Title

The Localism Bill makes no mention of LSPs. Does this mean they have achieved their goals and will now wither on the vine? Tony Hunter considers their future. The political philosophers among readers of The MJ will recall Marxist/Leninist theory's prediction of the withering away of the communist state as ways of behaviour, and even thinking became so entrenched as to make the state apparatus dispensable and surplus to requirements. Does this analogy stretch as far as modern-day local strategic partnerships (LSPs)? Is partnership so advanced now that the spirit will survive without the structures? Certainly, with high-profile local area agreements (LAAs), and Comprehensive Area Assessments consigned to history, and with no direct reference to LSPs in the Localism Bill, the need for LSPs as the visible manifestation of working together is not what it was. But the partnership drive will surely continue. Community-based budgeting is a theme which – expressed in the right language for different audiences – can resonate well with local people, communities and businesses, who want to see maximum behind-the-scenes efficiency within the area before any threat to partners' direct services and activities. This enhanced focus on what we're doing by working together on today's hot topic – reducing cost to protect services and maintain local employment – is certainly more sellable than LSPs' broader image which has, at times, been one of an expensive, self-justificatory quango. Not that this is fair. LSPs have, by and large, had minimal supporting infrastructures since their establishment 10 years ago, and in the early years, gave real impetus to the development of common interagency goals and the engagement of voluntary and private sectors. But the truth is that, in this hairshirt-wearing era, downplaying what looks like a bureaucratic structure and up-playing the added value of working together, has to be the way forward. So, what is the future for LSPs? First, their mechanics, reviewed to secure all possible efficiency, can become less visible, with people seeing the added benefits of collaboration rather than the label and structure. In one area recently, I saw a poster in a PCT building saying, ‘Trouble with your pee? See your GP' – with an LSP logo on the poster as opposed to just the PCT's. I am still unsure whether the LSP tag promotes confidence or cynicism – or maybe it's only me who noticed and I should get out more... Second, there will certainly be a helpful shift away from top-down monitoring by LSP senior members towards more bottom-up emphasis on adding collaborative value to the work of individual or groups of organisations, seeing potential links, helping draw agendas together, and so on. In line with emerging Big Society thinking, and free of deadening over-focus on indicators, LSP participants can spend more time on imaginative, pioneering initiatives aimed at enabling people, communities and businesses to succeed. Third, a less-prominent LSP badge will not prevent cross-sector organisational leaders from taking the opportunity to define their areas' destiny, and how together, we make a real difference to the experiences and outcomes of local residents and businesses. The drive for improved performance against externally-determined indicators and targets should perhaps not have been a distraction from this key purpose, but in practice, often was. The note of caution, though, is that people will, of course, want to know how their representative bodies are doing, so performance regimes will need creating. But in future, they will be more self-determined and should feel more relevant and owned. And finally, fourth, we must understand and invest in each other, so local residents receive and respond to joined-up messages and initiatives. We will all emerge smaller but, hopefully, smarter as well, and this will involve some tough decisions which must not come as a surprise to each other. Reconfiguration of our activities may produce better value, but is often perceived or represented as a cut. Shifts to personal budgets and away from outmoded day centres is one example in adult social care. So, we need to understand our partners' stories, and be able to represent each other well in positive and confident ways in order to maintain public credibility in everyone's interests. Let's go back to the start of this piece – will LSPs wither away? Well, the badge perhaps, but the evident collaboration they inspired is certainly here to stay. We should look to a future in which professional, sectoral and organisational boundaries will continue to become less important as we gather round what matters most to our residents and businesses, and work alongside them in shaping and delivering local agendas. Tony Hunter is chief executive at North East Lincolnshire Council

Title

WHITEHALL

Is there a future for local strategic partnerships?

SUBSCRIBE TO CONTINUE READING