisations and national charities to help transform their strategies, operations and cultures. Our mission is to help individuals and organisations to do the best work of their lives. We do this by blending first-hand, practical experience of the problems we help our clients solve with award-winning consulting expertise and an approach based on trust, collaboration and partnership. Back to Our Case Studies

New Operating Model for Sport in Wales The Context Sport Wales is the national organisation responsible for developing and promoting sport and physical activity in Wales at both community and elite levels. It is also responsible for the distribution of significant amounts of grant funding across a broad portfolio of sports activity in Wales. The National Governing Body (NGB) landscape in Wales has operated in the same way for many years. There are over 40 recognised NGBs within Wales and each NGB is its own individual entity, funded separately by Sport Wales to fulfil a contribution of impacting the Vision for Sport and Sport Wales strategy. Human Engine were commissioned in August 2024 to explore the options for, and the viability of, a more efficient and effective operating model in Wales for NGBs. This work formed one workstream of Sport Wales’ Sector Resilience programme alongside streams focussed on income generation and shared services. The Requirement Sport Wales sought to understand the viability of different models to structure the management and governance of sport in Wales. Success factors for this work included: Whether there are options in Wales that are viable and should be considered that would change the current funding, governance and delivery infrastructure across National Governing Bodies of Sport. Assessment of the appetite for change across the partners. A mapped way forward to bring the options to life. Learning from other sectors used to influence this work. The Programme The Human Engine team developed a series of options and accompanying analysis. This report effectively formed a ‘think piece’ for the art of the possible for the sector. Data was gathered through: Delivering c.20 1:1 interviews with NGB CEOs and leaders. Engagement with Sport Wales stakeholders through weekly project meetings and workshop sessions with senior leadership and Board Members. A survey that was shared with the sector and NGB Board Chairs. Desktop analysis of existing data from Sport Wales. Assessment of operating models and partnership models in operation in different sectors across the UK and sport sectors in different countries. This led to nine options that were assessed through use of the Five Case Model. The team applied a multi-criteria analysis to the five cases, giving each option a weighted score across the Five Cases. The Five Case Model was supported by an assessment of the benefits and disbenefits of each model. In addition to analysis and assessment of each proposed model, the team delivered an overall evaluation and comparison of the options, including hybrid options (combinations of key parts of different options), enablers for change and a phased programme for delivery. The work culminated in engagement sessions with the sector ahead of a phase 2 whereby a preferred option will be considered. The Outcomes Nine different options for future operating models for NGBs assessed using the Five Case Model with supporting benefits and disbenefits. Weighted scoring across the Five Cases and overall scores that can be compared across options. Six enablers for change for Sport Wales to consider as part of the wider Sector Resilience Programme. A phased programme delivery plan. A five-strong list of recommendations for Sport Wales and the sector to consider as part of the next phase of this work. Client Feedback "Human Engine understood the challenge we are trying to solve and the local nuances that compound it. Brought objectivity and independence to consultation with our partners, which surfaced honest input. Balanced listening with their own expert viewpoints and bringing experience and learning from other areas." Director - Sport Systems About Us Human Engine is a leading management consultancy with specialisms in strategy, transformation, digital, commercial, procurement and projects. Founded in 2018, we have partnered with more than 50 local authorities, central government, NHS organisations and national charities to help transform their strategies, operations and cultures. Our mission is to help individuals and organisations to do the best work of their lives. We do this by blending first-hand, practical experience of the problems we help our clients solve with award-winning consulting expertise and an approach based on trust, collaboration and partnership. Back to Our Case Studies

Economic Renewal Action Plan Programme The Context In early 2021, the UK was emerging from the devastating second wave of COVID-19, with lockdown restrictions in place and many businesses badly impacted. 10% of eligible employees were on furlough at the end of 2020, and around 1,350 redundancies had been announced in the Borough. Future forecasts were of high unemployment, especially for young people and those in sectors such as retail where shifts to online shopping had accelerated. The need for digital skills had intensified, while other issues such as mental health and wellbeing, the climate crisis, diversity and equalities also came to the fore. Businesses, people and places faced an unprecedented cocktail of impacts. The need to rebound or adapt was widespread, with the challenges often greatest for those facing disadvantage. Barnsley Council moved quickly to develop an Economic Renewal Action Plan working with partner organisations on its Business and Economy Recovery Group, such as DWP, NHS, Barnsley College and the Chamber of Commerce. The aim of the 18-month plan