To help protect services to the public and balance our budget we are always striving to be more efficient. We've already taken steps by adopting the Government's 50 sensible savings ideas. Here are some of the others.

Changing workplaces

We have reduced the number of offices we require from 12 to 5, generating a £400,000 saving every year. The new offices at Keynsham, part of a £34 million regeneration project in the town, will be energy efficient saving 80% and 90% on electricity and gas respectively - heating will be provided for large parts of the year by waste heat from the computer servers.

Shared services

There are a range of services provided by nearby public sector organisations that could be shared and delivered more efficiently. Currently, we share waste treatment facilities with Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Councils saving the local taxpayer an estimated £400,000 every year.

We are now exploring other opportunities to provide better value for money for taxpayers, including sharing back office functions, special highways works and street light maintenance services.   

Using modern technology

Delivering our IT strategy is saving £1.6m between 13/14 and 15/16 and a total of 32% reduction in IT spending over a  5 year period.

Using innovative computer technology we have already made in our IT infrastructure, our staff can now spend more time in the communities that they need to serve.

Gone are the days when workers were chained to their desks and losing valuable time travelling between office locations - highways inspectors, social workers and many other frontline staff can update records and information on the move rather than going to the office. Productivity gains are estimated at a minimum 5% and up to 30% in working time, for example by reducing sickness absence, ‘dead’ travel time.

One Stop Shops

The Bath One Stop on Manvers Street opened in May 2012, providing public services from one convenient location.

We relocated staff and public services from 4 existing locations to the Bath One Stop Shop and office space next door in Lewis House.  By closing 3 existing offices in a phased plan (Bath Street, Plymouth House and Shopmobility) and relocating services from the Guildhall the Council saved money by basing staff and services in one convenient central location.

Other organisations from the public, charity and voluntary sectors also provide services from The One Stop Shop. Some organisations relocated their main services here providing better value for money for the tax payer overall.