Modern public management - the role of partnerships UNDP - Belgrade 7 December 2005 Michael Burnett European Institute of Public Administration

2 Introduction What is partnership? Why bother with partnership at all? Is partnership the answer? What objectives for partnerships? What type of partnership? Core issues Specific issues (inter-municipal co-operation, PPP, engaging civil society, EU Integration)

3 What is partnership? A partnership is one form of agreement between a public entity (national, regional or local) and a third party. Through this agreement, the skills and assets of both parties) are shared for a commonly agreed objective(normally at least medium term and with each partner “doing what it does best”. In addition to the sharing of resources, each party shares in the risks and rewards arising from the activities of the partnership.

4 Why bother with partnerships? Better than the alternatives? More than the sum of the parts? Justifies the opportunity cost? Deals better with complex issues? BUT NOT because it’s a warm, friendly word and it sounds like you ought to be doing it.... AND NOT because municipalities are too small...

5 Is partnership the answer? A public body can’t decide what it wants from its partnerships unless it is clear about its own corporate/service delivery objectives and how partnership can contribute to them Partnerships must contribute tangibly to the corporate/service delivery objectives in order to justify the financial and human resources devoted to them

6 Partnerships for what? (1) Better service delivery? (innovation, cost, outcomes, “joined up government”) New investment? Protecting employment? Avoiding service melt down? Accessing new skills? Generating revenues? Overcoming road blocks?

7 Partnerships for what? (2) Tackling social exclusion? Improving democratic legitimacy? Community development? Accessing funds? Accessing partner networks? Winning friends and influencing people?

8 Perspectives on partnership What types are there? - Public-Private - Public-Public - Public-Voluntary - Public-Community How do the partners see them?

9 Core issues Are you ready to partner? (culture, memory, rowing/steering)? Partnership – programmes and projects How many do you need? How many can you manage? Do you know what they cost? Do the users care? Form follows function

10 Partnerships and Inter-Municipal Co-operation Inter-municipal co-operation – not a soft option!! Under threat from European Court of Justice judgements in the field of public procurement?

11 PPP - the state of play PPP – being more catholic than the Pope? PPP – short term pressures... long term constraints? PPP – what has it really delivered so far? Can you commission a PPP effectively? Can you really manage a PPP? (negotiated outcomes are not delivered outcomes!) NB Have you lost control without meaning to?

12 Partnerships and civil society Partnerships – crowding out the alternatives? Civil society or “social partners”? Voluntary or not? (when Big Brother state steps in)

13 Partnership and EU integration The EU way – some examples - Building alliances - Accessing Social Funds/multi-country programmes A Europe of the regions and municipalities?

14 In summary... Partnership is not THE answer to modern public management It can be AN answer – it is one tool in the toolbox It’s not an easy answer It’s important enough for municipalities to invest time in building capacity in good partnering

15 European PPP Forum WEB SITE information/topicalwww.eipa.nl information/European Public-Private Partnership Forum CONTACT DETAILS Mr Michael Burnett Director, European PPP Forum European Institute of Public Administration Tel