is to reiterate the borough’s pre-existing economic issues, assess the impact of the pandemic, and outline a co-ordinated programme of immediately deliverable support for people, businesses and places. The plan incorporated a £2m prioritised council capital investment programme – including employability and e-commerce support – alongside wider interventions such as employment support for young people, to capital investment in town centre and decarbonisation projects. The Requirement Human Engine were asked to support Barnsley by providing programme management capacity and expertise for their ERAP programme. The Programme Human Engine established the Programme Management Office (PMO) function, overseeing 8 projects delivered by a mix of internal teams and external partners. Joining the programme following initiation, we applied our best practice programme management framework to find the right balance of good programme governance with the speed and agility to get things done with minimal bureaucracy. Leading the PMO, we supported the client’s Programme Leader to make effective decisions by providing visibility of programme milestones, outputs, risks and issues. This was about more than routine reporting or escalation – we provided pragmatic advice to help make decisions effectively, mitigate risks proactively and resolve issues quickly. We co-produced definitions of outputs and benefits across the programme and built a comprehensive data capture process that ensured each project reported against the programme’s ‘standard minimum-required definitions’ but we also asked individual projects to develop local ‘stretch-definitions’ of success that went above and beyond the basic requirements. This allowed us to capture and learn from the positive lessons of over-delivery in the highest performing areas. We worked to a principle of minimum viable documentation, using a Balanced Scorecard which to drive the agenda at the Programme Management Boards. We also established a robust monthly cyclical reporting process and have built around a focus on Risks; Milestones; Finances and Outputs. We established a strong working relationship with the client, which included coaching and mentoring a small team of the council’s graduate trainees and project officers to develop their skills and knowledge of programme and project management techniques. The Outcomes Through collaboration between the council, local delivery partners and the Human Engine team, the programme achieved the following outcomes: Jobs Created - 73 Jobs Safeguarded - 153 Businesses Created - 10 Businesses engaged and supported through the programme: 538 Employees directly supported with training or management advice: 623 About Us Human Engine is a leading management consultancy with specialisms in strategy, transformation, digital, commercial, procurement and projects. Founded in 2018, we have partnered with more than 50 local authorities, central government, NHS organisations and national charities to help transform their strategies, operations and cultures. Our mission is to help individuals and organisations to do the best work of their lives. We do this by blending first-hand, practical experience of the problems we help our clients solve with award-winning consulting expertise and an approach based on trust, collaboration and partnership. Back to Our Case Studies

Communities First Client Context Northumberland County Council was embarking on a strategic change programme to identify council-wide savings of £20m, while radically rethinking the way local public services are delivered in the county in support of its primary objective to reduce inequality. Building on the success of previous community-based initiatives, we worked with the council to develop a Communities First approach, enhancing the role of prevention and early intervention as an alternative to residents entering high cost, high dependency services. Our Approach As Northumberland’s strategic partner, we worked collaboratively with council officers and representatives from other system partners to develop a place-based approach. This included: Using service design techniques and co-production principles, we worked with service leads across the organisation to identify council services that could be devolved to local communities to deliver. Working with the council, health, fire and rescue, education, sport and leisure and VCFSE partners to co-design a future model, including pooling assets, funding and resources around shared outcomes. Assessment of existing investment in community-led initiatives and use of grant funding to see how this could be more effectively channelled. Analysis of home care package costs for comparison against community-based initiatives. Drawing on our experience of similar programmes nationally to help quantify the financial and social return on investment from community-based prevention initiatives. Outputs and Outcomes A Communities First Target Operating Model created the following benefits: A shift in the presumption of service delivery by the council and other public bodies to local communities. A prioritised roadmap of candidate services for devolution to community groups. Savings opportunities of £1.7m by deflecting demand away from high dependency, high cost services. Better value from grant funding through improved co-ordination of different funds around outcomes. Reducing inequalities by shaping provision in communities around local need. Reducing demand on high cost health and care services, while helping more people to live independently in their own homes for longer, supported by their local communities. Increasing the capacity and capability of voluntary and community groups. Better joining up pathways into and between services, with the council and between the council and partner organisations. Positive impact on the wider determinants of health, such as skills and employability, housing and social isolation. About Us Human Engine is a leading management consultancy with specialisms in strategy, transformation, digital, commercial, procurement and projects. Founded in 2018, we have partnered with more than 50 local authorities, central government, NHS organisations and national charities to help transform their strategies, operations and cultures. Our mission is to help individuals and organisations to do the best work of their lives. We do this by blending first-hand, practical experience of the problems we help our clients solve with award-winning consulting expertise and an approach based on trust, collaboration and partnership. Back to Our Case Studies

