There is sustained pressure to improve efficiency and quality of service, to support better public services for all, and provide a stronger role in economic development and regional strategies. As a result local government faces increased expectation of innovation, community leadership and partnership collaboration.

Investors in People supports this developing agenda with its focus on outcomes and a tailored approach to meet current challenges and future needs. Working flexibly across all size, region and types of organisations, Investors in People does not prescribe any one method but provides a framework to help find the most suitable means for achieving success through people.

Partnership activity has included jointly mapping and aligning Investors in People with the peer review framework with pilot activity initiated with the IDeA’s ‘Workforce Improvement Challenge’, strategic links as a member of the National People Manager Forum, support of the GO Awards which promote literacy and numeracy as part of people development, and providing guidance, for example:

• With the use of ‘people resources’ cited as a key area of judgement in the new performance framework – Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) for the Local Government sector, IIP assessment is highlighted as a potential source of evidence in guidance from the Audit Commission to support Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOE) 3.3 - Does the organisation plan, organise and develop its workforce effectively to support the achievement of its strategic priorities?.
• The Local Government Workforce Survey 2009 once again included a section on working with Investors in People. A significant majority of local authorities work with Investors in People with 71% of authorities having Investors in People status for the whole of the authority, and 82 % of the workforce covered.     
  
  To access a full copy of the report, which provides information on the progress local authorities are making in addressing key workforce challenges, please click here.