Working Together:The Role of the LEA in Partnership
Marriott Hotel. Liverpool
July 1 2003
PARTNERSHIP:
corporate dimension
1 July 2003
Deanne Fishbourne
Audit Commission
VSC - Liverpool
AC and partnerships
Partnerships to deliver better services
Community Leadership
Findings of CPA
Audit work and partnerships
Future CPA
‘A Fruitful Partnership’
Audit Commission 1998:
‘a joint working arrangement where the
partners are otherwise independent bodies,
agree to co-operate to achieve a common
goal, and create an organisational structure
and process or agreed programme and share
information, risks and rewards.’
Children and Young People Forum
Schools x 100
Community Representatives
Parents
Local Strategic Partnership
Early Years & Childcare Team
Neighbouring LEAs
Regional SEN
Local Children’s Fund Partnerships
Learning Skills Council
Locality Children’s Planning Groups
Police
Drug Action Team
Area SRB
Surestarts
Voluntary Sector
Community Safety Partnership
Connexions
New deal for communities
Neighbourhood Under 8’s Initiatives
Colleges
Social Services Children & Family Teams
District Councils LSPs and Regeneration Teams
Primary Care Trusts and Health Promotion Departments
Healthy Living Centres
Youth Offending Teams
Excellence clusters
Child protection
Anti social behaviour
Street crime initiative
Types of Partnership
Executive or commissioning
Advisory
Practical working arrangement
‘Strategic partnering’ contracts
Central Local Partnership priorities:
raising standards across our schools
improving the quality of life:
of children, young people and families at risk
of older people
promoting healthier communities
creating safer and stronger communities
transforming our local environment
meeting transport needs more effectively
promoting the economic vitality of communities
Community leadership
Local Government Act 2000
“the organisations best placed to take a comprehensive
overview of the needs and priorities of their local communities
and lead the work to meet those needs and priorities in the
round”.
Has given councils a clear role in leading their power to
promote social, economic and environmental wellbeing
Community leadership has three aspects:
local democratic leadership
leadership through partnership
communities leading themselves
Corporate assessments in CPA
Ambition, focus, prioritisation, capacity, performance management, achievement, investment
The Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) as
umbrella for community leadership & partnership working
Links to
Council strategic planning
Link to Community Plan
BV Performance Plan
Delivery of joint LPSAs
Tensions
Rationalisation of partnerships
Mainstreaming
Measuring impact
Governance and community engagement
Rationalising partnerships
Council roles
Balancing leadership, domination, sharing, devolving
‘letting go’ of control – role of backbench members
responsive community leadership
Challenge
to sustain the long-term community leadership required to tackle the problems that affect people’s everyday quality of life.
Following the public pound
Participation
Performance
Probity
Audit of Partnerships
Developed from area based initiatives (ABI) and zones
Costs and benefits
time consuming
difficult
broader solutions
Learning and capacity building
co-ordinated service delivery
Partnership Audit Wheel
AUDIT RISKS
poor commitment to the partnership and its objectives
inadequate arrangements to manage the relationships in the partnerships
inadequate arrangements to monitor the outcomes of the partnership
poor resourcing of the partnership
inadequate skills and capacity to deliver the partnerships objectives
Key themes from audit reports since 1999 cut
across the sectors and locations
Is the partnership achieving effective outcomes by appropriate means
Levers
High level commitment to partnership working
Shared vision
Long established relationships
Skills and experience of the staff involved
Cross sector utilisation of skills to achieve organisational objectives
Evaluation – . quality of life indicators
Complex funding streams matched by robust financial monitoring
Performance management frameworks
Barriers
Potential lack of clarity
Ambiguity in decision making
Different expectations / cultures
External pressures
Financial management confused
NEW SOLUTIONS AND RISKS
Partnerships create capacity to improve outcomes for the community and stakeholders
Focus on “with” and not “to” and sustainability rather than dependence
AC focus on best use of resources, transparency and user focus
Greater complexity and diversity is inevitable
CPA strategy 2003-2010 - consultation
Two more reports against existing CPA framework – 2003/04 2004/05
allows scores to be updated – up-to-date public reporting
allows genuine improvement to be taken into account in CPA categories
Performance measured against new frameworks – 2006 and 2010
Encourage focus on real service improvements not just higher CPA score
Ensure sustained delivery across all key services
Concentrate thinking about the longer term public service agenda – local impact on individuals
Revised CPA measures in 2006 and 2010 should focus on delivery and address wider cross-cutting issues agenda
Partnership in Inspection
Partnerships delivering outcomes
Need to be looked at holistically
More co-ordination between inspectorates on the key issues
Work with health and Criminal Justice Services, IDeA
From the citizen / user perspective eg LAC, SEN, admissions
Community leadership
Public space – liveability
Housing
Health inequalities
Community safety
Self assessment and peer challenge
Working Together:The Role of the LEA in Partnership
Marriott Hotel. Liverpool
July 1 2003
pwc
Strategic Service Partnerships
1 July 2003
Ian Moore
©2003 PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. PricewaterhouseCoopers refers to the individual member firms of the world-wide PricewaterhouseCoopers organisation. All rights reserved.