Homelessness Operating Model The Context Homelessness is a significant issue across the UK, and the national picture continues to worsen. Exacerbated by the Cost of Living Crisis and a lack of affordable housing, more than 358,000 households in England contacted their local authority for support after being threatened with homelessness or losing their home in 2023-24, up more than 10% in a year. For Luton, the problem is particularly stark: unemployment is consistently double the national average, and nearly 45% of Luton’s children live in poverty. This is all against a backdrop of above-average and rising rental and house prices. In 2023, there were 14.6 people in Luton assessed as homeless per thousand of the population, compared to 6.3 nationally. As a result, Luton Council’s Housing Solutions Service was facing unprecedented demand. The resident and staff experience was suffering as a result, and the service was set to overspend by £3.8 million against its budget. The Requirement Luton Council’s Housing Solutions Service needed an actionable and achievable target operating model and implementation plan for improvement. Human Engine were commissioned to: Deliver a series of short-term improvements or ‘quick wins’ Build on existing findings and recommendations Use this insight to develop proposals for more fundamental changes to contribute to the service’s transformation This project formed part of Luton Council’s wider Transformation Portfolio, delivering lasting positive change in line with Luton’s 2040 Vision. The Programme As part of the project, 17 quick wins were delivered. These included reviewing aspects of the customer journey, as well as ensuring staff are best deployed in the short-term to achieve maximum benefit. In addition, discovery activities including customer journey mapping, interviews, and surveys informed the longer-term recommendations put forward. The final report was framed around three key pillars which summarise the customer journey: 1. Prevention and Early Intervention 2. Management and Managing Costs 3. Relocation Against each pillar, a transformation ambition was set out that had been co-created with stakeholders. These included associated targets and metrics to measure success. The steps to achieve this ambition were set out in the form of areas for improvement with accompanying priority actions. Recommendations included the purchase of assets to reduce the reliance on costly nightly-paid temporary accommodation, as well as innovative solutions for upstream prevention, including a Call Before You Serve scheme for landlords considering serving an eviction notice, and the utilisation of data to conduct informed proactive cohort outreach. The Outcomes Key Outcomes: Provided actionable solutions to deliver £4.6m in annual savings by year 2. Increase successful preventions by 32 households per year. Discharge an additional 72 households from temporary accommodation to the private rental sector per year. The project provided Luton Council with actionable solutions to deliver over £4.6 million in savings. Furthermore, key measures of success were identified, allowing progress to be easily monitored going forwards. Not only do the recommendations put forward enable the service to balance its budget, they also deliver non-financial benefits: these include improved customer and staff satisfaction, partnership working maturity, and smart data usage. The target operating model developed through this work therefore offers Luton Council a clear pathway to achieve sustainable improvements. The project equipped the council to deliver a cohesive, collaborative and customer-centric Housing Solutions Service that utilises data to inform actions and adopts streamlined processes which prioritise prevention, manage demand and empower staff and residents alike. About Us Human Engine is a leading management consultancy with specialisms in strategy, transformation, digital, commercial, procurement and projects. Founded in 2018, we have partnered with more than 50 local authorities, central government, NHS organisations and national charities to help transform their strategies, operations and cultures. Our mission is to help individuals and organisations to do the best work of their lives. We do this by blending first-hand, practical experience of the problems we help our clients solve with award-winning consulting expertise and an approach based on trust, collaboration and partnership. Back to Our Case Studies

