Bridging the accountability gap - Audit Commission

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Governing partnerships | Public accountability in partnerships
121 Some partnerships use a variety of community channels to raise public awareness. Many
authorities have worked together, pooling budgets and resources to communicate with a
wider public than it would have been possible to reach if they had continued to work in
isolation.
‘We participated in the City Show last month. People from across the partnership,
including the community voluntary sector, had a presence. The public had an
opportunity to talk to different agencies situated next to each other. In this way, and
through some of the other coordinated involvement working, we’ve sought not to
revisit the same community with a whole series of different activities.’
Metropolitan borough council chief executive
We found a division of opinion between those who believe that the public do not care
about, or need to know about partnerships, and those who think that they do. I Local
authorities, which represent their communities, are just as prone to this division
(Figure 11).
Engagement and consultation
‘Programmes such as LSPs, Sure Start and the New Deal for Communities are
nurseries for democracy, getting people involved who wouldn’t dream of becoming
councillors. They’ve unlocked huge untapped energy and experience – giving
people more influence over the decisions that matter to their community.’
Deputy Prime Minister, at the Local Government Association General Assembly, December 2004
122 Partnerships sometimes formalise community involvement through the local compact or
community forums. Some councils are investing in support structures to help develop
community representation and engagement and are using a variety of means to involve
residents in decision making.
I Source: primary research for governance of partnerships study.