Nine Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnerships were created in April 2008 with a three year funding package of £185 million from the Department for Communities and Local Government to help councils accelerate the drive towards greater improvement and efficiency. 

The South West Improvement and Efficiency Partnership (SW IEP) provides specialist support to councils in areas such as smarter procurement, corporate capacity building, economic development and adult & children's social care. There is also support for the six Fire and Rescue Services in the region.

The SW IEP is overseen by elected Members from councils across the South West, and advised by a Chief Executives Management Group. It will invest a total of £23 million between 2008/09 and 20010/11, subject to performance.

The SW IEP is organised into 5 workstreams, each incorporating a number of themed programmes. To view a summary of each programme, click on the links on the left hand side of this page.

Now in its final year, the emphasis of the SW IEP is on promoting take up of the range of tools and support available, continuing to promote innovative sector-led improvement and efficiency support, and guaranteeing the legacy of key SW IEP projects.  Taken together, this will put the SW IEP on track to deliver at least £153m of efficiency savings, over a 4 year timeframe.

The SW IEP is supported by the South West Secretariat, the group of officers that also support the work of the SW Leaders, South West Councils and South West Employers.

The 2009/10 SW IEP Annual Report can be found here