pwc
Contents
What are SSPs?
SSP delivery vehicles
The Strategic Partnering Taskforce
Public public partnerships
Applicability to education
PricewaterhouseCoopers
What are strategic service partnerships?
Strategically important
A range of services
Investment requirements
Long term in nature
Output based with incentives for continuous improvement
It may, but not necessarily, include staff transfers to a new body
It is often geared towards achieving a step or cultural change within the organisation
There are several delivery vehicles
SSP delivery vehicles
Public private partnerships
Contractual partnerships
Joint venture models
LLPs
PFI
Public public partnerships
Big bang versus incremental partnering
A hybrid approach
The Strategic Partnering Taskforce
Established to foster and help the development of SSPs and to remove barriers
Part of the ODPM’s Local Government Modernisation group
120 applications for pathfinder status in 2001
24 pathfinders being supported
Corporate, back office and e-government
Education, social services and health
Environment and transport
Education, social services and health
AGMA
(Association of Greater Manchester Authorities)
Barnsley
Hammersmith and Fulham
Manchester
Newham
Rotherham
Stockton
Tameside
Mostly health and social services or organised around joining up children’s services
Public public partnerships
When are they likely to be effective?
Strategic fit
Relationships
Economic case
Strategic fit
High level aims and objectives
Regulatory requirements
Close alignment – not identical, but reasonably close
Common agendas, priorities, issues
geography
specialisms
issues or drivers
Relationships
Organisations entering such relationships must be able to work together
Johnson and Scholes cultural web
ODPM’s Partnership Assessment Tool
Planning to manage cultural differences
Economic case
Many public public partnerships are based on horizontal integration of similar processes across partners
Impact of ICT & E-Govt
Key indicators of an economic case:
the potential for economies of scale
the level of synergy of activity
the potential to strip out inefficiency and/or make better use of under utilised assets
sharing scarce resources
Effective public public partnerships
Strength of economic case
Commonality of services
Public/public working:
Other issues to consider
A solid base
Agreeing common aims and objectives
Politics and political backing
Cultural issues
Presenting a common front
Legal/financial regimes
Contractual arrangements, accountabilities etc
Decision making
Governance expectations
Audit/inspection regimes
Applicability to LEAs and the intermediate level
Potential for public public working?
similar strategies
similar aims and objectives
similar processes
opportunities for scale economies
Common drivers – the basis for strategic partnering
geographical communities
communities with similar issues
specialisms
Common processes – the basis for strategic partnering
back office
other?
Benefits realisation:
The outcomes methodology
Identify the aims and objectives for the strategic partnership, as well as the measures that underpin them
Through discussion with individual councils, apply weightings to all levels to provide a measure of their importance within, or contribution to, the overall success of the partnership
Calculate the aggregate total of the achieved CSFs to provide an indication of the success of the SSP
Collate output/outcome measures which contribute to the balanced scorecard
One approach:
High-level model (objective categorisation)
Cultural changes
More effective management
Rescue failing services
Secure savings
Deliver more for same
Access resources
Reduce duplication
Exploit synergies
Secure employment
Increased job satisfaction
Service more user-focused
Services better performing
Innovation leads to greater take up / inclusion
Less confrontation
Greater flexibility than standard contracting
“Whole greater than the sum of its parts”
Environmental protection
Kick-start regeneration
Worked example:
Streetscene
Outcomes / Outputs
Outputs measures
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
Etc.
