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Public services library: publications and resources

This is a library page of publications, case studies, policy and technical guides relating the the voluntary and community sector delivery public services.

In this page:

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Introductions: the voluntary sector and public service delivery

From NCVO

Publication coverHow voluntary and community organisations can help transform public services (June 2006). Government remains committed to reforming public services and to enabling the voluntary and community sector to take on a greater role in public service delivery. The aim must be to achieve a genuine, lasting and positive transformation in the public services that people receive.  

Do you know how the voluntary and community sector can help transform services? (PDF 157KB)

State and the Voluntary Sector (NCVO Research report) Really excellent statistics and graphs outlining the history and relationship.

Voluntary Action: meeting the challenges of the 21st century (PDF 3.61MB) In depth analysis and comment by leading thinkers, commissioned by NCVO.

Rhetoric Into Reality (PDF 434kb) discusses how the public sector can engage with the voluntary and community sector to transform public services  

From Policy to Practice: How is the environment enabling you to deliver or commission public services? (PDF 355KB) an aide memoir for those who attended the Public Service Delivery Network Annual Conference 2007 and as a rich summary for those unable to attend

See also the Public Service Delivery Network case studies for further examples.

From other organisations

Transfer or transformation? is published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and contains two papers reviewing the political and practical impact of expanding the role of the voluntary and community sectors in delivering public services.

From Government

Public Services and the Third Sector: Rhetoric and Reality. (PDF 327KB)  House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee, 2008.

Working with the Third Sector. (pdf 1MB) National Audit Office, 2005. 

The role of the voluntary and community sector in service delivery: a cross cutting review. HM Treasury, 2002.

Exploring the role of the third sector in public service delivery and reform: a discussion document. HM Treasury, 2004.

Independent Review of Public Sector Effiicency: releasing resources to the front line. Sir Peter Gershon OBE, July 2004.

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Commissioning: policy and practice

From NCVO

Before Signing on the Dotted Line is NCVO's easy to read expert guide to commissioning

Third Sector Commissioning guide - A check list to intelligent commissioning and intelligent bidding

Jointly published by NCVO and Voluntary Norfolk, this publication acts as a checklist to intelligent commissioning and intelligent bidding, and as a framework for good practice in commissioning from across the spectrum of providers.  

See our Public Service Delivery Network case studies for more examples.

From other organisations

In depth report summarising a three year project by OPM into improving the commissioning of Children's Services. Funded by DfE and DH.

Guide to commissioning for trustees

Independent report on the value and financial mechanisms for delivering early interventions in welfare services. Led by Graham Allen MP, reporting to the Prime Minister.

DCLG's report puts the onus on service commissioners to make complex and multi-faceted purchasing decisions.

The National Audit Office guide focuses on how commissioners and the third sector can deliver services and outcomes that represent good value for money. The guide is supported by several Government Departments, the Commission for the Compact, the LGA, NCVO, and the NHS Confederation.

Report of the Thid Sector Commissioning Task Force in the Department of Health, 2006.

Department of Health briefing explaining the transition of public health responsibilities from the NHS to local authorities

LGA Quick Guide to Local Government for Health Commissioners and Providers (PDF 331 KB) (September 2012)

In depth report summarising a three year project by OPM into improving the commissioning of Children's Services. Funded by DfE and DH.

Guide to commissioning for trustees by NAVCA.

Early Intervention: Smart Investment, Massive Savings HM Government, July 2011. Independent report on the value and financial mechanisms for delivering early interventions in welfare services. Led by Graham Allen MP, reporting to the Prime Minister.

DCLG's report puts the onus on service commissioners to make complex and multi-faceted purchasing decisions.

The National Audit Office has published a practical guide on how commissioners and the third sector can deliver services and outcomes that represent good value for money. The guide is supported by several Government Departments, the Commission for the Compact, the LGA, NCVO, and the NHS Confederation.

Report of the Thid Sector Commissioning Task Force in the Department of Health, 2006.

Procurement and contracts: policy and practice

Pathways Through the Maze 2nd Edition – the acclaimed - and only - guide on EU procurement regulations and the voluntary sector. Written by Anthony Collins Solicitors, and published by NCVO and NAVCA.

Before signing on the dotted line - All you need to know about procuring public sector contracts. A guide to enable small and medium sized organisations to navigate the complex rules, procedures and practices that constitute the public sector procurement process.

Introductory Pack on Funding and Finance: Guide to Procurement and Contracting written by the NCVO finance hub, 2006.

Transferring employment rights to and from your organisation factsheet 2012

For EU regulation

 The Gershon review of public sector efficiency (July 2004) placed an emphasis on collaborative purchasing; one result of which is that contracts are becoming larger.

Report based on four year evaluation of Local Authority procurement, and policy impact on procurement. Useful to understand levels of quality and processes in procurement. (August 2005)

Improving financial relationships with the third sector: Guidance to funders and purchaser by HM Treasury, May 2006

Think Smart, Think Voluntary Sector: good practice guidance on procurement of services from the voluntary and community sector June 2004, published by the Office for Government Commerce.

Intelligent comments and explanation of the role of procurement in local authorities. Includes discussion of: the councillors' role; district councils; procurement in partnership. £20.

