Voluntary sector could be marginalised

Voluntary organisations could be marginalised within local
strategic partnerships as LSPs’ role in service delivery increases,
a leading civil servant warned yesterday, writes
Mithran Samuel from Torquay.

Alan Riddell, director of operations at the government’s
neighbourhood renewal unit, told Urban Forum’s National LSP
conference in Torquay that more and more partnerships may set up
streamlined executives to improve decision-making efficiency, and
this could exclude the voluntary sector.

Riddell said this had happened in some of the 88 neighbourhood
renewal fund areas, where LSPs have a statutory function.

He said: “LSPs are changing shape. I think 80% of LSPs in
neighbourhood renewal areas have a broader partnership and a
narrower executive, which may or may not include the voluntary
sector.”

LSPs are due to have a bigger role in service delivery with the
development of local area agreements, under which councils and
their partners strike deals with government to meet certain
outcomes in return for simplified funding arrangements.