The report is a contribution to the debate on how local authorities and the third sector can work together more effectively to reform and deliver public services. It looks at the steps taken to involve the third sector in commissioning, the steps taken to ensure a level playing field for procurement, and the development of a local evidence base.

The key success factors to working with the third sector that have emerged from pathfinder areas are outlined, including building the capacity of the sector through grant programmes, and better senior management accountability for the delivery of strategic commitments.

The third sector, from voluntary and community organisations, through to social enterprises and co-operatives, plays an important role in society building social capital, engaging communities, and lobbying to change and develop Government policy.

It also makes a unique contribution to the Government’s goals for improving and delivering public services. This report looks at the progress of five pathfinder areas, which were set up to develop partnerships between local authorities and the third sector in order to provide public services.

The pathfinders were chosen for a cross section of local authorities with different characteristics, eg a unitary council, a metropolitan council, a London borough and a rural county. Their geographies were different, demographically and socio-economically, and the level of involvement of the third sector before the pathfinder project started was different.

The approaches taken in each of the pathfinder areas were very different, but a number of critical success factors were identified, including:

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01/12/2006

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Urban Policy > Economy knowledge & employment > Urban economy

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