Portfolio Management Maturity and Benefits Realisation Client Context British Heart Foundation is the biggest independent funder of research into cardiovascular disease in the UK. They fund more than £100m of lifesaving research each year, provide free heart health information and raise awareness at community and national levels. Much of this work is supported by a large retail operation of more than 670 stores. To manage change effectively across this complex organisation, BHF established an Enterprise Portfolio Management Office (EPMO). Working with the team, we were commissioned to evaluate and enhance the organisation’s maturity at portfolio management, maximising the return on investment from projects and successfully delivering the organisation’s strategic objectives. Our Approach We delivered the client’s requirements using a three-phase approach: Phase 1. We undertook a portfolio maturity assessment using our maturity framework, tailored to the client’s specific ambitions. We engaged with the EPMO and teams in directorates to produce a gap analysis, setting out individual directorate maturity along with an overall assessment to provide a view across the whole organisation. Phase 2. We co-produced an end-to-end benefits management framework, designed to improve the realisation of benefits from programmes and projects from start to finish. We supported the client to put this into practice through the creation of a comprehensive benefits toolkit. Phase 3. We developed a change roadmap to guide the implementation and adoption of priority improvements, particularly in strategic alignment, benefits management and the supporting tools and processes. Outputs and Outcomes Enhanced maturity: Strengthened BHF’s ability to achieve its strategic objectives through a more mature and insight-led approach to portfolio, programme and project management. Leadership confidence: Empowered leaders and portfolio managers to identify capability gaps, prioritise improvements and track progress, resulting in increased confidence. Benefits realisation: Equipped teams with tools and frameworks to identify, define, track and realise benefits from the start of projects, ensuring clear and measurable value from the outset. Strategic alignment: Decisions and resources aligned with organisational priorities, reducing inefficiency and wasted effort. Sustainable adoption: Embedded sustainable ways of working across directorates, making change happen and making it stick. Capability building: Boosted staff skills and confidence through the provision of over 30 co-created tools, templates and guidance scripts. Client Feedback “Human Engine were a pleasure to work with. They were responsive and adaptable to our needs, taking time to understand what we wanted and going above and beyond the original scope of work to create something that would give us value in introducing more robust benefits management at our organisation.” Enterprise PMO Team About Us Human Engine is a leading management consultancy with specialisms in strategy, transformation, digital, commercial, procurement and projects. Founded in 2018, we have partnered with more than 50 local authorities, central government, NHS organisations and national charities to help transform their strategies, operations and cultures. Our mission is to help individuals and organisations to do the best work of their lives. We do this by blending first-hand, practical experience of the problems we help our clients solve with award-winning consulting expertise and an approach based on trust, collaboration and partnership. Back to Our Case Studies

Customer Services Transformation Client Context Northumberland County Council was embarking on a strategic change programme to identify council-wide savings of £20m, while radically rethinking the way local public services are delivered in the county in support of its primary objective to reduce inequality. A key programme workstream was Best Service to Customers, identifying opportunities to improve customer access, service and experience. Our Approach Through a series of workshops with customer services teams, middle office teams and leadership, Human Engine undertook a customer maturity assessment across six themes: strategy, performance, culture and skills, demand management, customer insight and digital. This established a baseline of organisational performance, the future ambition and opportunities for improvement. In addition to this, the team undertook analysis of 3,000 calls into the contact centre. This identified that 59% of all calls were linked to failure demand, with more than 1 in 4 coming from customers who had tried to self-serve online but were unable to do so. This uncovered not only a significant source of avoidable demand, but a major risk to the success of the council’s digital strategy and an area of frustration for residents. We also analysed face-to-face contact and, by breaking down budgets by contact type, created cost-per-contact metrics for each of face-to-face contact, telephone and webform contacts, creating a costed evidence base for the customer access strategy. Outputs and Outcomes Creation of a customer access model with online self-service as the first point of contact but building in capacity to support people face-to-face or reducing the risk of crisis through outbound preventative contact. A programme of work to deliver the new access model including workstreams on customer services integration, better use of customer insight, creating proactive preventative customer services and reimagining digital customer services. Identified savings of between £3.5m and £4.65m to be delivered through contact centre integration, reduction of failure demand and digitisation of customer transactions. Costed investment case to underpin the transformation, including the need to invest in in-house digital capability. Client Feedback “Human Engine understood that customer service is not just about transactions but is about the quality of services and improving the lives of residents. The new target operating model will address fragmentation, help us work holistically to support customer needs and reduce cost through resolving failure demand. Their approach to engagement was comprehensive, involving a wide range of stakeholders including from the Customer Services team up to senior leadership.” Chris Thompson Director of IT and Digital About Us Human Engine is a leading management consultancy with specialisms in strategy, transformation, digital, commercial, procurement and projects. Founded in 2018, we have partnered with more than 50 local authorities, central government, NHS organisations and national charities to help transform their strategies, operations and cultures. Our mission is to help individuals and organisations to do the best work of their lives. We do this by blending first-hand, practical experience of the problems we help our clients solve with award-winning consulting expertise and an approach based on trust, collaboration and partnership. Back to Our Case Studies