CPA
PIs
Mapping & Weighting
CSF
Sub Objective
Objective
Etc. (10%)
Etc. (10%)
Step Change (Organisation– 10%
100%
100%
Total – 100%
Etc. (20%)
Etc. (20%)
Efficiency – 20%
Etc. (10%)
Etc. (10%)
Partnership – 10%
Etc. (20%)
Etc. (20%)
Satisfaction – 20%
Etc. (10%)
Etc. (10%)
Workforce – 10%
Incentivisation (5%)
Communication and education programme (5%)
Greater community ownership for streetscene (10%)
Resources mobilised on a geographical basis (10%)
Joining up of service delivery (10%)
Services organised on a geographical basis (20%)
Step Change (Services) – 30%
Comments and questions
Pwc
Working Together:The Role of the LEA in Partnership
Marriott Hotel. Liverpool
July 1 2003
“Working Together: The Role of the LEA in Partnership”
Gavin Tonkin
Director of Lifelong Learning
Kirklees Metropolitan Council
“An Excellent Council ….. and improving”
How this happened to me
& why I am here!
Ofsted Report 2002
“The education service collaborates effectively with the Council’s Social Services department and other agencies, for example, the health authorities and the dioceses. In this work, it is able to build on the strong corporate context produced by the Kirklees Partnership”.
Reflection on how my Senior colleagues & I increasingly spend our time
Chairing and attending formal Partnerships
Supporting Partnership working – some statutory
Establish new Partnerships
Identifying how Partnerships can and will meet our priorities
Seeing and drawing together links between Partnerships
Explaining complexities to colleagues and members (loss of power)
Definition of “Partnership”
“ The mutual suppression of mutual loathing in the pursuit of government funding”
Local Strategic Partnerships
BUT……
Connexions
Teenage Pregnancy
Drugs Action Team
Early Years Childcare & Development Partnership and sub-groups
Learning Partnership & sub-groups
Health & Social Care Partnership Board
NRF (Dewsbury West)
Children’s Fund Partnership Board
Children’s Services Partnership Board (proposed)
Sure Start (x5)
Excellence in Cities Clusters (2)
Public/Private Partnerships (2)
Youth Offending Team
Community Safety Partnership
Music Trust
School Improvement Strategy Group
Partners involved in Attendance & Behaviour in Schools
Schools
Social Services
Health, including CAMHS
West Yorkshire Police
Youth Offending Team
Careers Service
Community Safety Partnership
Voluntary sector
FE Colleges
COMPACT
Street and Neighbourhood Wardens
Young Carers’ Board
West Yorkshire Connexions Partnership
Independent Sector
Fitting it all together
Kirklees Community Strategy
(local strategic partnership)
Create a stronger economy
Reduce discrimination & prejudice
Make Kirklees better connected
Increase opportunities for children & young people
Make Kirklees safer
Make Kirklees cleaner & more attractive
Improve health, well being & independence
Increase provision of safe, warm & affordable housing
Develop town centres
Culture & Lifelong Learning
Education Service
Performance Plan
Informs &
is informed by
Key Education
Plans
& Strategies
IM & ICT
Strategies
Adult
Learning
Plan
Education
Development
Plan
Local
Learning
Plan
Post-Inspection
Action Plan
SEN
Strategy
School
Organisation
Plan
Ethnic
Minority
Achievement
Plan
Capital
Investment
Plan
Early Years
Development
& Childcare
Plan
Asset
Management
Plan
School
Improvement
Strategy
Accessibility
Strategy
Youth
Work
Plan
LMS
Scheme
Teenage
Pregnancy
Strategy
The Demands
Intellectual capacity to understand the complexity and linkage
Clarifying roles and responsibilities; impact on management
Explaining it further down the organisation and making sure that it all translates into action
Monitoring and evaluating progress
Ensuring that Partnerships reflect Education Service Priorities (sometimes asked to support other Services’ or organisations’ agendas!)
Reporting back
Why be a Partner?
