Private matters

摘要

Traditionally, Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) have focused on the provision of assets such as roads, hospitals and schools. Increasingly they will focus on service provision. But too often, as recent high profile cases have illustrated, the 'partnership' in PPPs has been missing. Councils, and those who wish to work with them, will have to develop new competencies and approaches to PPPs if they are to maximise their potential to deliver economic, efficient and effective services, as well as assets. The following are four steps that need to be taken: Step 1: Laying the foundations. Make sure that you've got answers to, and internal agreement on, the following: 1. What are the issues the PPP will be seeking to address and what should be the objectives for it? 2. What roles should the council and the private sector play in meeting (1) above in a PPP? 3. How are the needs of service users and the council likely to change over time and how will a PPP have to change with these evolving needs?