Portfolio Management Office Client Context Luton Borough Council established a corporate transformation programme tasked with delivering £30m of savings across the organisation, aligned to its Luton 2040 vision. At the outset, the transformation portfolio comprised over 200 initiatives across six transformation programmes, creating a need for a robust corporate approach to prioritisation, governance and oversight. Human Engine was commissioned to establish and operate a Portfolio Management Office (PMO) to provide a single view of change, strengthen governance and support senior leaders to track delivery and make informed decisions. Our Approach Working as a blended team with the council’s transformation function, we established and operated a corporate PMO. Key elements of our approach included: PMO Blueprint and Governance Model: Designing a co-produced framework defining roles, responsibilities and governance across programmes and projects. Project and Programme Management Framework: Developing a comprehensive toolkit including lifecycle templates, reporting standards and guidance for project teams. Prioritisation and Segmentation Tool: Designing a tool to assess project impact and effort, enabling prioritisation and pipeline management across 200+ initiatives. Portfolio Dashboard: Creating an interactive dashboard providing senior leaders with a single view of progress, benefits, risks, issues and dependencies. Programme Oversight and Reporting: Supporting Transformation Board governance, coordinating reporting across programmes and managing escalation processes. Capability Building and Knowledge Transfer: Delivering training, guidance and user materials to embed PMO practices across the organisation. Outputs and Outcomes This work established a fully functioning PMO and strengthened Luton’s ability to deliver its transformation programme. Key outputs and outcomes included: Corporate PMO Established providing a single, joined-up view of change across the council. Prioritisation of 200+ initiatives through the bespoke segmentation and prioritisation tool. Portfolio Dashboard implemented to support Transformation Board oversight and decision-making. Standardised project governance through a comprehensive project and programme management framework. Improved risk, issue and dependency management across the transformation portfolio. Successful transition to an in-house PMO team, supported by training, guidance and a full PMO toolkit. About Us Human Engine is a leading management consultancy with specialisms in strategy, transformation, digital, commercial, procurement and projects. Founded in 2018, we have partnered with more than 50 local authorities, central government, NHS organisations and national charities to help transform their strategies, operations and cultures. Our mission is to help individuals and organisations to do the best work of their lives. We do this by blending first-hand, practical experience of the problems we help our clients solve with award-winning consulting expertise and an approach based on trust, collaboration and partnership. Back to Our Case Studies

One Oldham Fund The Context The Oldham Partnership shares a collective vision ‘to make Oldham a place of ambition’. Oldham Borough Metropolitan Council (OMBC) and its partners are committed to a co-operative future for Oldham where ‘everyone does their bit and everybody benefits’. Central to this vision is the thriving and sustainable Voluntary, Community, Faith, and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) sector. Recognising its pivotal role, the Oldham Plan and Locality Plan prioritise its development. Embracing innovation in investment strategies, the council embarked on the Thriving Communities programme prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. This programme aimed to reimagine the sector's funding landscape, with a strategic VCFSE investment fund emerging as a transformative vehicle for progress in Oldham. The investment was initiated and funded by OMBC, pooling existing funding sources from October 2021 to March 2023. In November 2021, Action Together introduced the 'One Oldham Fund' grants program. Initially, over £1 million was invested, primarily sourced from the Covid Outbreak Management Fund (COMF). These grants aimed to support small-scale community innovation and social action by grassroots community groups and organisations. In total, one-hundred and six grants were awarded, totalling £708,619. These grants were divided into forty-eight micro, forty-six small, and twelve medium-sized grants, benefiting various groups and organisations across the Oldham area. The Requirement The Human Engine team were commissioned to conduct an evaluation that focused specifically on the impact of projects funded through the COMF (Contain Outbreak Management Fund) investment but also evaluated the impact of the One Oldham Fund as a method and framework for administering and delivering funding across the borough.The aim of the evaluation was to demonstrate the overall impact of the investment into the VCFSE via the One Oldham Fund, including: The extent to which it delivered on the strategic priorities for investment. The extent to which the principles for investment are