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On holiday in Devon, I was approached by two young people seeking monthly donations for the RNLI. Their passionate selling pitch was inspirational, and I was persuaded to get involved. For those not in the know, the RNLI stands for Royal National Lifeboat Institution, and its army of 40,000 volunteers save lives at sea and keep our beaches safe. Surprisingly, the RNLI gets no government funding and relies on public donations to keep it afloat. Likewise, the National Trust relies on the generosity of supporters and the hard work of 55,000 volunteers – not government funding – to carry out its crucial work conserving our national treasures. Leaders in public service can learn a lot from organisations like the RNLI and National Trust, especially as we look for creative operating models which will keep our own crucial frontline services in business against a backdrop of economic uncertainty. Similar to the organisations named, councils have needed the support of volunteers to run services for decades. In Lambeth, we have numerous examples of citizens working voluntarily with us to run schools, children's centres, sports clubs, housing estates and environmental projects. But could we take this further? Might we encourage greater involvement from residents, community organisations and voluntary groups in the day-to-day managing, commissioning, shaping and delivery of services while retaining accountability? Can we investigate alternative funding models for some services which would mean they are no longer a burden on the public purse at all? At Lambeth, these are just a few of the questions we are asking as part of our engagement with residents. They are tough questions, but if we can use some of the inventiveness and creativity of organisations such as the RNLI and the National Trust, we might just find some answers. Mike Suarez is director of finance at Lambeth LBC

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WHITEHALL

Money Matters

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