Voluntary groups can pull in funding

Statutory agencies should not miss the opportunity to work with the
voluntary sector because it is often the key to attracting external
funding for services.

Brian Stapleton, of Croydon Strategic Partnership, said many trusts
were more inclined to offer money to voluntary organisations than
to statutory services.

He said the benefits of integrated working developed by the LSP had
seen Croydon Council selected as a pathfinder for a children’s
trust. But he warned against over-emphasising the significance of
representation on the board of the LSP. He said its role was only
advisory and decisions about provision of services were still made
by other agencies. “What we need to be doing is looking at the
representatives on school governing boards and foundation
hospitals, for example,” Stapleton said.