Harlow DC has raised the question of how the council and its partners, who are responsible for public sector investment in Harlow, can build on progress in partnership and local strategic partnership (LSP). Specifically, it has asked the question: ‘How are we to work more effectively together to ensure that the investment our organisations make in Harlow leads to improved outcomes in the context of the Harlow Sustainable Community Strategy (SCS) and the Harlow Local Area Agreement (LAA).' To address this question the Harlow Public Sector Board (PSB) was created with the following objectives: to ensure that the objectives and priorities in the Harlow SCS and Harlow LAA are supported through public sector investment in Harlow to increase the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of public sector investment in Harlow to increase the public sector resource allocations of European, national, regional and sub-regional organisations for the benefit of Harlow to ensure that arrangements for commissioning and providing public services at a national, regional and sub-regional level are working effectively in Harlow to ensure that the public sector in Harlow plays a full role in the evolution of the Harlow SCS and the Harlow LAA The objectives will be pursued through: aligning public sector funding to ensure that the objectives and priorities of the SCS and the LAA are supported agreeing local and neighbourhood priorities for investment consistent with the Harlow SCS and Harlow LAA undertaking joint customer/community research undertaking joint performance review and action planning across the public sector improving the ability of the public sector to be an effective partner with the voluntary and private sectors improving the capacity and capability of the public sector as an ‘intelligent client' where services are provided on its behalf The council and its partners recognise that, to achieve these goals, the membership of the Harlow PSB must: be willing to transcend organisational interests to deliver better services for Harlow communities be willing to consider new ways of providing services and using assets be able to see public sector resources in the context of the delivery of the SCS and the LAA be open about performance, organisational constraints and opportunities to contribute to more effective joint service commissioning and service provision be prepared to work in partnership and undertake joint problem solving Members of Harlow PSB will continue to be accountable to their sponsoring organisations, many of which will be statutory bodies. However, the PSB will also be accountable to Harlow 2020 and act as its public sector delivery vehicle. Harlow PSB is convened by Harlow DC, reflecting its community leadership role, and chaired by its chief executive. The board will act as its public sector delivery vehicle for Harlow 2020. The membership of the board is drawn from chief executives or directors of key public sector organisations operating or investing in Harlow. Harlow PSB is working to jointly identify community needs and use existing assets more effectively, undertake resource mapping and improve efficiency through shared services and review performance. The Government has challenged two-tier areas to show they can be as effective as unitary areas. The public sector in Harlow is prepared to meet that challenge. n Malcolm Morley is chief executive of Harlow DC. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of his employer.
