London Scrutiny Network 7 November 2008

1. London Scrutiny Network7 November 2008 Scrutinising partnerships Jessica Crowe Centre for Public Scrutiny

2. What’s next? • New powers and legislative framework for scrutiny • New regulatory framework – CAA • Moving from scrutiny of services to scrutiny of place • Challenges and opportunities • Case studies

3. 2006 Local Government White Paper: - some significant steps forward • A range of proposals for strengthening scrutiny: • more powers to scrutinise other public bodies and require them to attend, provide information and respond to recommendations • encouragement to set up “area” OSCs • encouragement to be more strategic & focus on Local Area Agreements • a community call for action that was different to the one relating to crime and disorder

4. And in the 2007 Local Government Act… - slightly smaller steps • A more tightly defined framework: • wider scrutiny powers limited to include those under a duty to agree targets for the Local Area Agreement • power to require information, not attendance, only in relation to a Local Area Agreement target • District councils can set up joint committees and make recommendations to county council about LAAs • Community call for action replaced by councillor call for action

5. Next steps • Responses to consultation paper being considered • Regulations not now likely until April 2009 • CfPS to produce Best Practice Guidance • New Bill to implement 2008 White Paper possible Issues: • Real powers and sanctions? • Joint scrutiny and two-tier working • Scrutiny (and partners) overload and capacity

6. Scrutiny and CAA Two way process: • Inspectorates to see scrutiny reports as source of evidence • CAA reports a source of independent evidence for scrutiny • Make case for local scrutiny to reduce external inspection Issues: • high performing councils will drop scores if partners poor • makes joint scrutiny of partners even more crucial • need to prioritise, share burden and avoid duplication

7. From scrutiny of service to scrutiny of place Services • Professionals are king • Reports dominate • Tendency to be backward looking • What happened or what should have happened as the question Places • People are king • Stories inform • Tendency to be forward looking • What will happen or what should happen as the question

8. Places and people A place perspective • What do we want our place to be like in ten years time • How does our place compare to other places • What do we want to be unique about our place • And in what way do we want our place to be more like other places? A people perspective • What is my experience • What is my aspiration • What is my fear • What’s the role of public services in meeting those • How should we better configure services to improve experience, meet aspiration and address fear

9. 10 top skills for scrutiny of place • Steering not rowing • Commissioning and co-commissioning • Influence not command and control • Convening (and being convened) • Thinking and acting long term • Coping with complexity • Listening and engaging • Community mediation • Storytelling • Strategic and community leadership (courtesy of the Leadership Centre 2008)

10. Challenges ……

11. But also opportunities…

12. CASE STUDY: ROTHERHAM Getting going Getting a foot in the door - staying with it Working with Members - developing understanding Working with Officers - talk to us! Working with Partners - planning together

13. CASE STUDY: LB MERTON Arrangements that make sense locally Local arrangements to suit Merton Include non-statutory partners in arrangements Ensure that scrutiny recommendations will always receive a response Protocols providing clarity about expectations: attending scrutiny meetings and providing information issuing scrutiny recommendations/ reports how partners will ‘have regard to’ and/or consider & respond to those recommendations

14. CASE STUDY: CARDIFF New LSB Scrutiny Body Chairs of Council Scrutiny Committees Nominee from Police Authority Nominee from Fire Authority LHB Board – Non-Exec NHS Trust Board – Non-Exec Voluntary Action Cardiff Community Health Council Equality Rep Non-Council Chair

15. They made it work for them! Good practice • Brokering major health reconfiguration compromise • Joint scrutiny by 4 authorities to develop policy on a joint waste management strategic partnership • Recruiting older people as researchers to investigate patient experience of hospital discharge • Challenging LAA to set more ambitious targets on climate change • Media summit held with youth parliament to challenge portrayal of young people in press

16. They made it work for them! In their own words… “Scrutiny has a completely different atmosphere to other council business.” “One of the great advantages of the scrutiny function is that you can get out there and have freedom to operate.” “Scrutiny is more flexible than any other system and there is more scope for public participation than in the old committee style.” “The thing that I have found most satisfying about scrutiny is that all councillors are involved in running the council.”

17. Further support from CfPS • On-line library of 2000+ scrutiny reviews • Discussion forum – to share problems and experience • Publications, eg: • small print BIG PICTURE – scrutiny of public-private partnerships • How to win friends and influence partners – scrutiny of LAAs • Equal to the Task – scrutiny and equalities duties • Good Scrutiny Guide – the essentials • Events – regional events, Annual Conference, parliamentary seminars • Good Scrutiny Awards – share and celebrate excellence • Training and consultancy – skills, working practices, structures

18. Contact Please get in touch if you have further questions or comments: Jessica Crowe phone. 020 7296 6835 email. jessica.crowe@cfps.org.uk web. www.cfps.org.uk