New research has found that most councillors and local authority staff believe charities can deliver public services at least as efficiently and economically as private companies. The not-for-profit consultancy nfpSynergy has found that 63% of councillors and 58% of council staff think charities are able to deliver public services as cost effectively as private companies. It also found that 58% of councillors and 50% of council staff believe that charities can deliver services as well as local authorities – despite the fact that only 14 % of contracts are provided by charities, compared with some 26% by private companies. The consultancy's findings are based on its first Local Government Monitor, which aims to provide an annual assessment of council attitudes to work carried out by charities and future contract opportunities. Its online survey of 460 councillors and 420 local authority staff invited assessed the views of chief executives and managers in primary care trusts, social care, housing, and education and finance departments. Joe Saxton, ‘driver of ideas' for nfpSynergy, said: ‘Charities should be encouraged by the public sector's commitment to helping them thrive, and by the positive attitude of the majority of councillors and local authority staff concerning their ability ‘However, all parties should question the seemingly-low uptake of provision by the voluntary sector in a wide range of areas. The public sector spirit seems willing yet conversion into charity contracts remains weak. Surely actions speak louder than words.' He told The MJ: ‘There appears to be a significant gap between high opinions within local government about the abilities of charities to deliver and the number of actual contracts they are responsible for. We would expect charities to increase their share of contracts over time.'
