Mind the gap: Setting standards for joint working

2. Mind the gap: Setting standards for joint working • Chair:Sir Ron Watson, Board Member, the Standards Board for England • Speakers:Hannah Pearson, Research and Policy Adviser, the Standards Board for England • Tony Redmond, Local Government Ombudsman • Vanessa Walker, Principal Consultant (Governance Lead), IDEA

3. Working in partnership – the advantages • ‘I have championed Local Area Agreements…because • although they seem technical, in fact they are • democracy in action. They bring together services to • deliver the kinds of things people want. They are the • future.’ • Hazel Blears, Communities Secretary, 3 July 2008

4. Working in partnership – the challenges • ‘…the potential issues are that different partners work • from different cultures particularly with respect to • openness and transparency, there is inconsistency • in the codes that partners are working to and • inconsistency on how codes are enforced.’ • Greasley et al, 2006

5. Accountability • accountability for probity • wherever public money is spent

6. Measures to close the gap • code alone cannot ensure high standards • ethical leadership • minimum – getting the culture right • rules and trust • role of standards committee

7. Types of partnership • Local Strategic Partnerships • Local Area Agreements • Health and Social Care Trusts • Regeneration • Crime reduction • ALMOs • Shared services • Outsourcing

8. Partnership issues • roles / responsibilities of partnership board members • respective governance codes of partners • joint commissioning of services • secondment of staff • accountability for individual projects • complaints handling arrangements

9. Role of members • executive / portfolio responsibility • chairing the partnership board • Members of the board • voting / non voting • constituency • authority for decision making • reporting lines

10. What the service user wants • to understand the partnership and what it offers • strong governance • no confusion over accountability • rights of the service user not to be diminished as a result of shared responsibility for service provision • a clear and robust process for complaints handling and providing redress • a single point of access for the complainant

11. Examples of cases (1/2) • Health and social care: • council and PCT joint funding of social worker post • delivering on behalf of both the council and PCT in • respect of learning disability • council at fault for not establishing appropriate guidance for customer

12. Examples of cases (2/2) • Local Strategic Partnerships • allocation of NRF monies • bidding for grant by voluntary bodies • confusion over arrangements / information • status of council member on board • complainant failed to submit bid • council did not accept responsibility

13. Good governance within local partnerships (1/2) • statement of the partnership’s principles and objectives • statement of funding sources for joint projects • clarity regarding each partner’s role and responsibility • definition of role of board members • line management responsibilities for partnership staff

14. Good governance within local partnerships (2/2) • complaints protocol • clear accountability for proper financial administration • protocol for dispute resolution • communication / profile • clear and well defined complaints handling arrangements

15. Complaints protocol • setting up the complaints process • training and guidance • supporting the complainant • defining the partnership’s responsibility for complaints • effective monitoring and review of complaints handled • redress

16. Governance and partnership culture and behaviour

17. What do partners do to work effectively? • partnership performance depends on good relationships • intentions to engage • making it happen – committing time and energy • barriers to overcome – recognising and valuing the diversity of skills and experience • benefits – courage, confidence and high standards • community impact – robust and creative decision making • learning and action – networking and sharing new ideas and alternative ways of working

18. Behaviour and culture The 6 Good Governance Principles Focusing on the purpose of the partnership, outcomes for the community and creating and implementing a vision for the local area Engaging with local people and other stakeholders and to ensure robust accountability Partners working together to achieve a common purpose with clearly defined functions and roles Promoting values For the partnership and demonstrating the values of good governance through high standards of conduct and behaviour Developing the capacity and capability of partners to be effective Taking informed and transparent decisions which are subject to effective scrutiny and managing risk

19. Partnership in practice: The boy from Afghanistan

20. Elected members as partners • discover • get involved • get to know your partners • move from ‘duty’ to mutual respect • get communities involved in your partnerships • promote democracy

21. Local standards committees and public accountability • no statutory responsibility • the strength of independent members working with councillor standards committee members • leading and influencing beyond your authority • supporting scrutiny and citizen redress • promote shared standards to ‘community contracts’

22. Questions • what are your experiences of partnership working? • what sort of partnerships are you familiar with – what is its purpose? • what is successful about your partnership? • what do partners do to contribute to that success? • what are the barriers to your partnership being as effective as it could be? • what do partners do to create the blocks and barriers? • what is the impact on your communities? • how can barriers be overcome?

