The report concludes that community involvement is a crucial factor in improving services especially in deprived areas. Based on a review of evidence from fifteen case studies, it shows that the use of different involvement mechanisms - including surveys, questionnaires, discussions, debates and delegating service delivery to users and communities themselves - is growing. E-Government can really help in this agenda. Community involvement is a key element in the government's drive to improve public services. The report concludes that the relatively modest costs of community involvement are generally outweighed by the benefits. The benefits identified included:
- reductions to the cost of public services;
- increased user satisfaction and easier access;
- lower crime rates, reduced fear of crime and better local environments;
- better prospects for improved health outcomes;
- improved employment opportunities for local residents; * more motivated front-line staff and more joined-up local services.
The costs of these activities are £45-£60 per annum per household or less, which is about the same as a CCTV camera, a duvet or a micro-wave cooker.
'Improving delivery of mainstream services in deprived areas: the role of community involvement' also shows that complementary changes in service providers' behaviour and performance are needed. The study considers the constraints on more comprehensive and intensive involvement of communities in deprived areas and what more might be done to encourage it.
The report, commissioned by ODPM, the Cabinet Office and the Home Office, looks at 15 case studies, covering crime, health, education, worklessness, housing and cross-cutting issues. The projects are in: Birmingham, Bradford, Derby, Durham, Hastings, East London, Leicester, Liverpool, Norfolk, Reading, Sedgefield, Sheffield, Stoke-on-Trent, and Weston-Super-Mare.
Phil Woolas Minister for Local Government and Neighbourhood Renewal speaking at the National Association of Councils for Voluntary Service annual conference in Telford said:
"This report confirms that the Government's emphasis on community involvement can pay off in terms of better service delivery. The case study examples paint a very clear picture of what can be achieved. It is clear that it makes sense to ask the local people.
"We recognise that the picture is mixed and some services are more effective at involving people than others. Through the Safer and Stronger Communities Fund, the Together We Can strategy and the work across all government departments, we are committed to strengthening the mechanisms and incentives for service providers to meaningfully involve communities and service users.
"The Together We Can action plan sets out the cross-government commitment to empower citizens to work with public bodies to set and achieve common goals. By having this shared plan of action, we can ensure the key initiatives from all relevant government departments are carried out so they make a real difference to people's lives.
"This report should be welcomed by the voluntary and community sector. It re-affirms that voluntary and community sector is a key partner in our common goal of improving public services, strengthening local democracy and renewing our poorest neighbourhoods."
The study was commissioned by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Neighbourhood Renewal Unit, working with Local Government and Social Exclusion Unit colleagues, the Home Office's Civil Renewal Unit, and the Cabinet Office's Office of Public Services Reform. The research was undertaken by a consortium including SQW Ltd, University of the West of England, LSE and Whole Systems Development.
Quelle: Publictechnology, 07.09.2005
