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Third Sector Challenged To Lead In Transforming Public Services

Following the issue of four new publications on 11 December 2008, the Minister for the Third Sector, Kevin Brennan has challenged the Third Sector to work with the Government to achieve “excellence and fairness” in public services. The four publications aim to detail the Government’s commitment to working in partnership with the Third Sector and how the Third Sector can lead the way in transforming public services:

	Public Services and the Third Sector: Rhetoric and Reality – Government Response;
	Public Services Action Plan: Two Years On;
	Working in a Consortium – Guidance, and
	Social Clauses Pilot – Results.

Public Services and the Third Sector: Rhetoric and Reality - Government Response

The Government supports the Public Administration and Select Committee’s (PASC’s) plea for more intelligent commissioning, and the Government is publicising this call through the National Programme on Third Sector Commissioning. The Government has also considered other PASC concerns including the need to build the sector’s capacity and to build a strong evidence base. The Government’s response states that to address these issues Futurebuilders and Capacitybuilders will provide support to the sector worth £150m over the next 3 years, and that a new research centre led by Birmingham University will ensure development of the evidence base.

To find out more visit:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmselect/cmpubadm/1209/1209.pdf

Public Services Action Plan: Two Years On

The Plan aims to underline the Government’s achievements since the Public Services Plan 2006. The Plan notes the encouragement of public sector commissioners to work more closely with the sector. The Plan also details the establishment of the Innovation Exchange, which aims to encourage innovators within the third sector by offering support in the development and implementation of ideas.

To find out more visit:
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/107232/psap_two_years_on.pdf

Working in a Consortium - Guidance

The Guidance aims to offer advice and information to small organisations about the benefits of setting up consortiums with other small organisations. The Guidance highlights the opportunities that consortiums can offer in building capacity and so enabling smaller organisations to still be able to bid for public service contracts. The Guidance is not a replacement for legal advice and it is advocated that legal advice should still be sought in the initial stages of partnerships of this kind.

To find out more visit:
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/107235/consortium%20guide%20final.pdf

Social Clauses Pilot - Results

Social clauses in contracts are envisaged as a way of promoting the social impact of public service delivery. The results of the Pilot disclose legal barriers to the use of social clauses. The Pilot also suggests that there is the need for research on Social Investment on Investment (SROI), a tool which seeks to put a financial value on an organisation’s social impact.

To find out more visit:
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/107238/social%20clauses%20report%20final.pdf

For More Information Contact:
Mark Johnson
TPP Law Limited
53 Great Suffolk Street
London SE1 ODB

t 020 7620 0888
f 020 7620 0778
e info@tpplaw.co.uk

Email: Mark

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