Shared Service Architects has announced that Members and Officers in local authorities and partnering organisations are now able to access its in-house, online library of links to almost 200 moderated shared service documents from across the UK and overseas, without charge. The topics include finance, HR, estates management, procurement, legal services, travel services and marketing and communication.

Following the announcement in the Budget of new targets for public service efficiency savings which virtually brought to an end the voluntary element in adopting shared services, there is now a need for every council to have a trained cohort of members and officers with shared service knowledge and skills. It will also provide ongoing learning for students who attend the taught shared service seminars at the university and then go on to conduct research MAs.

The articles in the library, which are also used as a research base for developing SSA’s taught shared services activity in collaboration with Canterbury Christ Church University Business School, are individually selected and moderated for their learning value by experienced shared service staff.

The online shared services library is available at SSA. www.sharedservicearchitects.co.uk