The scope and content of the partnership framework must also address the institutional objectives established by municipal stakeholders. These may include objectives relating to:
• skills development, technology development and improved management practices (including delegation); and
• organisational capacity building for the partnership itself.
While these objectives may be met in part through the process of forming and implementing the partnership itself, it is also important for municipalities to specifically detail elements in the partnership framework through a capacity building strategy, allowing the function to be allocated to the most appropriate partner and the task to be costed. Yet the lack of skills may in itself prevent the municipality from articulating these objectives. In general, the institutional aspects of a partnership will concern municipal capacity building objectives in identified areas such as management, financial management and communication; and institutional strengthening to enhance the way the partnership itself functions.
Requirements must be defined clearly in the partnership framework. In particular:
• goals must be relevant and achievable within the overall scope of the contract;
• target stakeholders for skills development should be identified;
• target organisations should be identified along with their capacity requirements; and
• vehicles for delivery (including the partner responsible) should be agreed.
Ideally, a strategy should be developed within the partnership framework - one that is flexible and can be clarified in stages. Such flexibility, however, carries costs with the private sector, and the inputs of capacity building advisors at the outset may be a more cost effective approach.