embedded in the approach and impact on the delivery of the priorities. The extent to which it delivers value for money in terms of fiscal, social and economic return on investment for the Oldham system. The Programme Human Engine adopted a comprehensive mixed method approach, analysing both qualitative and quantitative datasets. Qualitative data was gathered through interviews and discussions with key stakeholders, including project leads, representatives from funding partners, and OMBC colleagues. Additionally, over five hundred qualitative data points collected during program rollout were analysed to identify the groups in Oldham that received support and to showcase case studies and success stories of the Fund's impact. Our evaluation methodology revolved around three key areas: what was written down, what was said, and what was done. This comprehensive approach ensured a thorough understanding of the Fund's impact. We facilitated an in-person workshop with project leads from participating organisations to conduct a SWOT analysis of the Fund's management and explore potential future models. This workshop provided a platform for organisations to share their experiences, network, and discuss collaboration opportunities. A strategic workshop with OMBC colleagues was conducted to assess how the Fund aligned with the Council's Strategic Priorities and Ways of Working. During this workshop, a PESTEL analysis was conducted to evaluate the political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal implications of implementing a similar model in the future. This collaborative discussion provided valuable insights for potential future initiatives. The Outcomes Human Engine produced a final report offering a detailed breakdown of the funding distribution (location), recipient organisations, and the various activities, initiatives, and support they provided to the people of Oldham. The report outlined the great impact that the Fund had in Oldham, tangible benefits to participants of projects were: Over 20,000 estimated interactions. 23 buildings were either refurbished or improved 6 green spaces were improved. 8 jobs or qualifications were secured. 7 volunteer posts were filled. The Human Engine Team contributed: A full mixed methods evaluation of the One Oldham Fund including analysis of both qualitative and quantitative data, one-on-one interviews, and two in-person workshops with key stakeholders. A five-point conclusion and nine-point recommendation summary were created that presented specific recommendations based on the management, strategic approach, and sustainability to assist the council in facilitating similar work in the future. Analysis of an estimated 12,000 unique quantitative data points. About Us Human Engine is a leading management consultancy with specialisms in strategy, transformation, digital, commercial, procurement and projects. Founded in 2018, we have partnered with more than 50 local authorities, central government, NHS organisations and national charities to help transform their strategies, operations and cultures. Our mission is to help individuals and organisations to do the best work of their lives. We do this by blending first-hand, practical experience of the problems we help our clients solve with award-winning consulting expertise and an approach based on trust, collaboration and partnership. Back to Our Case Studies

Income Generation Client Context The City of London Corporation is one of a kind. As the governing authority for the historic and financial centre of London and the UK, it oversees a large range of commercial operations and owns some of the city’s most economically and socially valuable assets. These include well known venues such as the Barbican Centre and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Despite its impressive base of assets and income streams, the loosely federated nature of the Corporation’s various departments and institutions meant that it lacked a single view of its commercial activities or their collective performance. Our Approach Working at pace to maximise the benefits for the Corporation during budget setting, we: Collected and analysed data on income generation activities across the Corporation, collating and standardising this to form a structured portfolio. Developed BI dashboards to summarise key information across a complex portfolio for decision makers. Developed an organisational heatmap to show which services were maximising the benefit of commercial income sources. Engaged with colleagues from Commercial, Finance and services to gain insight into current practices. Undertook an assessment of the Corporation’s overall commercial capability, capacity and performance against our Commercial Maturity Model. Identified organisational gaps and areas where improvements could be made, whilst also highlighting pockets of best practice that could be scaled across the Corporation. Developed actionable recommendations for immediate, medium and long-term opportunities. Outputs and Outcomes Key outputs and outcomes from the work included: An in-depth diagnostic review of income generation, including an analysis of current income initiatives and recommendations for expanding the Corporation’s income portfolio. The consolidation of over £140m of income across 90 different service lines into a corporately managed commercial portfolio. A new commercial governance framework for the Corporation to effectively and efficiently prioritise progress and manage new and ongoing income opportunities and commercial projects. A commercial strategy and supporting implementation roadmap, to focus the Corporation’s commercial growth over the next 4 years, including specific prioritisation and timelines for key activities to enhance the commercial maturity of the Corporation. Detailed business cases for opportunities