• Number of Partnerships
4.3 There is a tendency to see partnership as an ideal model applicable to every context or policy area. However, as outlined earlier, partnership is an expensive and difficult process and can only be effective where it is appropriate. It is widely recognised that there are currently too many partnerships. This has increasingly stretched the capacity of all sectors, including government, to engage effectively. This undermines both the performance of individual partnerships and also confidence in the partnership approach. As a result there is a need for some level of consolidation.
4.4 The responses to the mapping exercise indicate that the driving force behind the establishment of the majority of partnerships identified has been government policy, primarily at the regional and national level but also at EU level. This is consistent with the historical evidence presented previously in this paper. However, there is little evidence of a corporate approach to partnership either at departmental or NICS level.
4.5 As a first step in addressing this issue, before entering into partnership, public bodies should ensure that the partnership approach is appropriate and likely to be the most effective and efficient.
4.6 To enable partnerships to work effectively and achieve maximum benefit, it is essential that action is taken to reduce the number of partnerships in the longer-term. However, any such action must take account of the outcome of the RPA to ensure that actions are consistent with any new administrative arrangements. Rationalisation in this context may, where appropriate, focus on reducing administrative structures rather than actual partnerships, as has been the case with the Magherafelt Area Partnership. There is also a need to ensure that rationalisation does not create large unfocused partnerships with too many objectives or areas of interest. Rationalisation, therefore, should only take place where it is likely to result in more effective arrangements.
4.7 In the interim and beyond, there is a strong need for greater co-ordination from the centre to avoid partnership fatigue and ensure that resources are available for effective partnership working. In light of this, action should be taken to better co-ordinate government policy on partnerships.
4.8 'Switching off' individual mandatory or statutory partnerships is likely to prove difficult, even in circumstances where they are not working effectively. The focus, therefore, must be on deciding at the point of inception, whether a formal partnership is needed and indeed whether there are opportunities to utilise existing arrangements.
• Building the team
4.9 A partnership is in essence a team and partnership is a process based upon the relationships and skills of the individual partners. Successful teams take time and work to establish. They require the building of relationships and mutual understanding between partners. In addition the team building process requires the development or nurturing of skills to ensure that all partners can contribute and that the partnership itself is resourced for success. This may require facilitation and training to ensure that all partners have the necessary skills to contribute.
• Effectiveness
4.10 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 issues and needs. Therefore, dissemination of potentially over-rigid or restrictive best practice models should be avoided. However, there are key factors, outlined in section 2, which evidence suggests contribute to the effective working of all partnerships. The EPU templates did not address this issue and do not, therefore, provide an insight into whether appropriate processes and skills etc are in place. In light of this, there may be value in lead departments evaluating all existing partnerships in which they are involved to ensure that the appropriate processes, resources and skills etc. are in place to maximize the potential for success. The Audit Commission checklist for effective partnership working is attached at Appendix Five for information. Any such evaluation will also wish to consider any facilitation or training which may be required to ensure that all partners have the necessary skills to contribute. Where there are a large number of partnerships, as is the case for example in relation to health and social services, the review of existing partnerships may be more appropriately undertaken as part of the outworking of decisions emerging from the RPA.
• Evaluation
4.11 It is also clear that a significant proportion of public monies are utilized in progressing partnership working. The responses indicated that some £230m - £500m of government and EU funding is allocated to partnership working. This is a very significant annual public expenditure commitment. However, despite this level of commitment, and given the recognition that partnership working is expensive, difficult and resource consuming, the responses do not indicate that sufficient monitoring or evaluation procedures are in place to determine the impact and effectiveness of the partnership, nor to measure the cost effectiveness and added value of the approach.