SECTOR
Local Government
FOCUS
Finance Transformation
DELIVERED
March 2025
CLIENT
Lancashire County Council
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
MARCH 2025
Lancashire County Council Finance Services Review
Lancashire County Council Finance Services Review
How we helped Lancashire County Council to review the service approach, reset the strategic brief for Finance Services, and prepare for the demands of local government reorganisation ahead.
How we helped Lancashire County Council to review the service approach, reset the strategic brief for Finance Services, and prepare for the demands of local government reorganisation ahead.
Article Content
Executive summary
Castlerigg Consulting was asked to review Lancashire County Council’s Finance Services and provide a clear, practical view of what needed to change. Our work gave the Council a constructive route forward: a clearer future role for Finance, better alignment of functions, more focus on real-time information, and a practical set of changes designed to make the service easier to run, easier to use and better placed to support corporate decision-making.
Rising financial pressure — increasing demand for better information and stronger budget management across the Council.
Local government reorganisation — preparing for 2027 and 2028 requires reliable data, processes and analytical capacity.
Wide and evolving remit — a broad range of corporate, transactional and service responsibilities had grown over time.
More than process improvement — the challenge was to define the right future role for Finance, not just find incremental improvements.
Key findings
Strong foundations — committed staff with deep organisational knowledge and a desire to do the right thing.
A changing brief — Finance needs to be a stronger partner for planning, change and decision-making.
Functions need clearer alignment — related activities should be brought together with clearer accountabilities.
Better information for better decisions — demand for easier access to financial information, forecasting and reporting.
Change needs senior ownership — many improvements cross service boundaries and require corporate leadership.
A FUTURE-READY FINANCE SERVICE
Stronger information • Better decisions • Simpler processes • Clear roles & ownership • Digital & data enabled • Ready for what’s next
Recommendations
Reset the Finance service offer — agree the role Finance should play, where it should lead, enable or partner.
Align functions and management — bring related activities together and clarify management arrangements.
Plan the bigger changes — take a structured approach to areas requiring more fundamental redesign.
Improve information and technology — increase use of real-time data, self-service reporting and digital tools.
Build capacity for reorganisation — create foundations for modelling, comparison and harmonisation work ahead.
Good data
Better information to support decisions.
Clear processes
A simpler way to organise work.
Financial modelling
Tools for comparison and forecasting.
Aligned teams
Clear roles and ownership.
Ready for change
A stronger platform for reorganisation.
The outcome
Clear direction — a clearer future role and service offer for Finance Services. Better alignment — functions, roles and accountabilities aligned to future need. Improved information — stronger financial information, forecasting and self-service. Practical change plan — a realistic route to improvement with visible early benefits. Ready for the future — a stronger platform for reorganisation and the challenges ahead.
Looking ahead: ready for reorganisation
Local government reorganisation will create a practical need for good data, clear processes, sound financial modelling and the ability to compare, align and harmonise financial information across organisations. This review positions Finance Services to meet those future demands with more confidence and to support the Council through the major decisions ahead.
Article Content
Executive summary
Executive summary
Castlerigg Consulting was asked to review Lancashire County Council’s Finance Services and provide a clear, practical view of what needed to change. Our work gave the Council a constructive route forward: a clearer future role for Finance, better alignment of functions, more focus on real-time information, and a practical set of changes designed to make the service easier to run, easier to use and better placed to support corporate decision-making.
Rising financial pressure — increasing demand for better information and stronger budget management across the Council.
Rising financial pressure — increasing demand for better information and stronger budget management across the Council.
Local government reorganisation — preparing for 2027 and 2028 requires reliable data, processes and analytical capacity.
Local government reorganisation — preparing for 2027 and 2028 requires reliable data, processes and analytical capacity.
Wide and evolving remit — a broad range of corporate, transactional and service responsibilities had grown over time.
Wide and evolving remit — a broad range of corporate, transactional and service responsibilities had grown over time.
More than process improvement — the challenge was to define the right future role for Finance, not just find incremental improvements.
More than process improvement — the challenge was to define the right future role for Finance, not just find incremental improvements.
