1.13 Partnerships are diverse, while this has the potential to be a weakness in the partnership approach, it is also a particular strength, allowing partnerships to be tailored to specific issues and needs. Therefore, dissemination of potentially over-rigid or restrictive best practice models should be avoided. However, there are key factors, which evidence suggests contribute to the effective working of all partnerships.
1.14 A significant proportion of public monies are utilised in progressing partnership working. However, the responses to the mapping exercise do not indicate that sufficient monitoring or evaluation procedures are in place to determine the impact and effectiveness of partnerships, nor to measure the cost effectiveness and added value of the approach.
Recommendation: All existing partnerships involving public sector partners should be reviewed by their parent department and necessary action taken to ensure that:
• they are appropriate;
• they have a clear role and vision;
• opportunities for rationalisation are identified;
• all relevant bodies/partners are engaged;
• they have the necessary resources, structures, processes, personnel and skills to maximise their potential effectiveness; and
• appropriate performance criteria, and monitoring and evaluation procedures are in place to enable a longer-term evaluation of their effectiveness.
Where appropriate departments may wish to consider the review of existing partnerships as part of the outworking of the decisions emerging from the RPA.