Local Partnerships recently completed a study of commercial capability development needs as they present across a number of public sector bodies. We looked at offender services and the Legal Services Commission, health, education, local government and welfare to work. For Justice bodies, as in other areas of the public sector, the development needs around commercial skill development are broad and diverse.
This need for commercial skill development is being fuelled by an economic environment that is driving fiscal tightening that will continue for some years. In turn, this is driving the convergence of the efficiency and commercialisation agenda. Alongside this, the localism agenda and focus on ‘Total Place,’ whilst encouraging greater collaboration and integration at the local level, is also giving rise to complex buying and supplying challenges to public and third sector bodies through:
- multi-commissioner requirements
- increasing output/outcome focus
- increased demand for multiple interventions to achieve success
- increased collaboration and associated integration form the supply side
This new thinkpiece by member of the LP Public Services team looks at what are the challenges in building commercial capability in the Justice sector, and how can it respond.