This report on Local Strategic Partnerships was commissioned by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. The evaluation shows that LSPs are making good progress in developing organisational structures and processes, but as yet there is little evidence to show that they are making a discernable difference. Some LSPs are starting to produce outcomes in terms of improvements in strategic capacity and community legitimacy.The report highlights the shortage of resources compared to the policy agenda with which they are faced. There is a warning that partnerships could fail if they are overloaded with responsibilities. LSPs are playing a significant role in the development of community leadership and the attitude of local authorities is vital in carrying this forward.
A survey of the effect of work on holidays shows a blurring of the divide between the two activities. The research, commissioned by Sterry Communications, questioned office based personnel on the anxiety they experience when on holiday and the possible causes. The research reveals that nearly three quarters of workers worry about work when they are on holiday, whilst 40% admit it has even spoilt their time off.A third of respondents put their anxiety down to being a natural worrier; however 22% said that their colleagues were prone to contacting them when they were out of the office, which caused concern. More disturbing however, was that one in ten of the workers polled didn’t feel they could trust their colleagues to complete work that they had handed over. Eight percent were worried that their boss might find they had neglected to do work they should have done. One percent thought that their workplace would not be able to run without them.
Councils must strive for organisational transformation rather than incremental change if they are to fulfil the 10-year local government vision of leadership, neighbourhoods, partnerships between central and local government, citizen engagement and the performance agenda.Transformation on this scale will only be possible where councils have visionary leadership, organizational flexibility and people capacity to deliver improved services, greater efficiency and better customer focus in front line services. The strategy for achieving this is set out in ‘Transforming your authority – creating real and lasting change’, published by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Employers’ Organisation for Local Government.
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