ESSEX County Council has outlined details of its efficiency drive to save �300 million to support frontline services. The council plans to deliver enhanced services and achieve its vision to deliver the best quality of life in Britain by 2012 through deve

ESSEX County Council has outlined details of its efficiency drive to save �300 million to support frontline services.

The council plans to deliver enhanced services and achieve its vision to deliver the best quality of life in Britain by 2012 through developing and implementing a programme of different and improved ways of working.

Already making progress towards this target, it is anticipated that �55 million of efficiencies will be delivered this year.

The �300 million worth of efficiencies will come from:

* Improved procurement: better purchase of services, management of contracts and markets - in addition to opportunities for shared procurement;

* Increased productivity: making savings by reducing wasteful processes;

* Joint commissioning: working with partners to commission work in different ways to meet shared objectives;

* Embracing new ways of working: making use of modern technology, better use of council property and investigating closer cross-council and partnership working;

* Trading services income: using Essex County Council's excellent services to generate income from trading with other organisations.

Leader of the Council, Lord Hanningfield said: "Delivering value for money lies at the heart of what Essex County Council stands for.

"The entire public sector is facing severe pressures on budgets, however, I am pleased that Essex County Council is leading the way nationally when it comes to modernising the delivery of local public services. By streamlining our internal processes and operations we will be able to divert resources to those front line services that our residents so value and that are so crucial to delivering a great quality of life.

"We will be explaining over the coming months further details of this programme such is importance of keeping residents fully informed.