across Fees and Charges, Events, Filming, Advertising and Sponsorship, totalling £6.1m in new and increased income. Business cases were supported by mobilisation plans to allow opportunities to proceed to immediate delivery once approved. A comprehensive Commercial Toolkit to improve the generation of ideas, development of opportunities and management of projects on an ongoing basis. About Us Human Engine is a leading management consultancy with specialisms in strategy, transformation, digital, commercial, procurement and projects. Founded in 2018, we have partnered with more than 50 local authorities, central government, NHS organisations and national charities to help transform their strategies, operations and cultures. Our mission is to help individuals and organisations to do the best work of their lives. We do this by blending first-hand, practical experience of the problems we help our clients solve with award-winning consulting expertise and an approach based on trust, collaboration and partnership. Back to Our Case Studies

Smarter Commissioning, Better Contracting The Context Smarter Commissioning, Better Contracting was an ambitious programme that set out to deliver £2.3m of savings from third party expenditure, while at the same time enhancing the organisation’s capabilities in commissioning, procurement and contract management. These initiatives had been tried previously but had several false starts. Savings targets from contracts had been included in the council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy for three consecutive years but had not been delivered. The council recognised that it needed to do something differently and bring in a partner who could help to deliver immediate cashable savings while helping to develop the organisation’s own capabilities so that it would be more sustainable and self-sufficient for the future. The Requirement The council appointed us as their strategic delivery partner to deliver four main objectives: Support to deliver proposals agreed in the budget challenge. Providing additional capacity to confirm and implement savings proposals agreed as part of the budget to achieve at least the expected level plus any additional in year savings. Support developing our longer term commissioning intentions and outcomes. Providing additional capability for strategic savings and market development helping develop robust proposals for 2020 and beyond. Capability development. Developing through doing; the knowledge, skills and capabilities we need in our new commissioning and contracting model, working together as one team and reducing our future reliance on external support. Embedding social value. Help to ensure our commitment to social value is fully integrated into our commissioning and contract management approach through these projects and translates into tangible outcomes for residents and businesses. The council required a flexible change partner that could not only provide strategic advice and guidance but assist them to drive projects through to completion, something they had struggled with in the past. The tangible benefits and milestone delivery were important to the council, but so was the way in which the partner worked with them. The Programme Working with the corporate commissioning team and service areas across the organisation, we developed a programme of work to deliver cashable savings, improved performance and greater social value over a 15 month period. Alongside the delivery of savings, we worked with the council to transform its commissioning, commercial and contract management capability. While there were pockets of good practice, the council wanted to develop and embed a more consistent approach to this and roll out a single framework across all areas of the organisation. With goods and services procured ranging from social care to highways maintenance, achieving consistency is not an easy challenge for a local authority. Working with the core commercial and contracts team and people in commissioning and contract management roles across the organisation, we developed a new framework based on: Strategic Commissioning Strategic Sourcing Procurement Contract Management This included a comprehensive review of tools, templates, processes, systems and skills. As part of this process, we undertook an organisation-wide review of commercial competencies, assessing the baseline position and future learning needs for 160 staff in relevant roles. This process looked at more than 1,400 data points through an online assessment, interviews and analysis of work samples to make evidence-based recommendations for improvement. The Outcomes Programme expectations exceeded – £2.8m savings delivered against a target of £2.3m, with milestones delivered ahead of target despite delays due to COVID-19 600% return on investment New framework for commissioning, procurement and contract management activity Capability improvements across commissioning, procurement and contract management Evidence-based diagnostic of skills and capability gaps, giving the council confidence in where to prioritise its investment Engaged existing staff in the development and implementation of changes About Us Human Engine is a leading management consultancy with specialisms in strategy, transformation, digital, commercial, procurement and projects. Founded in 2018, we have partnered with more than 50 local authorities, central government, NHS organisations and national charities to help transform their strategies, operations and cultures. Our mission is to help individuals and organisations to do the best work of their lives. We do this by blending first-hand, practical experience of the problems we help our clients solve with award-winning consulting expertise and an approach based on trust, collaboration and partnership. Back to Our Case Studies