First Point Management & Consultancy Ltd provides professional and high quality interim management and consultancy services to support the public, private and not for profit sector. We have extensive experience of working within the public and community sector for public, community and private sector clients. We have a strong group and network of experienced associate consultants and can offer our clients bespoke, and flexible interim management or consultancy project arrangements that meet individual client needs across the UK .Projects recently undertaken for the public, private and not for profit sectors include change management, interim management, options review, insourcing/outsourcing, procurement support (client and supplier) and organisational transformation.Clients include: • Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Council• Barrow Borough Council• Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council• Belfast City Council• Braintree District Council• Cheshire East Council• Coleraine Borough Council • Derry City Council• East Riding of Yorkshire Council• Eden District Council • Hull City Council• Huntingdon District Council • Kirklees Council• Lincolnshire County Council• London Borough of Barking & Dagenham• London Borough of Redbridge • London Borough of Waltham Forest • Medway Council• Norfolk County Council • Peterborough City Council• Shropshire Council• South Lakeland District Council • Stoke City Council • The Royal Parks• Trafford Council • Watford Borough Council • Westmorland & Furness Council• APSE (Association of Public Service Excellence) • Aquaterra Leisure Trust• C3 Consulting• Edge Public Solutions• Fathom Solutions• Hull Culture & Leisure Ltd• Moche Management • Northgate Kendric Ash (northgate-is)• Small Fish Consulting • Strategic Investment Board (Northern Ireland)• V4 Services Ltd• Vivacity Culture & Leisure Trust

Responsible for Arts, Community Grant Funding, Culture, Environmental Health & Public Protection, and Leisure; lead on re-purposing of Penrith Town Hall, and part of the Corporate Leadership Team transitioning the Council into a new unitary authority.

Worked with APSE on a wide range of projects, insourcing, service reviews and development of commercial opportunities for local authorities.

Diagnostic Service Review of current commercial operations at key visitor and tourism facilities and development of an Outline Business Case for new commercial opportunities.

Project Director of a multi-disciplinary consultancy team supporting The Royal Parks to insource its commercial leisure operations in high profile locations providing strategic advice for operational mobilisation and Business Planning.

Options Appraisal and support to establish a Local Authority Trading Company (LATC) and manage the transfer of the leisure management function from a third party into the LATC, development of the service specification, Business Plan for the LATC and associated operational policies & procedures.Project Management Support for the insourcing of the Council's Waste & Street Cleansing Service from a third party operator.

Responsible for a diverse portfolio of directly delivered services including: Adult Education; Skills & Employment; Culture & Libraries; Economic Development; Arts, Festivals & Events; Heritage & Tourism; Housing; Planning; Sport & Leisure; and South Thames Gateway Partnership (regional inter-authority Building Control partnership).

Vivacity is a charitable trust working in partnership with Peterborough City Council to enrich lives by inspiring people through Culture, Sport and Healthy Living; delivering and operating Arts, Heritage, Libraries, Sport & Leisure and Theatre services across one of the fastest expanding cities in the UK.

In 2015 Hull City Council created an independent wholly owned and controlled company to operate the full spectrum of culture and leisure facilities across the city. In the lead in to UK City of Culture 2017, provided capacity for: the operational management of its archives, museums & galleries, theatres & halls; preparation for re-opening of the nationally renowned Ferens Art Gallery and Hull New Theatre following c. £20m capital investment; fundraising for 2017 programme and interface with the Hull 2017 City of Culture Team.

Provided commissioning capacity for the Council on a range of strategic projects and operations. Led a review of service delivery options for its Heritage, Libraries, Parks and Sport & Leisure services, recommending a mixed economy of provision. Following a prolonged period of stalled negotiations between the two principal parties, secured a partnership arrangement and transfer of the Broadway Theatre to a third party; including development and negotiation of the lease, funding agreement and performance framework. Council lead in securing London’s first Youth Zone; a £6m facility in partnership with OnSide a third sector organisation; including negotiation of the lease and operational agreements. Led the development of a local Cultural Partnership with local, regional and national stakeholders.

Following a review of its countywide Library Services, the County Council were challenged over its proposed provision and the subsequent Judicial Review quashed the Council's original approach. Post Judicial Review engaged to provide external support to project manage procurement preparation, stakeholder relationships and outsourcing of the service in a high profile and politically sensitive situation. Designed and led soft market testing and engagement activity that created a competitive pre-procurement environment and successful procurement outcome. Coached and developed internal capacity for project handover.

To ensure successful delivery of 2013 UK City of Culture, identifying and addressing programme, financial and delivery risks and acting as liaison between the Culture Company, Derry City Council and Government Departments.Responsible for regular performance reporting to Programme for Government Oversight Committee Meetings and the DCAL Minister across all project workstreams, including event delivery; financial management; governance and accountability; risk management; benefits realisation and legacy planning including production of the initial Legacy Plan.

Provided mangagement support as the organisation commenced a significant change management and transformation programme and preparesd to deliver UK City of Culture 2013 alongside an ambitious regeneration programme for the city. Operational responsibility for Arts & Culture, Community Services, Economic Development, Festivals & Events, Funding Unit, Heritage & Museums, North West Regional Cross Border Partnership, Parks & Open Spaces, Peace III, Sport & Leisure and Tourism Development. Responsible for operational transformation of the £10m Guildhall refurbishment project and integrated delivery solution for city centre visitor attractions. Strategic response to supporting the UK City of Culture 2013 programme with partner organisations. Leading a range of capital projects including facility rationalisation and development of new facilities. Supported the Chief Executive in designing and implementing a corporate organisational transformation project.

Responsible for a diverse portfolio of services that included: Arts, Beaches, Caravan Holiday Parks, Community Centres, Countryside, Golf, Events, Harbours & Marinas, Leisure, Museums , Parks, Play Area Development, Sports Development, Seasonal Recreation & Visitor Facilities, Town Halls & Twinning. Led the Technical Feasibility phase of a gateway leisure development including UEFA category B stadium; Leisure Centre; and commercial leisure opportunities.Supported the Chief Executive on service transformation and corporate restructuring as part of a corporate culture change programme and led the service portfolio review.

Service Review and Transformation for a London Borough; Service Change & Procurement Support to a large City in the East of England. Establishment of Leisure and Cultural Trusts in London and the East of England.

Provision of Interim Management and Leadership for a large and diverse customer facing service.Key Projects and Achievements:• Capital Projects including: - the delivery of the c.£10m Hull History Centre - full refurbishment of Woodford Leisure Centre • Design and Implementation of Management and Operations Structural Review• Development of a Cultural Strategy• Efficiency Review and Implementation• Establishing Culture within the LSP• Leadership and Strategic Direction• Leading the Hull & East Yorkshire partnership bid for UK City of Culture 2013• Legacy sub-regional Cultural Partnership• Leisure Facilities Improvement Strategy• Senior Management Development Programme• Service Transformation Reviews

Final implementation of corporate performance framework; preperation for cross cutting service inspecion; Organisational Re-Engineering - project management support and develeopment of internal capacity with knowledge transfer; efficiency & operational review of Planning Services.

Led preperation for cross cutting services external inspection.Rewiewed and developed a post inspection improvement plan. Implementation the corporate performance management system.

Management of a diverse portfolio of services and community focussed delivery and infrastructure projects.