Working in partnership

Earlier this week the LGA and the Government signed a concordat setting out the relationship between central and local government. I was unsurprised that this seemingly bureaucratic act slipped below the radar of most of the media, but it could prove important: it establishes a framework of principles for how central and local government will work together.

Setting out clear rights and responsibilities for central and local government, which could be beneficial for democracy, the agreement clarifies the relationship between the two tiers of government. For central government it states the right to set national policies, including minimum standards of services. But also the responsibility to work with councils, consulting and collaborating with them in the exercise of these rights, while continuing to remove obstacles which prevent councils from performing their role.

The concordat underlines the important role that local authorities play at the level of government closest to citizens, setting out their right to address the priorities of their communities, and their responsibility to provide leadership that is accountable, visible and responsive to their communities.

It also refers to their responsibility to work in partnership with the other local public sector bodies, business and the voluntary and community sector. Given ippr north research into the functioning of sub-regional partnerships, we are especially interested in what it has to say about partnership working.

The recent Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act placed a duty on local organisations (such as key quangos and public sector bodies) to co-operate with local government, moving local authorities towards being the fulcrum of local democracy and decision-making in their area. The concordat may well help to cement this role as it acknowledges that effective partnership working will require major changes in behaviour and practice from central government departments, their agencies, government offices, councils and local partners. This recognition of the need for cultural change is welcome.

While the concordat may mark another step on the road to decentralisation within England, at the end of the day it is likely to be these cultural factors rather than bureaucratic documents that are the key to success.