Contributes to Council and Education Service priorities
Establishes new professional and personal relationships
Encourages wider contributions and understanding
Should minimise gaps in provision and maximise value-for-money
Should break down barriers because of shared purpose
Brings new ideas and ways of working to the fore front (involvement of voluntary sector, particularly)
Potential Achievements
Evidence of making better sense of resources in some activities
Better knowledge of potential impact and benefit of other services’ work
Targeting for greater impact – “the sum of the whole….”
Easier for the consumer?
Much less inclined to blame others; more mutual understanding
Retained sanity?
New Ofsted Framework
JRS 49: The effectiveness of the co-ordination of actions in support of priorities involving collaboration between several agencies
Additional Performance Indicators
Evidence of progress in achieving education and social inclusion targets within:
- partnership plans;
- the EDP or ESP
- any related LPSA
Case studies and outcomes
Two examples of partnership projects, outlining the rationale for, genesis of, and funding sources for the partnership and project, and a rationale for location; monitoring and evaluation reports; project outcomes, and impact on standards of education. (Including contact details of partners involved).
Other Evidence:
Community Plan;
EDP
Local Strategic Partnership structure, strategy (if available), and plans;
List of partnership projects;
The most recent annual report of SACRE;
Details of the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership;
Details of LEA’s contribution to Connexions partnership
Other evidence (continued)
Details of LEA’s partnership arrangements with the Learning and Skills Council;
Diocesan Boards and representatives of other faiths and community groups
Where appropriate
EiC Partnership plans (including Primary Excellence and Excellence Challenge plans and EAZ Action Plans (also requested for JRS 4/5).
Golden Rules for Undermining Partnerships and Helping them to Fail
Do not waste time creating a common vision
Assume that the motivation for joining the partnership is altruistic and straight forward for all partners. Bring together as many disparate organisational cultures and agendas as possible, and avoid honest discussions about what has brought the partners around the table
Sharing your information with others will lose you your competitive advantage.
The biggest partners should shape and set the agenda
Ensure the unpopular work, and that involving the highest risk, rests with your partners, not with you.
Publicise the work as single agency (yours) and always draw the best practice examples from your own agency’s work.
Always dissent from decisions reached collectively, preferably in public.
Make meetings as inaccessible as possible.
Ensure the partnership has as many competing targets and deadlines as possible
Ensure all decision making processes are extremely slow
Don’t agree on what you’ve learnt or what works.
Assume that large organisations and small voluntary bodies have identical abilities and infrastructures to contribute to strategic discussions.
Working Together:The Role of the LEA in Partnership
Marriott Hotel. Liverpool
July 1 2003
Cheshire County Council
LEARNING
PARTNERSHIPS
VSC/ConfEd
Partnership Conference
1 July 2003
Logistics – size, distance, frequency of encounter - impact on each type of partnership - strategic, sectoral or neighbourhood
Resources for partnership – staff capacity
Boundaries and barriers – coterminosity, regular revision, ephemeral (voluntary sector) – networks not partnerships?
Culture - political vs professional, legal basis, traditions, strategic direction vs front-line action
Value – appraisal of partnerships, fitness for purpose
Learning Partnerships –
a County Council Perspective
“Learning and Living Together in Cheshire”
P
E
R
S
O
N
A
L
C
O
L
L
E
C
T
I
V
E
Collaboration Levels in Partnerships
Co-located
Co-resourced
Co-staffed
Co-delivered
Co-managed
Helsby Frodsham
Community Strategy
Local Strategic Partnerships
Schools
Policy
Libraries
Arts Culture
ISIS
Trading
Standards
Community Youth
Lifelong Learning
All children
well
vulnerable
in need
at risk
sick and dying
3
5
0
11
16
18
Partnership for Children
Secondary schools
Primary schools
Child Health
Youth Offending Teams
Connexions
Children’s Fund
Family Centres
CDCs
Sure Start 0 - 4
Adoption/
Fostering
Child Protection
Hospital Services
E
Y
D
C
P
0
-
14
Show all the staff that you believe performance matters
Join up your thinking and learn
Take action on what matters most
Make national agendas work for you
Sign up your staff
Find your own framework
Measure what matters
Help people to perform
“Performance breakthroughs”
to improved performance
Audit Commission 2002
Working Together:The Role of the LEA in Partnership
Marriott Hotel. Liverpool
July 1 2003
