Bridging the accountability gap - Audit Commission

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18 Governing partnerships | The partnership landscape Figure 3 Local authority partnership working to improve services In 2003/04, almost all local authorities were working in partnership and a quarter experienced problems. Percentage 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 County Fire Metropolitan borough Police Unitary London * LG Fire LG Police LG LG (n=35) (n=21) (n=36) (n=36) (n=46) (n=33) Sector Base: All local authorities Source: Audit Commission 2004 District LG (n=238) Average LG (n=388) Local authorities working in partnerships …where there have been any problems in partnerships *No problems experienced in partnerships 44 In the 94 authorities where we identified problems, around two in five (39 per cent) could be described broadly as facing risks relating to the absence of, or poor operation of, financial controls and governance processes in the council or one or more of its partners. Even where councils have partnership agreements, they do not always apply them uniformly to all their partnerships: only a quarter (27 per cent) of councils do so.
Governing partnerships | The partnership landscape 19 Box A Common themes The common themes that emerge from our reviews are neatly exemplified by the recommendations provided to one metropolitan district council. The audit report wanted the council to have: ● ● ● ● ● ● a shared understanding of the roles, responsibilities and accountabilities of each partner; a shared ownership of strategy; better financial management, with clear procedures for determining the financial liabilities of each partner; performance management arrangements between individual organisations and the partnership; more structured and comprehensive reporting on performance and finance; and evidence of the value for money of the partnership arrangements. Source: Audit Commission 45 At the time these auditor returns were completed, a smaller proportion of NHS bodies were working in partnership I . In 2003/04, around two in five (39 per cent) NHS bodies were involved in partnership arrangements using Health Act flexibilities. There was significant variation across the bodies: two-thirds (66 per cent) of PCTs were involved in partnerships, compared with only 12 per cent of NHS acute trusts. Two SHAs were also involved in flexible arrangements. About a third of the PCTs involved in partnerships had experienced problems (Figure 4). I The term partnership in this context refers to joint arrangements for health and social care using the flexibilities provided under Section 31 of the 1999 Health Act.All PCTs are statutorily involved in crime and disorder reduction partnerships and most are involved in LSPs.
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Page 15 and 16: 1 The partnership landscape Why do
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Governing partnerships | Improving
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Governing partnerships | Appendix 1
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Governing partnerships | Appendix 2
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Appendix 3: References 1 Sullivan a
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Bridging the accountability gap - Audit Commission

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