8. Priorities for 2008-11

  Comment on this chapter

8.1 Implement agreed changes in the structure of the national support services funded by Capacitybuilders. New delivery of essential national support services either through strategic partnerships or by single organisations will start in April 2008.

8.2 Conduct an evaluation of the national support programme and the role of the main contractors in October/November 2010.

8.3 Launch a capacity building public service delivery grant programme as part of the menu of general grant programmes – focused specifically on building the skills and expertise of third sector organisations wishing to provide specific public services. The new programme will be launched in April 2008.

8.4 Launch a new three-year Improving Reach funding programme designed to invest in infrastructure across the range of disadvantaged organisations or communities – extending the existing pilot programme to cover other areas of disadvantage. The new programme will be launched in April 2008.

8.5 Work in conjunction with other organisations to refine/develop/promote quality standards and appropriate outcome measures for infrastructure organisations operating within the ChangeUp programme.

8.6 Conduct research examining different models of infrastructure provision in the regions and sub-regions and their pros and cons, and prepare benchmark costings for different levels of provision.

Q3b Do you agree with the priorities detailed for 2008 to 2011? Comment

Comments

[stephen woollett]

7. Priorities for 2008-11
7.1 We think the priorities for this period should focus on:
• Strengthening local consortia so that they are effective in ensuring the needs of front line organisations in their area are met.
• Ensuring the new Improving Reach programme has close links with and complements the local consortia development plans and regional level strategic priorities.
• Flexibility to ensure national programmes, such as Improving Reach, are able to respond to the different structures and priorities of different regions and local areas.

7.2 Destination 2014 makes no reference to the prospect of local government re-organisation and a likely shift towards unitary local government. These will have major implications for the configuration of many infrastructure organisations and put further stresses on existing, sometimes fragile, local consortia. It may be appropriate for CB to consider a specific activity in this period relating to support for infrastructure consortia in areas of significant local government re-organisation.