*Please note this costs £95 The CJC Guide to Buying from the Third Sector (2006). CIPFA produced guidance on relationships, contract and procurement legalities and directivesand market management and commissioning practice. (Please note that some of legislative references will no longer be valid).

The Compact

The Compact (2010)

The Compact Transparancy and Accountability Guide (2010)

For more information see the Compact Voice website.

 Cross-sector partnerships: best practice case studies

From NCVO

The Public Service Delivery Network has co-produced a whole catalogue of case study examples of cross-sector partnership delivering better services. These include:  

Creating Trust Based Relationships (co-produced with TACT)

Contracting for transformation - learning disability services in Derbyshire - MacIntyre and Derbyshire County Council 

Working together to deliver public services (PDF 307KB) - a collection of real life case studies 

Working together to transform Adult Social Care (PDF 274KB)  - Richmond Council and RUILS case study

Partnership working (PDF 569KB) - Croydon Council and Croydon Voluntary Action case study  

Developing joint training on outcome based commissioning (PDF 229KB) - Bristol City Council and VOSCUR case study

Joint working between the sectors (PDF 251KB)- - Norfolk County Council and Voluntary Norfolk case study 

Developing a commissioning framework (PDF 588KB)-  - Birmingham City Council and BVSC case study 

Public Service Delivery - A Partnership Approach in Lancashire (PDF 428KB)

From other organisations

The Compact (PDF 285 KB): guidance laying down terms for engagement between the VCS and government is available through the Compact Voice Website. Where VCOs are experiencing difficulties with purchasers, and feel the principles of the Compact may have been breached, NCVO's Compact Advocacy Team may be able to help. The Compact Voice website also gives case studies of best practice.

Win-Win Negotiation Strategy and Tactics for Third Sector Leaders (ACEVO 2007). *NB this publication costs £20. 

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 Collaboration and Consortia

From NCVO

See our dedicated pages on Collaboration and Consortia.

Collective Buying in Manchester - guest blog by GMCVO

Spending Money through Smarter Procurement: Procurement Consortia Explained (PDF 393KB). Case Study by NACRO, 2011

Joint Working Agreements (PDF 763kb) guidance and buy our recommended Due Diligence booklet (£10.50 for members).

Merger guidance.

Collaborate to compete: developing consortia for contracts (508KB PDF): Strarter-for-ten technical guide on how to set up effective consortia for contracts. Supplemented by our full day training on consortia. Written by Ian Curtis of CVS Bedfordshire on behalf of NCVO.

Developing Consortia (PDF 1MB)- DISC case study.

Collaborative working and consortium delivery in Nottingham (PDF 530KB)- HLG case study

Joint Working for Public Service Delivery - NCVO's webpage of guidance for charities working with other voluntary and community organisations thinking about working in partnership to deliver public services. Or read the report, Joint working for public service delivery (February 2006)

Transforming Together - how can collaborative working enable the VCS to deliver services in an innovative way? (PDF 88Kb). This article looks at the benefits and barriers of collaborating to deliver public services.

Collaborative Working to Generate Income (PDF 230KB). Article with case studies explain joint working in fundraising, trading, legacies and appeals etc.

Sharing Back Office Services (PDF 154KB). Models and means of sharing back offices functions, including IT.  

From other organisations

Building a consortium (PDF 140 KB) (2007) I CAN's initiative to develop a communications consortium and outlines the opportunities that the consortium offered, as well as the issues pertaining to its development. It provides key lessons on how to build a successful consortium and offers additional tips for joint working.

Read Consortia delivery of public services (February 2008)

Working in a consortium (PDF 335 KB) (December 2008) from the Office of the Third Sector provides guidance on the basic requirements for working with other organisations, and the first steps in developing a consortium, including questions organisations need to ask of themselves, and reasons for wanting to develop a consortium.

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Funding and finance

From NCVO

Introductory Pack on Funding and Finance - designed for small and medium-sized voluntary and community organisations and particularly, for the funding advisors who work with them. Including factsheets on:

Find out more about Sustainable funding.

Transfer projects to and from your organisation: TUPE Factsheet Revised 2012 (PDF, 236Kb)

From other organisations

Social Impact Bonds: one year on report (Social Finance, 2011)

Full Cost Recovery: A guide and toolkit on cost allocation:  Embedded within this guide is a template to help organisations understand and calculate their full costs - an essential component of negotiating contracts. It is published by New Philanthropy Capital and ACEVO

Intelligent Monitoring: an element of financial relationships with third sector organisations (PDF 623KB) June 2009, National Audit Office. A decision support tool for public bodies looking to develop proportionate and effective monitoring proceedures.

False Economy: the costs of contracting and workforce insecurity in the voluntary sector (UNISON, April 2007). A report on the impact of contracting on voluntary sector workforce security and subsequent quality of services.  

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Value and impact

From NCVO

Rethinking Efficiency and Value - As societal expectations of services change, 'good value' means more innovative and people-centred services. (PDF 472Kb)

To understand value and impact - read NCVO's specialist pages on impact.

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Governance structures

From NCVO 

Visit NCVO's online reference and decision-making tool Get Legal to learn more about legal forms.

From other organisations

Developing a mutual for public service delivery. TPP Law, April 2011.

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Fundraising Consultants

Coventry University

Fundraising Consultants | Charity Fundraising Ltd
Pensions Trust
Scottish Widows

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