Suffolk Council's i-team win

Press release: Kirklees, St Helens and Suffolk Councils win contract to deliver innovation projects in the public sector

Kirklees, St Helens and Suffolk Councils have been selected to take part in a groundbreaking new project – the i-team - which will see public sector organisations using, for the first time, innovation processes used by global companies such as Apple, Procter and Gamble and Nokia to develop new products and services.

The i-team, developed by Forum for the Future in association with The Innovation Forum and the world-leading design and innovation consultancy IDEO, aims to use innovation processes to find new ways of working and solving entrenched problems, starting with climate change.

Rob Vincent, Chief Executive of Kirklees Council's, says that the project will help the council to realise its ambitions:

"Climate change has a high profile right across our organisation. The council has a proven track record in achieving its own ambitious carbon reduction targets. Tackling carbon emissions across the Kirklees district is more demanding. Therefore, we look forward to working with the i-team to develop creative solutions to this urgent, yet exciting, challenge."

Lucy Robinson, Director of Environment and Transport at Suffolk County Council, hopes the process will help the council get a better handle on carbon management:

"We are very pleased to learn of our success in seeking support from Forum for the Future to help develop Suffolk’s response to climate change. The county council takes its environmental responsibilities very seriously. If we want to improve Suffolk's carbon footprint we need to work together, through initiatives such as the Innovation Forum."

Carole Hudson, Chief Executive of St Helens Council is excited about the opportunity to use new techniques:

"I am delighted the Council has been selected as part of a national innovation team to lead on local innovation on climate change. It represents a significant opportunity for Local Government to learn, and to then lead learning. This vital leadership role is central to delivering real and sustained progress in tackling climate change. Joining public sector skills with those of leading global innovators, such as Apple, Johnson & Johnson and BASF, is an exciting prospect. Helping to improve Local Government innovation puts St Helens Council in a very privileged position."

And Fiona Bennie, Project Manager, hopes the initiative will be the beginning of new ways of working across the public sector:

“This is a fantastic opportunity to use a design-led approach to tackle an increasingly urgent challenge. Creativity is an essential ingredient for innovation and I’m thrilled that the i-team will give these local authorities the chance to test out new methods and help embed them across local government."

The i-team will work with the three local authorities over a six-month period to address blockages and intractable problems that prevent them from taking the lead in tackling climate change. The approach is designed to inspire creativity, by transferring approaches that have been successfully used in other sectors to generate innovation.

For more information visit the Forum for the Future website or contact Imogen Martineau at i.martineau@forumforthefuture.org.uk or call her on 07944 401111