23. Mind the gap: Setting standards for joint working • Chair:Sir Ron Watson, Board Member, the Standards Board for England • Speakers:Hannah Pearson, Research and Policy Adviser, the Standards Board for England • Tony Redmond, Local Government Ombudsman • Vanessa Walker, Principal Consultant (Governance Lead), IDEA

26. Mind the gap: Setting standards for joint working • Chair:Hannah Pearson • Research and Policy Adviser, the Standards Board for England • Speakers:Tony Redmond • Local Government Ombudsman • Vanessa Walker • Principal Consultant (Governance Lead), IDEA

27. Working in partnership – the advantages • ‘I have championed Local Area Agreements…because • although they seem technical, in fact they are • democracy in action. They bring together services to • deliver the kinds of things people want. They are the • future.’ • Hazel Blears, Communities Secretary, 3 July 2008

28. Working in partnership – the challenges • ‘…the potential issues are that different partners work • from different cultures particularly with respect to • openness and transparency, there is inconsistency • in the codes that partners are working to and • inconsistency on how codes are enforced.’ • Greasley et al, 2006

29. Accountability • accountability for probity • wherever public money is spent

30. Measures to close the gap • code alone cannot ensure high standards • ethical leadership • minimum – getting the culture right • rules and trust • role of standards committee

31. Types of partnership • Local Strategic Partnerships • Local Area Agreements • Health and Social Care Trusts • Regeneration • Crime reduction • ALMOs • Shared services • Outsourcing

32. Partnership issues • roles / responsibilities of partnership board members • respective governance codes of partners • joint commissioning of services • secondment of staff • accountability for individual projects • complaints handling arrangements

33. Role of members • executive / portfolio responsibility • chairing the partnership board • Members of the board • voting / non voting • constituency • authority for decision making • reporting lines

34. What the service user wants • to understand the partnership and what it offers • strong governance • no confusion over accountability • rights of the service user not to be diminished as a result of shared responsibility for service provision • a clear and robust process for complaints handling and providing redress • a single point of access for the complainant

35. Examples of cases (1/2) • Health and social care: • council and PCT joint funding of social worker post • delivering on behalf of both the council and PCT in • respect of learning disability • council at fault for not establishing appropriate guidance for customer

36. Examples of cases (2/2) • Local Strategic Partnerships • allocation of NRF monies • bidding for grant by voluntary bodies • confusion over arrangements / information • status of council member on board • complainant failed to submit bid • council did not accept responsibility

37. Good governance within local partnerships (1/2) • statement of the partnership’s principles and objectives • statement of funding sources for joint projects • clarity regarding each partner’s role and responsibility • definition of role of board members • line management responsibilities for partnership staff

38. Good governance within local partnerships (2/2) • complaints protocol • clear accountability for proper financial administration • protocol for dispute resolution • communication / profile • clear and well defined complaints handling arrangements

39. Complaints protocol • setting up the complaints process • training and guidance • supporting the complainant • defining the partnership’s responsibility for complaints • effective monitoring and review of complaints handled • redress

40. Governance and partnership culture and behaviour

41. What do partners do to work effectively? • partnership performance depends on good relationships • intentions to engage • making it happen – committing time and energy • barriers to overcome – recognising and valuing the diversity of skills and experience • benefits – courage, confidence and high standards • community impact – robust and creative decision making • learning and action – networking and sharing new ideas and alternative ways of working

42. Behaviour and culture The 6 Good Governance Principles Focusing on the purpose of the partnership, outcomes for the community and creating and implementing a vision for the local area Engaging with local people and other stakeholders and to ensure robust accountability Partners working together to achieve a common purpose with clearly defined functions and roles Promoting values For the partnership and demonstrating the values of good governance through high standards of conduct and behaviour Developing the capacity and capability of partners to be effective Taking informed and transparent decisions which are subject to effective scrutiny and managing risk

43. Partnership in practice: The boy from Afghanistan

44. Elected members as partners • discover • get involved • get to know your partners • move from ‘duty’ to mutual respect • get communities involved in your partnerships • promote democracy

45. Local standards committees and public accountability • no statutory responsibility • the strength of independent members working with councillor standards committee members • leading and influencing beyond your authority • supporting scrutiny and citizen redress • promote shared standards to ‘community contracts’

46. Questions • what are your experiences of partnership working? • what sort of partnerships are you familiar with – what is its purpose? • what is successful about your partnership? • what do partners do to contribute to that success? • what are the barriers to your partnership being as effective as it could be? • what do partners do to create the blocks and barriers? • what is the impact on your communities? • how can barriers be overcome?

47. Mind the gap: Setting standards for joint working • Chair:Hannah Pearson • Research and Policy Adviser, the Standards Board for England • Speakers:Tony Redmond • Local Government Ombudsman • Vanessa Walker • Principal Consultant (Governance Lead), IDEA