Key findings
Key findings
Strong foundations — committed staff with deep organisational knowledge and a desire to do the right thing.
Strong foundations — committed staff with deep organisational knowledge and a desire to do the right thing.
A changing brief — Finance needs to be a stronger partner for planning, change and decision-making.
A changing brief — Finance needs to be a stronger partner for planning, change and decision-making.
Functions need clearer alignment — related activities should be brought together with clearer accountabilities.
Functions need clearer alignment — related activities should be brought together with clearer accountabilities.
Better information for better decisions — demand for easier access to financial information, forecasting and reporting.
Better information for better decisions — demand for easier access to financial information, forecasting and reporting.
Change needs senior ownership — many improvements cross service boundaries and require corporate leadership.
Change needs senior ownership — many improvements cross service boundaries and require corporate leadership.
A FUTURE-READY FINANCE SERVICE
Stronger information • Better decisions • Simpler processes • Clear roles & ownership • Digital & data enabled • Ready for what’s next
Stronger information • Better decisions • Simpler processes • Clear roles & ownership • Digital & data enabled • Ready for what’s next
Recommendations
Recommendations
Reset the Finance service offer — agree the role Finance should play, where it should lead, enable or partner.
Reset the Finance service offer — agree the role Finance should play, where it should lead, enable or partner.
Align functions and management — bring related activities together and clarify management arrangements.
Align functions and management — bring related activities together and clarify management arrangements.
Plan the bigger changes — take a structured approach to areas requiring more fundamental redesign.
Plan the bigger changes — take a structured approach to areas requiring more fundamental redesign.
Improve information and technology — increase use of real-time data, self-service reporting and digital tools.
Improve information and technology — increase use of real-time data, self-service reporting and digital tools.
Build capacity for reorganisation — create foundations for modelling, comparison and harmonisation work ahead.
Build capacity for reorganisation — create foundations for modelling, comparison and harmonisation work ahead.
Good data
Better information to support decisions.
Clear processes
A simpler way to organise work.
Financial modelling
Tools for comparison and forecasting.
Aligned teams
Clear roles and ownership.
Ready for change
A stronger platform for reorganisation.
The outcome
The outcome
Clear direction — a clearer future role and service offer for Finance Services. Better alignment — functions, roles and accountabilities aligned to future need. Improved information — stronger financial information, forecasting and self-service. Practical change plan — a realistic route to improvement with visible early benefits. Ready for the future — a stronger platform for reorganisation and the challenges ahead.
Clear direction — a clearer future role and service offer for Finance Services. Better alignment — functions, roles and accountabilities aligned to future need. Improved information — stronger financial information, forecasting and self-service. Practical change plan — a realistic route to improvement with visible early benefits. Ready for the future — a stronger platform for reorganisation and the challenges ahead.
Looking ahead: ready for reorganisation
Looking ahead: ready for reorganisation
Local government reorganisation will create a practical need for good data, clear processes, sound financial modelling and the ability to compare, align and harmonise financial information across organisations. This review positions Finance Services to meet those future demands with more confidence and to support the Council through the major decisions ahead.
Local government reorganisation will create a practical need for good data, clear processes, sound financial modelling and the ability to compare, align and harmonise financial information across organisations. This review positions Finance Services to meet those future demands with more confidence and to support the Council through the major decisions ahead.
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“
Castlerigg helped us turn digital strategy into a practical business strategy for the council. Their work gave us a clear view of where we needed to strengthen our digital capability.
— Paul Gribben, Head of Digital Services, Belfast City Council
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Castlerigg helped us move at pace, build confidence across teams and create a service that could respond to urgent pressure while improving care for patients.
— Senior Manager, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust
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The Gemini Programme has given Cheshire East greater control over key aspects of service delivery, allowing us to better align ICT with our local priorities.
— Gareth Pawlett, Director of Digital Services, Cheshire East Council
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The Gemini Programme achieved exceptional success. The disciplined approach to delivery ensured the council remained on track despite the scale and complexity of change.
— Roger Davies, Head of DDAT Services, Cheshire West and Chester Council